How to ride a bike in Berlin

If you want to get to know the Berliners, then get on a bike.

Recently, after a long and delicious event at the Italian embassy, I cycled home to the district of Prenzlauerberg. It was already late, and it was a long way. In the dark, I pedaled through a couple of red lights to make up time - to the annoyance of a few drivers whose honks are still ringing in my ears.

I distinctly remember a brief conversation I had at the intersection of the famous Unter den Linden boulevard and Spandauer Strasse, not far from Alexanderplatz. An athletic middle-aged woman, obviously an experienced Berlin cyclist, stopped at a red light and yelled at me, "I saw you rode through red lights twice. Are you drunk or do you want to get yourself killed?"

That was it. I admit I'd had a few glasses of good Chianti, but that didn't mean I wanted to go down in history as Berlin's drunk night cyclist. That's why I opened my mouth and affirmed the latter, which I reckoned would be the lesser evil.

"Then you should call the crisis helpline," she retorted as she rode off.

No orientation without Google Maps

Riding a bike in Berlin can be quite an adventure, especially if you're not that familiar with the city. But don't rely too much on tools like Google Maps - especially when it gets dark.

Nevertheless, many newcomers like to try the out the app. Of course, there's something very comforting about the monotone Google voice telling you where to go.

"Turn left on Scharounstrasse," says Google, "then turn right on Potsdamer Strasse." What follows is an endless chain of right turns and left turns until the houses and lights gradually disappear and you find yourself in utter darkness. At that moment, your phone battery starts to die.

That's what happened to me when I was heading towards a new park somewhere in Berlin. It was a recreation center with playgrounds and skating lanes that's buzzing with life during the day, but gets spooky at night.

While I was dodging ghouls in the park, Google Maps said I'd be home in bed in 17 minutes. But it actually took twice as long and - thanks to my phone's weak batteries - I nearly had to sleep under a bridge.

Not enough room for cyclists

Cyclists who have been living in Berlin for years have different worries. Biking in Berlin is a permanent struggle with car drivers. Here, they seem a bit more aggressive and self-assured than elsewhere in Germany. People scream and swear at each other - and sometimes quarrels even get physical.

Berlin has turned into a dangerous place for cyclists. But bossy drivers aren't the only danger. Careless bike riders - like the author of this column, who is slowly feeling guilty - are another.

Over the past few years, the number of cyclists has doubled in Berlin. Many streets are crowded and crammed, which can leads to life-threatening situations. That's why a petition demanding more bicycle lanes has already got more than 100,000 signatures - five times more than necessary.

Residents are asking for safer bike lanes that don't jeopardize people's lives. The petition is supported by the opposition Greens party, which has long been at loggerheads with the city government under the ruling Social Democrats and Christian Democrats. The city administration, in turn, says the lanes would cost too much.

But the discussions have been dragging on for too long. It's time for change. Last year, 48 people in Berlin were killed in traffic accidents - and 10 of them were cyclists.