Ampeln
You are riding on a cycle path beside the road. There is no bicycle signal at the junction. What do you do?
Erklärung: Since 2017 a cyclist follows the vehicle signal unless a signal with a bicycle symbol has been put up for the path. The little walking figure has not applied to cyclists since then.
Your cycle path has its own signal with a bicycle symbol. It is red, and the car signal beside it is green. What do you do?
Erklärung: Where a bicycle signal exists it replaces the vehicle one for you. They are often deliberately out of step, to hold cyclists back while a stream of cars turns across the path.
The signal shows red and amber together. What do you do?
Erklärung: Red-and-amber is a warning to drivers to get ready, not a permission. Nothing may move until it turns green.
The light turns amber as you approach it, and you are still far enough away to brake comfortably. What do you do?
Erklärung: Amber means stop, unless stopping would need braking so hard that it becomes dangerous. Comfortable braking distance means you stop.
The light is red and this board is fixed beside it. You want to turn right. What do you do?
Erklärung: The green arrow is a permission to leave a red light, and it costs a full stop first. Everyone with a green light — including people on foot — goes before you.
This board hangs beside a red light. A car next to you wants to turn right too. What do you do?
Erklärung: The bicycle under the arrow narrows the permission to cyclists. The car has to wait for green. As always, the full stop comes first.
You have green and ride straight on. A car beside you has green too and is indicating right, across your path. What do you do?
Erklärung: The turning driver is required to let you go — and this is precisely the collision that happens most often anyway, because they are looking for a gap in oncoming cars rather than for you.
The signals at a busy junction are completely dark, and there are priority signs on the posts. What do you do?
Erklärung: With the lights out, priority falls back one step to the signs. Only when there are no signs either does right before left take over.
You are riding on a cycle path. The pedestrian light beside you shows green, so you may ride across.
Erklärung: The walking figure is for people on foot. As a cyclist you take the vehicle signal, or a bicycle signal where one exists — and that has been the rule since 2017.
Your wheels are still rolling slowly at a red light: this counts as having stopped.
Erklärung: Red means standing still. Rolling through a red light on a bicycle costs 60 euros, and 100 with a point if the light had been red for more than a second.
Which cyclists does this signal bind?
Hattest du es gewusst?
Antwort:
all of them, unless a bicycle signal is there
Erklärung: The vehicle signal is the default for cyclists on the road and on a cycle path alike. Only a signal with a bicycle symbol displaces it.
What is this signal, and who does it bind?
Hattest du es gewusst?
Antwort:
a bicycle signal — it binds cyclists only
Erklärung: Where it exists it replaces the vehicle signal for you, and it may be out of step with it.
What does this board let you do, and what does it cost first?
Hattest du es gewusst?
Antwort:
turn right on red, after a full stop
Erklärung: And after giving way to everyone whose light is green, on foot or on wheels.
Who may use this board?
Antwort:
cyclists only
Erklärung: The bicycle beneath the arrow narrows the ordinary green-arrow permission.
Which light does a cyclist obey when there is no bicycle signal?
Antwort:
the light for vehicles
Erklärung: Since 2017, on the road and on a cycle path alike. Never the pedestrian light.
What does red and amber shown together mean?
Antwort:
still stop — green is coming
Erklärung: A preparation phase for drivers, not a permission for anybody.
What does a flashing amber light at a junction mean?
Antwort:
the lights are out of service
Erklärung: Priority falls back to the signs, and if there are none, to right before left.
What is the German word for a traffic light?
Antwort:
die Ampel
Erklärung: A Fahrradampel is the bicycle one; an Ampelmännchen is the little figure on the pedestrian light.
When red and amber show together, you may already set off.
Erklärung: Red and amber together is still red — it only tells you green is coming. You go on green.
The light is red and a green-arrow board hangs beside it. What must your wheels do before you turn right?
Antwort:
stop
Erklärung: The green arrow lets you turn on red only after a full stop, and only if you obstruct nobody.
Who may turn right on red at this board?
Erklärung: The word "nur" and the bicycle under the arrow narrow the permission to people on bicycles.
When the lights at a junction are flashing amber, the road you are on automatically has priority.
Erklärung: Flashing amber means the lights are out of service. The priority signs on the posts decide; where there are none, right before left applies.
Amber still lets you through, as long as you hurry before it turns red.
Erklärung: Amber means stop. Only if stopping would take braking so hard that it becomes dangerous do you carry on — never speed up for it.
Amber on its own means … — unless only dangerously hard braking would manage it.
Antwort:
stop
Erklärung: Comfortable braking distance means you stop before the line.