Berlin Warning or Danger Tips by grishaV1

S-bahn stations in general late at night are rather empty, and their may be the lone crazie or group in it you wish to avoid. If in any doubt, stay on the street level, take a taxi to where you need be. They can usually be found at the corners of main intersections, beige cars or small vans. Look for the taxi signs with arrows. If you feel uncomfortable with a situation or are lost step inside of restaurant or corner shop and ask directions if necessary.

Towards the outsides of the city later at night, near stopping time for the lines, make sure you allow enough time to make it back to your stop or you might find yourself stranded some station you don´t know and trains have stopped for the night. Then you will have to find a night bus stop if possible (always try to find one headed to your direction or Zoo station where taxis can be found, read the marker next to the stop) or a taxi, or might have a lOOOOOOng walk.

U-bahns. Again you have to make sure you give yourself enough time to reach your stop later in the night during the week, or you can find yourself stranded. Safety in these...hmm, same info as above for U-bahns, but generally you will find some riders at any time most main stations. Rarely you are completely alone on a car as you might find yourself at an S-bahn late at night. I´d a friend from language class from Panama who always took buses so matter how long it took or how early she had to start out for a location because she had been told the U-bahn were uber dangerous as were S-bahns. One couldn´t convince her otherwise, but she had been given flawed info. Any place can be dangerorus somewhat even buses, but the majority of Berliners of any colour use public transit safely daily.

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I´ve heard different views about the dangers on these at nights and certain areas of the city. People warning that ones with darker skin should stay away from the S-bahns at night in the eastern sections of Berlin, or for direct example at Ostkreuz station. I´ve traveled all around on them, different times of the day and night, and of course you see I have paler skin and most people think me German but I do watch people and see what´s going on. I´ve never personally seen any abuses or problems going on to visitors types of any color.

You might see some questionable looking characters but generally for Berlin, as compared to other big cities of the world, whether these people dislike you based on nationality or skin color they seldom bother casual visitors and the like. The ones that might get you trouble are the younger guys thinking they are tough with something to prove to the world, but these were to others from the city. A group of young Turkish guys that were verbally harassing a young German looking guy, and then opposite a group of German youth bothering a Turk. These are the situations I´ve seen. Once a friend who is mixed with darker skin was casually spit at by a German Russian youth at an S-bahn station, but the others waiting alongside the young woman at the station hissed him so terribly he was the one embarassed, as he should have been. He quickly left without getting on. So there are things that go on, anyplace it might be so when large groups of different peoples mix and they don´t try to understand or tolerate the other, but its fewer than what some people try to make it.

Don´t be afraid to come to Berlin because of what a few people say. Its a great place to visit, you have to be wise as in any big city but its really few dangers for a city this size. Have to use common sense.

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Website: http://www.bvg.de

I place this under the warning tips but not against Berliners but to warn those who come for a visit.

Example:

Standing shoulder to shoulder in a crowded U-bahn train, I observed two people separated by the rush. One was at the end of the train car, the other in the middle, many in between. One called for a box of tissues from the other. There was no way to push through the crowd to hand it over. So the woman threw it, at quite a clip (good arm) and hit a guy standing nearby in the side of the head. Audible sound. It must have hurt a bit. Oof! I thought, here it goes! But he did nothing, nor said anything. Typical Berliner guy, he was even wearing black with a small attaché case and "student" style glasses, yet he just looked curiously at her a moment, then to the guy...and that was the end of it.

Elsewhere something most likely would have been said, maybe even a casual curse word tossed. While this was a typical reaction in Berlin.

1. If someone moves your grocery buggy out of the aisle with no explanation and passes by, no reason to get pissed off or think them rude. They were helping you. You obviously did not realize you were blocking others from passing, as it were.

2. If you are "jaywalking" (going against traffic or signals) a car or motorcycle passes you close or doesn´t slow down, its a given. You had no reason going against the signals. You put yourself at risk.

3. You are two people sitting at a table for 4 or 6 in a crowded café. You are surprised when other sit down and start ordering. Tja, it happens. They are utilizing the space to full capacity :-)

Some visitors think German/Berliners can be rude in various ways, but I find it basically a misunderstanding. So I say, visitors, tone down your immediate thought someone might being rude with you or disrespecting you. 9 times from 10, in my experience, they are not. Much more common heated arguments on abstracts among friends than to have confrontation with someone you don´t know over trivia.

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I notice in many restuarant or bar we went to there were homeless people coming around to offer magazine copies for selling. I don't know if it was one of them, I just remember I had been approached by three when moments later I found 20 Euros had been taken from my pocket. Stupid me, yes! But watch your pockets, dont keep all your money in one. I didnt so it was ok though I hate to lose the money. It happened in the area of Oranienburger Tor right across from Tacheles which is many kind of place in one many artists work from here and you can watch. When we walked past an artist was making some statue of metal with spraying hot sparks everywhere. It was exciting. Cafe Zappata is there, a cinema, club and beergarden. Dont get too interested in everything that you dont watch your pockets like I did!

On the foto you will see breakdance performers who drew a large crowd of onlookers neat the Europe Centre. Crowds like there are prime targets for pickpockets because everyone is looking inward towards the dancers, often not paying attention to who is moving through the crowd.

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Berlin really draws many gay and lesbians to Germany´s hauptstadt, and it is not unusual to see persons of same sex expressing affection for each other in public places. It´s a casual and common site in many areas just as you´d see two lovers give a kiss or hug when parting or meeting other places in the world, but certain areas of the city one still needs to be more careful.

In areas like Kreuzberg, Schöneberg, Mitte, Friedrichshain & Prenzlauer Berg, its more common areas you might see such affection, or any place you might see me and my partner :-) Nollendorf platz is popular area for gay men, Motzstraße has many gar bars for example it connects to this U-bahn stop. But when you go into suburbs and farther away from the centre of the city, especially east of Berlin better to be circumspect. These are general warning only! Some may experience different, some may never see or have anything at all happen to them but good, yet its still always better to be cautious certain areas. Ask those gay ones you know who live in the city before going to a place you are not sure of just to be safe.

SIEGESSÄULE is a gay mag which is been published since 1984, 20 years now! Its free and tells you about events going on in and around the city. Articles also which discuss safety and other issues.

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Website: www.siegessaeule.de

In cities like Berlin there are much more pedestrians than in American cities I feel. Many walkers and those who use only public transportation and don't have their own vehicles. Some good tips when walking here is to watch the traffic signals of the cars also, check it just in case to make sure its matching the pedestrian signals.

Drivers seem to me to go really faster in the more narrow streets here but they do obey the traffic laws. If they are turning right they are require to yield to walkers, but still its best to not go slow but go across as quickly as you can.

When you are crossing a street with the island in the middle, sometimes the signal on the very far side is green while the one on the island is still red (the one closest to the walkers). Make sure you watch the one closest to you, and not the far one! If you are running late to cross the signals make sure you go fast, because the cars start off quickly and dont wait for you. Also they don't seem to slow down very much if you cross illegally. If you cross illegally and get caught by the police they can give you a citation right there for you to pay. Don't jay walk!

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