Germany - Safety tips
Those are the safety numbers to be aware of, which are valid for all over Germany.
Police Polizei 110
Fire Brigade Feuerwehr 112
Paramedic Notarzt 112
Further tips
To keep children safe, it's a good idea to prepare them in advance.
Teach children their name, address, telephone number and parents' names
Tell them that if it doesn't feel right, it's OK to say NO
Tell them not to get into the car or walk with a stranger. If your child has to be picked up by someone else, make sure you have agreed on a secret code, so they can identify the person correctly.
Tell them not to let a stranger take a picture of them.
Tell them not to approach a car if somebody is asking for directions or claims of having lost a pet.
Do not have your child wear clothing or anything else where the name is visible.
As parents, we should listen to our children carefully and watch for any warning signs they may be giving us indirectly. Make sure you know your children's friends, teachers etc
Cars drive on the RIGHT in Germany, so make sure, if you come from a country with the drive on the left, you look to the left before crossing the street.
It is the driver's responsibility to make sure the coast is clear before allowing any doors of the vehicle to be opened. This includes being vigilant about opening doors on the right side of the car next to the kerb, as cyclists using the bike path may be overlooked and injured if they plow into your door.
Always wait until the little walk man turns green before crossing the road at traffic lights.
Walk on the footpath, not on the bike path.
Always prepare to stop for pedestrians when approaching a zebra crossing.
Pay special attention to bikes continuing straight ahead when you are turning right. These vehicles have right of way.
Stand on the right on escalators, as you may get yelled at or even pushed by people wishing to walk on the left.
Although there are no poisonous spiders or snakes in Germany, there are lots of wasps in summer. These creatures will sting repeatedly if angered (shooing them away will make them angry). Wasps are attracted to sweet things, particularly soft drink. Never drink soft drink directly from a can (if a wasp has flown in there it could sting you in the mouth or the throat if swallowed). Use a straw or pour the liquid into a cup or glass. Do not try to destroy a wasp nest yourself - call 112 and get the fire brigade to do it for you. The German word for wasp is "Wespe".
Single women can safely and happily walk around and catch public transport on their own at night. If you forget to lock your bike or car when you park it on the street, it will still be there when you come back to it. Luckily Munich has a relatively low crime rate, so you do not have to chain your bike to an immovable object when leaving it for long periods of time. Securing one of the wheels to the frame is sufficient. Muggings and pick-pocketing are relatively rare, but be careful in crowds, particularly at Oktoberfest.
People are allowed to buy fireworks for the 3 days before New Year's Eve, to be set off on New Year's Eve. As this festival is often celebrated by consuming large amounts of alcohol, be very careful of stray fireworks.
Be extremely careful when driving on the Autobahn. Cars travelling at 200km/h can "come out of nowhere". Breaking distance is significantly longer and impacts are a lot more deadly at these high speeds.
Make sure you have an adequate supply of medicines and groceries before the shops close on Saturday, as they are not open on Sunday (24 hour pharmacies and emergency pharmacy home delivery is available though).
Make sure you have winter tyres for driving in the colder months.
Due to complacency and lack of education, AIDS is making a resurgence. Heavy advertising campaigning in Germany remind people of how to protect themselves. Teenagers need to be aware of the risks.
