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Metal thieves disrupt train traffic between Berlin and Hannover

Metal thieves disrupted rail traffic between Berlin and Hannover on Friday, stripping some several hundred metres of aerial contact lines and forcing national railway provider Deutsche Bahn to reroute trains.

Published: 18 June 2010 10:37 CEST

Metal thieves disrupt train traffic between Berlin and Hannover

Photo: DPA

Overnight unknown perpetrators managed to steal 800 metres of the metal cable between Wustermark and Ribbeck in the state of Brandenburg overnight, a Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman said.

It remains unclear how long the rail route must remained closed, but for now long-haul trains will be rerouted through Magdeburg and Stendal, while regional trains will be replaced with bus service between Wustermark and Buschow.

The situation could cause delays of more than one hour for passengers, Deutsche Bahn estimated.

The tracks along the affected area were closed around 4:30 am, but workers were able to open one side of the line at 7:30 am, according to news magazine Der Spiegel.

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Driver in Bavaria gets €5,000 fine for giving the finger to speed camera

The district court of Passau sentenced the 53-year-old motorist to the fine after he was caught making the rude gesture in the direction of the speedometer last August on the A3 near the Donautal Ost service area, reported German media.

The man was not caught speeding, however. According to traffic police who were in the speed camera vehicle at the time, another driver who had overtaken the 53-year-old was over the speed limit.

When analysing the photo, the officers discovered the slower driver’s middle finger gesture and filed a criminal complaint.

The driver initially filed an objection against a penalty order, and the case dragged on for several months. However, he then accepted the complaint. He was sentenced to 50 ‘unit fines’ of €100 on two counts of insulting behaviour, amounting to €5,000.

READ ALSO: The German rules of the road that are hard to get your head around

In a letter to police, the man said he regretted the incident and apologised.

Police said it was “not a petty offence”, and that the sentence could have been “even more drastic”.

People who give insults while driving can face a prison sentences of up to a year.

“Depending on the nature and manner of the incident or in the case of persons with a previous conviction, even a custodial sentence without parole may be considered for an insult,” police in Passau said.

What does the law say?

Showing the middle finger to another road user in road traffic is an offence in Germany under Section 185 of the Criminal Code (StGB). It’s punishable by a prison sentence of up to one year or a fine.

People can file a complaint if someone shows them the middle finger in road traffic, but it usually only has a chance of success if witnesses can prove that it happened.

As well as the middle finger, it can also be an offence to verbally insult someone.

READ ALSO: The German road signs that confuse foreigners

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