It happened yesterday – no matter how important I consider life balance: once in a while it happens that I am a little pressed for time.
An appointment with a friend at 12 o’clock. I have to leave by 1 p.m. – and I am a little late. So I have to call him, just so everybody knows what is up. There is a good place, no traffic, I see everything far ahead. So I ride my bike a little slower, get my cell-phone and make the call. After 18 seconds, everything is said. I can continue with a little more speed.
Three hundred metres on, a BMW stops me – police. Three policemen driving a BMW. The one riding shotgun opens his door and gets out. I give him a questioning look. I am not aware of having done anything wrong. I was riding on the right side of the road, everything should be well.
“Sir, you are the person we want to speak to”, says he. He does not give his name. I say: “With pleasure”. After all, I rather like the Unterhaching police force. “So what can I do for you today?“ – “Sir, you used your cell-phone while riding your bike!”
Oh yes, now I remember. Indeed, just back there, I made a short call. As we all know, this is forbidden while you are riding your bike. And I did not pay special attention to whether or not police was near. What a pity. After all, I was in a hurry, wasn’t I?
The policeman tells me: “I would like to give you an official warning”. I say: „OK! I accept! But, please, let us be quick about it, I am in a hurry“. He tells me the official warning is necessary. Far too many bikers have had fatal accidents lately. Well, I do not understand the logical argument in this sentence.
But yet, I say: “Yes, I understand”. After all, I am in a hurry. You really often read about accidents where bikers are fatally injured. They rather shock me. Yet, so far I never read about a biker being injured because he had a short telephone conversation on his bike.
The policeman also tells me that you cannot break with one hand. Well, this is certainly nonsense. At the slow speed I was going, my right hand for the rear break would easily have sufficed to bring my Utopia Roadster to an immediate standstill. But since I am in a hurry, I only nod.
Now the policeman wants to see my passport. I get it out and hand it to him. Then he asks me. “What is the postal code of Hohenbrunn”. That makes me a little thoughtful. Why does he ask this question? Is this a catch question? Does he want to test me? Or maybe he wants to fob me? Since I am in a hurry, I tell him the five digits.
He disappears in his car. I have to wait almost 10 minutes. Then I get an official warning. With an air of generosity, the policeman says: “If you pay up within the next 10 days, everything will be fine”. I nod. He almost apologizes. I tell him that his behaviour was absolutely flawless and continue on my way. After all, I am in a hurry.
Was this really necessary? Who benefits by it? Will I change my behaviour? Of course, I will pay up without complaining. If you violate the law, you have to accept the consequences. Besides, 25 Euros do not really hurt me, do they? Then I remember that there are, indeed, people for whom 25 Euro are really painful. Well – who said life was fair.
As I continue on my way, I see numerous drivers sitting in their cars and holding their cell phones to their ears while driving. Some of them even smoke while talking on the telephone and driving. During the 15 kilometres to my destination at Dachauer Str., I also meet many bikers who drive on the wrong side of the road. Some of them hold a cell phone to their ear. One of them even rides his bike free-hand on the wrong side of the road while holding his phone.
Epikie Yes, life is definitely not fair.
But is this really necessary? Is it really the duty of a policeman to educate us? Like our parents used to try? They, too, failed.
In my book the police in general and policemen in particular have a positive connotation. Regardless, I feel I have to train myself for developing an automatism in some situations in order not to “get caught”. Just to save money and time. Because I feel I know what is right and wrong and will actually stick by my rules.
Incidentally, this behavioural pattern is called Epikie (Aristotle). It means you “act as a sensible legislation would demand from you“.
Yesterday was definitely my unfortunate day. In the afternoon, I left my cell-phone with one of my customers. At least, this prevented me from getting caught with the phone at my ear on my way home. And when I went to play soccer at night, I discovered I had packed two shoes for the right foot…
But still, yesterday was a wonderful day!
RMD
(Translated by EG)
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