American Reacts to 7 More Things NOT to Do in Germany

[@K__a__M__I]

You're fast? At the checkout? Brah, come on over and test your skills against the ultimate speed machine that is the average Aldi employee. No chance. I have to strategically place things like vegetables and bread on the belt to slow them down! Things they have to weigh or manually punch in. That's the only way to win this battle of beeps and bags.

[@robertbaltha3371]

Totally agree, no comparison to any other discounter or supermarket😂

[@BeOtterMyFriend]

Also you have to put the things on the belt in the right order, so you don't end up waiting or putting the squishy stuff below the solid stuff.

[@impazzita82]

Hahaha I thought I was the only one using those tricks with the vegetables and the bread placed strategically. :D :D :D

[@frisco-2.0]

It may be the reason why they are that fast at your ALDI, because it's german. 😂😂 ALDI is known for its fast cashiers.

[@K__a__M__I]

@@frisco-2.0 Wasde nich' sagst...

[@k.schmidt2740]

Being a bad role model for children in traffic is considered very bad, as children are physiologically/psychologically not capable of really judging the motion of moving vehicles like adults can. We teach them to obey the signals for their own good. If they obey the signals, they don't have to try to do something they can't. Our "sacrificing" a few minutes per year for the safety of children is really not a big inconvenience. So IF you jaywalk here, make absolutely certain there are no children anywhere - even looking out of apartment windows. Takes too long? Then just wait for the signal.

[@PliuNoShi]

💙

[@elab.1413]

The big different is, the childeren in germany are educated to make there ways to traffic by there own, walking, driving by bus to scool etc. so every adult is aware of it. That's not the case in america.

[@madremoja]

@@elab.1413 I haven't been to the States yet, but travelled a lot around Europe. From my experience either the countries are more aware of pedestrians, or less aware of pedestrians (so pedestrians and even children don't run across the street as long as they are not sure they can make it before the car. But in both cases I kind of prefer the German way. I mean, I really enjoyed just passing whenever I wanted like in Spain or France. But there is always the possibility someone is distracted or doesn't see you.

[@nearata]

and be sure that no police is around as it is considered ignoring a red light and u will lose ur driver license for a month or longer

[@ithaqhua2208]

Yeah, but except for the busy main streets, no one cares and does it anyway. That's the reality.

[@arremar9274]

as a working nurse in germany i am really thankful for the quiet hours and sundays cause if i have to work at the weekend or sundays nightshift its nice to know its quiet and i can get some sleep

[@marie-thereswelte7281]

i´m a nurse for old people and i feel the same. quiet hours are the best. i love it

[@gillescallens8267]

I'm Belgian. I always use the vacuüm cleaner when drilling a hole. It's just so... logical.

[@MrJaldal]

Amercians dont think like us, apperently. Its natural to drill holes that way, everything else is monkeys throwing shit at each other.

[@1337fraggzb00N]

There is no other way.

[@plutoniumlollie9574]

The 'bar' looked more like a café/ bistro/ brasserie type of thing to me. It's a place where people like to meet to have a nice chat, relax, have their lunch or dinner and sometimes to work. Although they serve alcoholic beverages, these places often open early enough to also serve breakfast. So it's not necessarily a place considered for partying and being obnoxiously loud.

[@fairgreen42]

About the jaywalking: Here in Austria (and Germany) cities are generally rather walkable, there's more public transport, as well as children tend to be more independent at a younger age. Therefore it's common for children to navigate traffic on their own to go to school for example. So it's indeed about being a good role model when crossing the street.

[@ToxicWaste23TheRealOne]

Austria is like the America of Europe

[@austriankangaroo]

@@ToxicWaste23TheRealOne what

[@ToxicWaste23TheRealOne]

@@austriankangaroo i mean bcause of the gun laws. Oida wos redi üwahaupt englisch

[@ZeeVeeeee]

@@ToxicWaste23TheRealOne no it’s not

[@mauer1]

yeah the children beeing independant is a common thing everywhere. think about driving with 14

[@Nils.Minimalist]

I paid 50 cents for a toilet at a gas station here in Germany last night and it was very clean. I love clean toilets, so I'm happy to pay that 50 cents without whining. We have parking lots on the highways with free toilets, they are often very dirty and disgusting. I never stop there!

[@madremoja]

Actually on the highway I prefer the free ones. Before sanifair took over most of the stations, I preferred those. Like giving 20-50cents (before Euro about 50 Pfennig) to the cleaning staff was totally fine. With sanifair at the beginning it changed already a bit, because it can be really inconvenient to first search for the money, dealing with the machine when needing the toilet fast. In addition with the increase to 75cents and keeping the 50cent voucher it really annoyed me.

[@thinkingbout]

@@madremoja Nowadays it costs 1€ woth the 0.50€ voucher and I hate it because you can't even use it under a certain budget so it is just a pricy piece of paper for the trash.

[@madremoja]

@@thinkingbout Haven't been to sanifair for a pretty long time, obviously 😅. Last time it was those 75cents. And yeah, 1€ and with those conditions is crazy.

[@MrxD-cg5xs]

@@madremoja yeah man these vouchers are hella annoying - worst part about them is that you can’t even buy anything with them without having to pay extra, so they fake giving back your money but in reality its a scheme to get you to pay even more in their shop afterwards!

[@M-ly9pf]

I understand but money for pee is insane....clean or not.....shame

[@favoritevids8869]

The reason he mentioned children during the jay walking, is because it is normal for children to walk to and from school by themselves, even young children. Therefore it is important to be a good role model so kids don’t just run across the street “because the grown ups do it too”.

[@tosa2522]

I can still remember when ALDI only had a small assortment and cashiers had to enter product numbers into the register by hand. I would even say that scanning takes longer because the cashier has to rotate the products so that the label can be scanned. The trick to keeping up with the cashier is to put your purchase back in the cart after it has been scanned. After that, you have all the time in the world to put your goods away properly.

[@Shiciloy]

This

[@judywe4941]

As far as I know Aldi products have the code to be scanned on more than one side of the product, and there is a scanner on the flat surface and one perpedicular to it so that it is mostly not necessary to rotate it,

[@beldin2987]

Exactly this. Most annying people are who not only directly pack everything sloowly in their bags first but then even start to pay with pennys and search forever in their purse and all the pockets of their trousers until they finally found the right amount 🙄 When i still payed with cash i at least just used the next higher banknote, like when its 18.79 i just gave a 20 euro bill and thats it. Paying with pennys, if you wanna get rid of them you can do in a Kiosk or anywhere else where not 10 other person are waiting just on you.

[@SkeeveTVR]

I know this time too .. give these people now a scanner and the would win every race :D ALDI producs has on three side a barcode and because they have two scanners ... one of them will notice the barcode and it's fine. ​ @Beldin 2 I sort my banknote from smallest to largest so it's easy to grab the highest one (or took 2 small ones if it's enough).

[@RustyDust101]

Totally agree. The Aldi cashiers from 25 years ago before scanners became a thing had three major price categories, plus only roughly 30 others on sale. They memorized those very quickly. So when they looked at the conveyor belt with what was coming, they could already start typing the numbers before the grocery item had reached them on the conveyor. So yes, scanners actually made Aldi checkouts SLOWER than today. But in contrast at that time you only had categories of items instead of the individual items on your cashiers receipt. So there is that.

[@dagmarszemeitzke]

In Germany some people works at sundays too. Police, Doktors, nurses, firemen etc.

[@mgeyer1370]

You didn't get "free water", but on the other hand, you're not forced to tip 20-25%!

[@geraldherrmann787]

in all these videos the 50 cents bathroom situation is depicted wrongly. yes, you´re supposed to pay and that´s ok, because in return you get clean toilets. BUT: nobody will send you away if you have not enough money on you like shown here. secondly, in many big restaurants on highways or in petrol stations - were you have to put 50 cents in an automat to get inside to the toilet - you will immediately get a 50 cent voucher printed out which you can use in the restaurant or for gas.

[@schnelma605]

3:29 For single-family houses, it depends a bit on the distance and noise insulation. And of course the noise tolerance of the neighbors

[@daswerschaf5513]

Right. And also keep in mind that the walls in single-family houses are usually made of red-brick. Usually an electric hammer-drill is used, which is really quite loud.

[@schnelma605]

2:05 "Wiedersehen macht Freude" is a German phrase, literal translation: "See again gives (makes) pleasure"

[@un-näymed]

A while ago I even waited at a red light in the middle of the night with no car in sight. Sometimes I'm to german for my own good.

[@redzora80]

yeah, and thats who ou spott germans all accross the globe. staying at red in the middel of the night. thats so german. I onl do it when i am totaly drunk and not sure if i could cross the road fast enough if someones comeing.

[@gandalf_thegrey]

Du bist nicht wirklich Deutsch wenn du nicht Nachts um Drei, stockbesoffen an einer roten Ampel wartest auf einer Straße die selbst tagsüber keine braucht.

[@gandalf_thegrey]

@@redzora80 Me: *standing next to a dude at a red light somewhere italy at 1am* Him: "Deutsch?" Me: *nods* Him: *nods* no more words

[@iris7969]

​@@gandalf_thegrey😂😂😂

[@Am-Fear-Liath]

4:30 Here the speed of the cashiers often differs depending on where you shop. In grocery stores such as Aldi and Lidl you will despair of the speed, at Edeka and Rewe the employees take more time for you and you can comfortably do your shopping. For those who are not so quick, it also helps to first put the goods back in the shopping cart and then pack them comfortably somewhere on the side. 7:35 1€ is a lot for a toilet like this. In addition, I would now say that if they only had €1.50 instead of €2, the cleaning staff would still let them in. And as a note... wild peeing is prohibited and will result in a fine 12:07 To answer your question about what kids have to do with it. We strongly teach our children not to cross the street on a red light. That's why we don't like it when (especially in the presence of children) you still go on red. We have to set a good example for the children, otherwise they won't learn. 13:22 I don't think it's superstition for most people in Germany. Looking each other in the eye while toasting just shows respect for the other person 14:39 the thing with free water in restaurants doesn't actually exist in Germany. The only reason is that the waiter has to be paid for his work and free water doesn't bring in any money. But if you ordered other food/drinks anyway, that shouldn't be a problem in my opinion. But it depends on the restaurant or the waiter

[@silkwesir1444]

in my experience it is becoming more and more common that you can get free tap water. It won't be offered to you, but if you ask for it, you will get it, and won't be frowned at as much anymore these days. Also, some people actually are pushing for it to become a law that restaurants should HAVE to give free tap water. Has been going on for at least 10 years though, haven't heard a lot of it for a long time, no idea what came of it.

[@Laurelinad]

in the military i learned that the military greeting came from the medieval people lifting the visor (and needing to keep it up) to show who they were and being friendly. somewhere else i then learned that in that period the toasting became a thing and you had to knock your drinks together hard enough that a bit of your drink lands in their mug and vise versa because that'll make sure you'd poison yourself if you'd poisened the beverage. the look into the eyes i guess is then to see if they flinched or such

[@SiqueScarface]

1:00 When I was working as a field service engineer in Austria, I sometime had to drill holes in walls. I had to sign a paper that I always will use a vacuum when drilling holes. 13:30 Like some other rules, this is not a superstition to begin with. It's a rule of courtesy. The superstition part is made up to enforce the rule, but does not actually exist. You could interpret it as some kind of curse you put on the person not looking in your eyes if you want to, but the main rule remains a rule of courtesy. It's the same as congratulating someone before his actual birthday. It is not a superstition, but some people like to explain the rule that way. But would you congratulate an NFL team before actually winning the Super Bowl? Or a sprinter before he actually managed to set a new record? Same here. Don't congratulate when the cause for the congratulation is not here yet. You always congratulate after the fact. That's why I wish you and your wife and your child all the best, but I will only congratulate you after the birth.

[@reginaa.t.6827]

If you order an Espresso you can ask for a glas of water, normally they give it anyway

[@Fidi987]

Supermarket: Take a shopping cart and throw every non-breakable item in there as fast as you go. Leave some space for the breakable items such as eggs that you place there more carefully. Leave the supermarket and take your time to place your products into your bags. Also, before you line up in front of the checkout, sort through your products and place the heavier or bigger ones so that they go first onto the belt. Don't place your tomatoes first because then you'll have to take care not to squash them in the cart. 😉

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

In most cases there is also a table where you can bag stuff. That table tends to come with bins in case you want to get rid of extra packaging.

[@emiliajojo5703]

Exactly,children go on their own,and learn by example.therefore when you see kids around ,be the best you,you can be.we actually care.

[@Melisendre]

It's not like in america were the children are driven by car. We also care about other people's children.

[@Pattosch]

It's amazing that in America, where a lot revolves around Christianity, Sunday (Lord's Day) hasn't caught on. After all, the Bible says, "On the seventh day you shall rest"

[@K__a__M__I]

They _say_ it revolves around Christianity - or at least their version of it - but the real God of America™ is good ol' Mammon.

[@BeOtterMyFriend]

Yeah, the seventh day in the Bible is Saturday, though. 😉

[@Pattosch]

@@K__a__M__I Yes, that's pretty much what I think about it too

[@Pattosch]

@@BeOtterMyFriend1,700 years ago, Emperor Constantine made Sunday a legally protected day of rest. Since then it has been considered a day for religion, sociability and sweet idleness.

[@tobyk.4911]

It seems almost the only thing that Americans can't do on a Sunday is having an election

[@tiwopli]

Tap water in Germany is not like tap water in the USA. Here, the quality of the water is scientifically tested several times a day to prevent health hazards. In addition, there is also no central office that tests the water for health hazards, but here this is done by different cities or, in smaller cities, by different districts. As far as I know, this regulation applies throughout Germany.

[@ItsjustmeElisa]

At the check-out in Germany if you're not done bagging your stuff once the cashier asks you for money you're too slow 😁 Better make a mental tetris map of your whole haul while taking weight into account hehe. I love it this way tho...grocery shopping isn't a leisure activity for me to have small talk with the cashier I want to get in and get the fuck out so yay for efficiency!

[@mrsirkosky7618]

Why bagging at the checkout anyways? I bag that stuff later on.

[@etherealicer]

Oh man, the first guy did not just get burned, he got incinerated. The guy does not say "Make sure you give it back", while that is the literal translation, he is actually saying "Seeing it again would make me happy". Which is probably the meanest way you could say that. There is a low key insult included, implying that the doofus anyway won't give it back.

[@silkwesir1444]

Not really. I think you are overanalyzing. It's just an idiom.

[@etherealicer]

@@silkwesir1444 It is a very cynic way to say and at least where I'm from it would be a sucker punch of an insult.

[@kalebasha]

And we would say "wiedersehen macht Freude" to people we know well.

[@matzeberlin555]

8:35 I've experienced that many times in Berlin. The subway stops, the door opens and a small group of Americans come in. It is spoken so loudly that everyone else in the subway car hears every word. The conversations that took place before fall silent or you speak louder against the American background noise. I suffer and tolerate silently - I would never "Pssst!" hiss. In my mind I ask myself: How self-centered do you have to be to think that everyone wants to hear these people's private stuff? Is it so difficult to have a face-to-face conversation, does it always have to be an address to the world?

[@jensstawicki1870]

When somebody just move in in an apartment complex, everybody would tolerate some noise even on Sundays, unless you are overdoing it ( drilling all day 🥴 )

[@wizardm]

Sometimes, but many will we annoyed from it.

[@jensstawicki1870]

@@wizardm sure, but no going to complain officially ( suffering in your own 4 wall silently ) 😉

[@SkeeveTVR]

@@jensstawicki1870 maybe the "strategy german" comes and and yell at you ... if you knew that you need to build / screw / drilling / etc. ... why you are moving in on a sunday? If it would happen in my house here on sunday it's okay when it's a normal time (not before 9 am or after 8 pm)

[@silkwesir1444]

@@jensstawicki1870 be lucky you don't know someone who is like that. I like in a house with someone who has done that more than once, yes, to people freshly moved in. But then again, I think he somehow hates it in general when new people move in. So any excuse will do.

[@helloweener2007]

People get impatient when there is waiting time that would not be neccessary. When people start to put the stuff in their bags, it takens often longer. Just put iot back in the cart and back it 2 min later in a more efficient way. You can take all the time you need, you don't block the cashier.

[@jochendamm]

Opening hours vary greatly in Germany. In general, "everything" is closed on Sundays, but there are exceptions: The typical areas of supply and disposal, fire, rescue and police, etc. Hotels are also open, as are many restaurants. Doctors and pharmacies often have emergency services on nights and weekends. Bakeries are open up to 7 hours on Sundays. Only stores that do not serve daily needs must remain completely closed. But there are several open Sundays a year for promotions. So if you are hungry on Sundays, you can usually go to a restaurant, order from a delivery service, or shop at supermarkets located at airports or bigger train stations. Gas stations are also open. In rural areas, however, some restaurants are closed on Sundays or open only three or four days a week. For example, only Thursdays to Sundays 5 pm to 10 pm or only at noon. They miss too many customers otherwise. That's called a "Ruhetag" (day off). "Ruhe" has two meanings: First, quiet/silence; second, to rest. Since Sundays are traditionally days for going to church, one has to be quiet so that others can rest. Loud parties are of course also possible, but not everywhere. Everything that goes beyond room volume should be refrained from. Wallpapering is allowed, drilling, sawing and hammering is not. For a long time it was also frowned upon to let the washing machine spin. Making music is particularly risky, especially when practicing. Instruments should be played dimmed if possible. Of course, this also applies on weekdays between 10 pm and 6 am.

[@madremoja]

I come from a rather rural area and have been in rural areas for holidays. Usually Sunday restaurants are open. They use to have their "Ruhetag" on mondays.

[@MichaEl-rh1kv]

1:30 There are many power tools now with an inbuilt interface for a vacuum cleaner tube. 2:15 "Wiedersehen macht Freude" is a saying meaning roughly "reunion is a source of pleasure" or (more literally) 'see-again would be a pleasure' :There are actually two elements involved: 1. The Sunday being a day of rest is a constitutional (employee's) right in Germany, introduced by the Bismarck government in 1891 as amendment to trade law (as approach to pacify worker's right movements), made part of the Weimar constitution 1919 and as one of handful articles of that constitution declared being part of the German Basic Law in 1949. There were some softenings in the last decades regarding retail trade, strongly opposed by trade unions and churches. 2. Germany has strict laws regarding noise regulation. There is general regulation in federal law (fines up to 5,000 Euro for noise causing a significant nuisance or health risks, if not covered by other laws) and detailed regulations in state laws (as well as specific federal laws regarding traffic noise, machine noise and sports facility noise). There are also special "quiet times" (around midday, night and rest days = Sundays and most public holidays), for which municipalities can establish their own rules (e.g. detailing the exact time), e.g. the "Hausarbeits- und MusiklärmVO" (regulation regarding noise by domestic work and music) established by the city of Munich. If you have a loud party after 10 p.m., neighbors could even call the police (which would then at first urge you to turn down the volume. If they have to come a second time, they would turn it down themselves and fine you, and if they have to come a third time, they could confiscate your loudspeakers and disperse your party). 5:30 If you use a shopping cart in the grocery store, you would simply first put all back in the cart before paying, and afterwards move to another place to pack it in your bags. Many grocery stores also have two compartments at the end of each checkout, one for the even and one for the odd customer 😉🙃, while discounters mostly have only a shelf opposite of the checkouts, where you can do the packing without holding up the processing of the checkout line. 8:20 In former times it was in most cases simply a saucer where you put some change on, often "guarded" by the cleaner of that toilette (esp. in railway stations or other bigger public toilets). That was gradually superseded by automatons - at first you had to use a coin to unlock a stall, nowadays you have often to use a coin (or in some cases ApplePay or a debit card) to enter the restroom at all. The idea behind is to pay for the cleaning. The vanguard were the toilets at Autobahn rest stations which were leased out to big companies like Sanifair. Those restrooms are now very clean, but you have to pay currently 70 cents per visit (but you'll get a discount voucher for the restaurant in that rest station). They took over some railway station toilets, too. Most cities also take 50 cts. or 1 Euro for access to their public toilets which are unfortunately not always that clean (handicapped people can get their own toilet key however, depending on the kind of disability). 9:50 There are different situations, depending on the time of the day and the kind of establishment. There are many establishments operating e.g. as "Restaurant - Café - Bar", but not many "pure" bars. In "Eckkneipen" (corner pubs) some loudness is accepted, and nobody would go into a Club (night club, music club) to have a chat. But at lunch time there can be casual business talks in a restaurant or café, and at diner time people may go out together to eat, drink and talk - and feel disturbed by slightly drunk vociferous neighbors. And at 2200 (10 pm) the quiet night hours start, so you are not allowed to be loud outside. 12:30 Jaywalking (or not to) is all about being a bad role model to children - there were some very successful campaigns back in the 1980s and 1990s regarding this, and now it is very ingrained. 13:20 It is playing with superstitions and making fun of them. In former times breaking a mirror meant seven years of bad luck, so that's presumably where the "penalty" comes from. But it is considered impolite to concentrate on (and look at) your drink instead of your friends if cheering to one another. 14:40 Since many establishments make most of their profit with drinks, they don't like to give water away for free. If they do, they are entitled to take a "cover charge" for the glass (for cleaning). (In some traditional Bavarian beer gardens which allow to consume food brought along you can also get an empty plate if paying such a cover charge.) The 3.30 Euros however would be for bottled spring water, by default carbonated if you don't explicitly ask for "stilles" (quiet) water.

[@elab.1413]

12:30 "Nur bei grün, der Kinder wegen" War damals der Slogan 🙂

[@snafuart]

If you have a lot of grocieries, best just put them back in the cart and pack your bags then, aside or at your car or outside. Does not matter as long not everyone has to wait wwatchig you arranging the stuff in your bags.

[@sonjatampe391]

😀 Hahaha i have never thought about the eye-contact cheering with my grandma this way ... as a german, i can confirm that this "rule" applies to all generations haha. And the j-walking thing: I was just recently yelled at by an elderly man, cause I crossed the road on a red light 😀

[@sonjatampe391]

Oh and to add to the water: First time I visited the states (San Diego) my family and I were shocked about the free water and the refills on sodas and such! You have to pay every drink in Germany. 3,30€ for a "water" in Germany is mostly either a 0,5l water bottle (sparkling or without gas) oder 1L bottle. Depends on the company.

[@SkeeveTVR]

@@sonjatampe391 and how tasts the free us water?

[@etherealicer]

Yeah, only an American who has never been to an FKK would think looking grandma in the eyes is awkward 🤣

[@grandmak.]

@@SkeeveTVR it tastes of chlorine.

[@silkwesir1444]

@@SkeeveTVR like a swimming pool

[@captainbr0st.189]

Bro thanks you for being this chill and entertaining. Hope you the best with the birth of your child and see you soon!

[@Nuin.]

@Ryan Wass Employees of Gas Stations, Restaurants, Fast Food Stores (like Mc D or Burger K), (Cocktail) Bars, Health Care (Hospitals and such) and public safety (Police, Firefighters) all work on Sunday AND NATIONAL HOLIDAYS in Germany. Do keep in mind that Grocery Stores and Supermarkets are not on the list and will be closed. Bakeries are a grey area on that and (many, not all) tend to be open 2 or 3 hours in the morning for you to get fresh bread, rolls and PRETZELS ;) You want to sleep in? No problem, Gas Stations in Germany got you covered and also sell a varying selection of freshly baked rolls, pretzels, baguette and some necessities like milk every day - also on sundays and holidays.

[@KarlAlbrecht79]

2:50 yeah it’s the same here in Germany people at restaurants, fast food restaurants, gas stations, bakery’s,police,hospitals etc. are also working just normal shops and factory’s etc. are closed so 99% of the people aren’t working…

[@Miximixos]

05:17 Most of the time at the German checkout is lost when customers pack the purchased goods directly. But it is very easily: - Goods in the basket - Goods from the basket onto the treadmill for payment - IMPORTANT! Do not leave the basket in front of the checkout - Goods back in the basket - Pack goods at special stations Here you can also get rid of all unnecessary packaging.

[@wanderwurst8358]

Tap water in Germany is often better and certainly better controlled than what is bottled. Nevertheless, most people drink only carbonated mineral water. Strangely, it is always pointed out that public toilets in Germany often cost money (there are also some that are free and dirty), but no one points out that every restaurant/pub/bar/café that offers seating is required by law to offer a toilet. So it's best to drink a coffee somewhere or ask nicely when you feel the urge to urinate. Except at the freeway service station, in tourist traps or in some stupid malls I have never paid for a toilet. 🥺

[@SkeeveTVR]

That's why a Kiosk mostly don't like it if you eat / drink your bought stuff in front of the Kiosk .. because then they need to offer a (free) toilet.

[@etherealicer]

In Switzerland, some cities have "Nette Toiletter" (mostly touristy cities like Lucerne). Where restaurants/hotels have a sticker at the door and this means you can use their restroom without consuming anything. And every larger store has a restroom you can use for free.

[@wanderwurst8358]

@@etherealicer "Nette Toilette is a German/Swiss initiative to counteract the lack of public toilets. The restaurateur receives a small subsidy for this, but this does not outweigh the cleaning and maintenance costs. Well, maybe he can win the one or other customer, but essentially only the costs for city toilets are shifted and lowered, which there were also once and which are at least in Germany rather closed than opened more. Maybe it's a little better in Switzerland, but I think that I also drunk a beer or coffee extra, so I'm sure I have a toilet. 😅

[@EumlOriginal]

The problem with German supermarkets for most Americans isn't necessarily packing... it's just speed, count on 2 to *5* items PER SECOND

[@1983simi]

how fast or not you need to be at the supermarket cashier depends a bit on the supermarkt. some have a little extension after the scanner where your stuff collects and this way you get a little extra time to store away your stuff. problem is, many supermarkets like Penny or Lidl do not have that are. there is maybe a folder size space after the scanner and then your stuff either bulks up in that tiny space until you manage to somehow shove it into your bag unless some of it hasn't fallen onto the floor already. those kind of spaces are meant for you to put your cart at the end of them, put all the stuff back into it right after scanning, pay and then proceed to the little packing area which is usually right opposite of the cashiers where you can pack your stuff at your leisure. this way people don't have to wait no matter how fast or slow you are.

[@claudiakarl7888]

Newer Aldis even have a bench there to pack sitting

[@Fidi987]

There are BTW people with little money who will take a water bottle to the restaurant and drink it before they enter the restaurant. Unfortunately, often dishes will be extra spicy/ salty in order to make you order more drinks. I have often heard people say "don't order another drink, wait until after we have left". And then they have a bottle of water in their car. It's not everybody, but some do that. Half a liter of soft drink can be 5€ in a restaurant...

[@Gnin1000]

On the water in restaurants or bars: If you order water, which would be tap water in the USA, in Germany it is not taken from the drinking water pipe, but from bottles from well-known brands such as Volvic, Evian, Vio or Vittel. In addition, the law stipulates that the cheapest drink on the menu must be a non-alcoholic drink. So most pubs/brewhouses/bars and restaurants have agreed that this drink is water to comply with the law.

[@etherealicer]

Funny, here (Switzerland) it is siroup (usually for kids).

[@Gnin1000]

@@etherealicer It's actually grotesque and funny, since tap water in Germany has to meet more requirements than bottled water from well-known manufacturers. Our tap water is safer and more digestible than bottled water. Despite everything, our citizens pay for their water because minerals have been added to it. Now that syrup is the cheapest really surprises me. What is the drink mixed with? Water and syrup is actually logical. Why is the water with syrup the cheapest? Is it cheaper than water without syrup? This is killing me right now! Or do you have a dentist lobby in Switzerland? 🤭

[@madremoja]

The funny thing is that it is still common to use hygiene as an argument for not offering tab water. I mean, I grew up mainly in the 90's and I have in mind that this was the common reason to not offer tab water. And especially for cities I can really understand this reasoning during that time. Remember when I came to Cologne as a child and the water tasted really bad. But nowadays? Nah, it's like it is mentioned in the video. Earnings are more generated by drinks than by food and owners are scared of loss in income when offering free water. From my perspective on how I behave as a client, I think they wouldn't really loose anything. Like when I order a whine for the meal and then might consider for another drink I choose between a non alcoholic and an alcoholic drink. And if there was free water (and let it add a service fee of 1€) I might consider to order even more or at least more expensive drinks.

[@etherealicer]

@@Gnin1000 syrup is usually made with tap water (which like in Germany is held to high standards). It is really meant as a treat to the children. You know, parents get wine, children get syrup. Btw, out bottled water (we call it "Mineralwasser") is held to higher standards than tab water and there are more rules than for wine. 1 source = 1 mineral water Needs to actually have minerals

[@seraprain2218]

Regarding the "Bar" situation: its during daytime and its not really a Bar., more like a café which service alcohol.

[@bmkmymaggots]

I never drilled a hole without a vacuum. The whole dust would destroy the complete flat

[@xekon14]

Paying for public restrooms makes sure they actually get cleaned and the workers that clean them get paid. If you go to a rest stop without a gas station or restaurant at the autobahn the toilets are more often than not dirty, broken and reek of piss or worse. At rest stops with a gas station you pay an euro to go to the toilet but get a 50 cent off coupon when you buy something at the gas station, like a coffee or sandwich.

[@Frohds14]

He uses the vacuum cleaner because our walls are not made of wood but of stone and that really makes a lot of fine dust. Not everything is closed on Sundays. Gas stations, restaurants, amusement parks, zoos, museums, cinemas, sports facilities are open. Only supermarkets, shops and various service providers are closed. Also because they would have to pay their employees twice the wages on Sundays and there would be a shortage of staff during the week. We are currently noticing very clearly that manpower is not infinitely available. In the USA it's more likely, because many people work two or three jobs there. For larger purchases, it does not make sense to pack the goods in bags at the checkout, but put them back in the trolley. There are desks in every discounter where you can pack your things in peace. Paid toilets have the advantage that they are cleaned regularly and junkies stay away. Jaywalking is a misdemeanor. This can result in a fine and possibly even cost you your driver's license. However, if far and wide there is neither a car nor a person to be seen, even I jaywalk. I don't know this nonsense of looking into each other's eyes when toasting. That seems to be regional. I'm looking at the glass. There is often no tap water because the innkeepers have to have an extra line from which no cleaning or cooking water is tapped. That is too expensive for many. In addition, the beverage dealers often help finance the interior design of the bars and then of course want to see sales. In addition, our employees are paid fairly. And - actually typically German - for us, eating in a restaurant is something special. We treat ourselves, a nice meal and a nice drink. Tap water we can have at home. It spoils my mood when I enjoy a glass of wine and my guest sips free tap water.

[@CaligoCastra]

The thing around 13:05 - It was a way of making sure the person you are drinking with didn't poison your drink in ye oldey times. You clanked the beverages so some of it got swapped and you looked into each others eyes so you could see if someone felt guilty or something.

[@helloweener2007]

Jaywalking: 5 EUR, causing an accident with jaywalking 10 EUR. This is not so bad but you can also loose your license when you get to many incidents on your file as a pedestrian. And then you have to make an "idiot test" (MPU, medical psychological examination). And these are expensive and you can fail easily if you can't show that your behavior has changed.

[@ErklaerMirDieWelt]

Re: grocery shopping and check out. 2 pro Tips: 1. Always use a shopping cart. You can just shove everything in there at the register and then bag it in peace later. 2. If you don't use a shopping cart, lay out the groceries on the band so that the cashier will scan the heaviest items first. Basically put them in the order they go into your bag.

[@kresse9826]

Since a lot of people choose to pee in a corner in a city if it's a party night, some cities have built some public urinals quite similar to a Dixie toilet. These things are just round and have like 4 urinals on them and there is no door or visual cover. So you can stand there and pee in that thing while 100 people are watching you :)

[@gertasteigner5237]

Kresse - I'm a woman and certainly never ever would use a toilet where anyone else could watch me. I gladly pay € 1,00 for a clean toilet.

[@t.a.yeah.]

Good luck to your wife, your baby and you, I wish you all the best! Must be exciting days. 🌻🌿

[@Cornu341]

You are packing fast in German cashier standards when there is less than 5 seconds between the last scan and you having everything stashed away. A good trick is to put everything in you cart first and later sort the final packing.

[@lunchdewitt8599]

I think the ALDI cashier in Germany are in their own league and they train every day (hard) or once a month in a (secret place) ! the competitions are held to qualify, the World Championship to become the fastest cashier. I gave up trying to keep up with packing a long time ago!

[@enemde3025]

I stick an open envelope under the hole to catch the dust ! In the UK people use the weekend to get all their DIY jobs done !! The shops are open from 10 am to 4 pm.

[@Falk4J]

Usually at checkout I'll presort my stuff onto the conveyor belt, the tough stuff up front and after that the sensitive stuff, at the very end the eggs. When it's my turn I quickly put everything yet registered back into the shopping cart. After payment I look for a desk or a space where I can pack my things into thebackpack or bags that I brought with me or I simply push the cart to the car to unload it all into the trunk.

[@marcusbalzer8393]

@7:00 I never understood why people have to pack there and then. Just take a cart, throw everthing back in there after it's been scanned. Then take ALL THE TIME YOU NEED packing it after you paid. No need to stress.

[@taptoplayde]

Checkout: We do have self checkout at the bigger stores. Decathlon works fine, supermarkets not so (bad ui, strange concepts, even a scale is involved). During the last year some supermarkets tried other concepts, where you activate the cart with an app, scan the item directly at your cart or where you scan with an app. You then pay at the register the total sum (cash or contactless) or just pay with the app. Interestingly, at Edeka this is kind of anonymous because you don't need to create an account in the app and could pay cash, however, the cart contains a camera which films your entire journey (the camera is directed to the cart, so they film the products and your bags).

[@tosa2522]

A tip to control your own volume, you should not be louder than the music being played in the bar. There are also bars where very loud music is played and you are almost forced to speak loudly.

[@kaeppchen1350]

You can also use an open envelope and tape it below the designated hole to catch the dust. This way you can use both hands.

[@ute.fritzkowski]

Usually you don't pack the things directly into your bags, you just put it back into the shopping cart and sort it out later outside the store (or put it into your car). It is also polite to let people go before you if you have a lot of groceries and they only have one or two items.

[@JohnDoe-xz1mw]

the red light thing does in fact have alot todo with children, you see people stand in front of a red light with no cars to see waiting for ti to be green, just in case some kid could be watching. and since in the city you can never be sure that there isnt a kid looking out the window somewhere you basicly never cross on red unless its like 4 am. its because german kids walk to school alone starting around the age of 6, and its kinda hard to make them stick to the rules and be safe if they constantly see adults ignoring them.

[@e.458]

About customers behind being impatient: keep in mind that many more people in Germany use public transport and don't want to miss their bus/train/etc.

[@Marzipana1]

Just put everything back in your shopping cart and sort it into your bags at the pack-station. Safes you from blocking the cashier and putting heavy things on eggs.

[@tramper42]

3:30 @Ryan MOSTLY apartments, but MANY Germans in bigger cities are living in apartments, MORE, also because of missing space for stand-alone houses.

[@martinhuhn7813]

Not looking at each other when saying cheers is just considered offensive here in germany. You are supposed to take a second out of your time show a little bit of respect, care, appreciation for the company, whilst saying cheers. So looking in a different direction is kind of rude. I guess, you would not turn your back on someone in in the middle of a conversation and keep talking. And saying "cheers" is basically treated by the same standard here. The nonsense about "seven years of bad sex" is rather not a superstition, in which people believe in, but a casual an playful way to remind someone, to behave in such a situation. When drinks are involved, you would not formally tell someone "your behaviour is inappropriate and offensive", instead you make it a joke, so nobody has to take it to serious.

[@cg6511]

Und nicht vergessen: "Frauen und Weizenbier immer unten anstoßen!"

[@silkwesir1444]

It's not like during a normal conversation, people look each other in the eyes all the time. I would even dare to claim that for... 80-90% of the time during a normal conversation, people are looking around. Of course differs from the setting too. Your typical "walking conversation" you don't look into the eyes of the other person for like 99% of the time, because you want to see where you are going... while a sitting down conversation between two people sitting across, that probably goes down to around 60%.... But actually looking each other in the eye for the majority of the time during a conversation? I think this only happens in very special situations, both good (e.g. a flirt) and bad (e.g. a potential fight).

[@nicklenz7030]

That is utterly untrue for the majority of the people in Germany.

[@nicklenz7030]

​@@cg6511 frauenverachtender idi!

[@cg6511]

@@nicklenz7030 Hach ja...Humor ist auch ne Kulturfähigkeit.

[@nira7254]

Hey, I just recently started to watch your videos and I must say it is quite entertaining as a German seeing you react to all the things that are quite normal to me but sometimes so different from the states! What I realised while watching your videos is, that it would be quite fun to react to those videos about Germany with someone who's German as they could answer your questions immediately or can explain some things more in detail if it's just briefly mentioned in the video. So, if you know someone who's German, maybe ask them to join your video ^^

[@Danisachan]

A female colleague and mother once told me, if she saw a person jaiwalking, and her son then asked her why she always replied: "Don't worry sweety, that poor man is colour-blind". 😂

[@goufackkentsaleandrinlebel8826]

😅😅😅

[@Ewi-wf2hf]

Restaurants, Fast Food Places and Gas Stations are usally open on Sundays. And Bakerys in the morning.

[@Kivas_Fajo]

Dude, there is even the invention of not using your vaccuum to the drill at all, but just having an extension pack that accumulates the dust into a small container. Like, a tiny dumpster attached to the boaring drill. Saves sooo much work. Not having to clean afterwards...nice.

[@2kReels]

Though the clip suggested that you could pee in a park: This is called 'Wildpinkeln' (wild-peeing) and is not allowed and will be fined. The amount varies depending on the region between €35,- and €5000,-. And for the tap water. There was a phase in my life where I just wanted to drink tap water (for health-related reasons). I did not drink anything else. I stopped that soon, because it was too stressful going to the restaurants and begging for a tap water. I mean..i got it for free most of the time after a short arguing, but the glasses were always tiny. Once in a local restaurant I went to the breakfest buffet and still had to pay 2 Euro for a glass of tap water though orange juice and coffee and tea were included in the buffet price.

[@YukiTheOkami]

some stores got self check out in my city Leipzig at leas some Rewe stores and some "Baumärkte" i giess it translates to hardware store one of them is Hornbach for example they got self check out tip for the supermarkets though take a cart put everything back intothe cart after it got scanned and then u got all the time to pack ur bags and backpack properly there are offten tables behind the check outs where u can pack or do it in front of the store

[@TaiyakiFox]

That's why you should use a shopping cart when buying more than a few things. You can just put it back in the cart after the cashier scanned it and take all the time you want to pack it later. Well in EDEKA here in germany I usually use the self service, there's a scanner and a screen on the shopping cart. When it's time to pay I just send it wirelessly to the self-service checkout and pay with my card. Of course they do random checks from time to time.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

Best tip for bagging the groceries would be to get a shopping cart, put the stuff in there, pay, then move off the cashier and pack the stuff at the table.

[@emiliajojo5703]

It's also considered extremely impolite not to look in the eyes.after all,you sent the message I'm completely here,giving you full attention.

[@tramper42]

15:42 „3 30 € Tabwater“? Naaa, that’s bottled carbonized water, not from the tab.

[@Nils.Minimalist]

If a person behind you gets impatient, you can just smile and ask nicely, "It will go faster if you help me" or something like that 😏 Seriously, don't let others annoy you, push you or anything like that. Pack your groceries in peace and just don't pay attention to impatient people. This comment comes from an impatient person at grocery store checkouts myself 😁 (edit: what really annoys me is when the cashier chats with a customer she/he knows for another 5 minutes)

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

In most cases you have a shopping cart anyway. And that works as well after the checkout than it did in the store. Just put the stuff back in, pay, and move away a step to make room for the next person.

[@rincemind8369]

If you wish to watch something more relaxed and wildlife oriented: the documentary Fascinating Wildlife on Europe's Wild River - The Elbe is pretty neat (available here on youtube). May also give you an idea where some of those classic german fairy tales (Brothers Grimm) were inspired from. Also nature being such an important aspect of Germany that has to be appreciated. Certainly enjoyable if you're also into hiking (like many Germans are). Or, I you prefer a shorter video (as an alternative): Incredible wild animals you can see in germany.

[@Fidi987]

No true German would say "you can pee in the park". We're the ones who invented rules, are we not?!

[@Concorde4711]

Two guys are waiting at a red light, absolutely no car in sight. One ask the other: "Hey, you're German too?"

[@ebilknub7308]

Just so u know ... if u repeatedly cross a Red light (and get caught) u can even loose ur driving license... just saying 😅

[@Concorde4711]

@@ebilknub7308 I know that, because I learned that at driving school. 😜

[@darkbourgh]

Yeah. That 3,30€ would be bottled water. And if ya don't specifie it, it's sparkling one ^^

[@tramper42]

12:08 @Ryan: REMEMBER: German children CAN BE walking ALONE to school. That way OTHER adults should be a good role model- monkey see, monkey do. A Child under a certain age CANNOT differ between a standing and a moving car! An adult can mostly save calculate the car speed, but if a kid follows LATE the bad example, then it might be too late. That’s why: when children around, take the time to wait. You may save a live, now or even later. Children are MORE IMPATIENT then adults. A child ignoring red light? No good idea. Slogan «Rad steht - Kind geht» … Wheel stop - child walks… STOP for a child and WAIT.

[@eisikater1584]

The toilet thing, I really must say, it varies. I live in a small town, almost a village, and we have THREE public bathrooms, all of which are free, and two of them even fit for the physically handicapped. They are all well maintained and clean, and not guarded or locked up at night. But it's a tourist region, and for every visitor to a hotel there goes one euro per night straight into the town's bucket, so we can afford free toilets easily. We also never privatized anything, so there's no need to earn a surplus to keep investors happy. The "quiet Sunday" thing is really important to us. But restaurants are open. They have to, because going out to eat is what Germans love to do on Sundays. But for privately owned restaurants, you can expect that they're closed on one day during the week, however, you cannot tell which, unless you've been there before and remember, or call them and ask. Monday and Thursday are very popular for having a "Ruhetag", a day of rest. In my area, private bakeries are closed on Wednesdays, or only open until noon. -- What I like most about Sundays is that there are no trucks on the roads until 10 p.m., except those with fresh goods or urgent deliveries. Yeah, go hit the autobahn, pedal to the metal! But, wait, why is that darn construction site still there, and no one is working? There are many things that bring you seven years of bad luck, the most well-known is breaking a mirror. That's probably from medieval times, or the renaissance, somewhere around that, when only Italians could make good mirrors (and the French sent spies there to find out how they do it), and they were so expensive that when you broke one, it'd take seven years to repay your debts. So it's not actually a superstition, it DID bring you bad luck. All the rest, like not looking in the eyes, or black cat crossing, etc., of course is nonsense. However, everyone knows that when you're worried about something, be it real or superstition, it affects your sexual life to the worse. But Germans, in general, are not superstitious. Hey, we're a country of engineers and critical thinkers. Exceptions, of course, apply, like the esoteric scene; but I have too few connections to them to write something about it. The 3.30 euros for tap water sure were a joke (those two people exaggerate a lot), but the one euro for tap water unfortunately is not. In some places you'll also be told that they're not allowed to serve tap water by law because it's not tested and could be unhygienic. Then why do they wash their dishes with it? And it's a lie, as Germany's tap water probably is the best tested in the world. In my community, the test results are published quarterly in the local newspaper, and are available through many other sources. However, I don't go out to a restaurant to have water with my meal. It spoils the taste instead of enhancing it. Or sometimes, you have to cover up the taste, at restaurants you'll never visit again. Thanks again for your reaction to a video about Germany, but I really wouldn't need a part 3 from those two persons. They're trying to make fun of some clichés, but they're really not good at it.

[@rebeckavogel]

That 3,30 € Water will most likely be a bottle of water (typicaly 0.7 L ). And in almost every case it is cooled or chlled sparkling water from a premium brand.

[@Hamburger_FR]

Hey, you should react to the “Wuppertaler Schwebebahn” this is amazing and it will blow your mind. I’m excited for your reaction 😄👍 Greetings from Germany 🇩🇪👋

[@gregclark5084]

Some people still work on Sunday like food workers , people love to eat out on Sundays. Gas stations are also open.

[@shadowfox009x]

Okay, don't stress at the supermarket checkout. Just take your time and if the people behind you get antsy (most won't say anything just look), ignore them. If I have people behind me who are being obviously impatient, I often slow down on purpose. Espescially if they can't keep their distance. There's honestly no need to get stressed out about this and that one or two minute really isn't going to change anything. Also, peeing in the park is NOT allowed. As in, if you get caught, you'll have to pay a fine.

[@Heike-r2o]

I guess you will cry on an Aldi checkout here. They are fast as lightning

[@Mike-hr3ns]

I am german and i like your reactions. All the best for you and your wife

[@fabianbianchi9159]

Drilling a hole with a vacuumer underneath is very common in Germany. Actually I don't know it otherwise. Those doorbells are typical INSIDE apartment buildings at the doors of the flats.

[@symmetrie_bruch]

theres a fun fact about walmarts brief foray into germany. when they tried to help customers with bagging their stuff, germans asumed they wanted to steal from them. when they instructed their employees in american customer service, germans asumed they were beeing flirted with because we´re not used to overt smiling and overbearing friendlyness at the super market for seemingly no reason.

[@massivgrass]

haven't catched up with all your videos yet. Anyway from what I experienced is that in Italy, far less "stores" are opened than in germany, like gas stations on sundays

[@earthsruby]

there are actually quite some places that are open in Germany on Sundays as well: restaurants, cinemas, theaters, museums, food delivery services operate as well - basically everything culture or food related. it's rather the shops of daily needs (grocery stores, clothing stores, malls in general etc.) that are closed on Sundays. there are certain small shops that are open until late at night (sometimes 24/7 even) even on Sundays; those are either called "Kiosk" or "Späti" (I prefer the first one, but there is an eternal bickering going on among Germans, which one is "right", although they basically mean the same thing...)

[@helloweener2007]

No self check out in Germany. Edeka is testing "Easy shopper". There are special carts and you use an app and you scan your items yourself when you put them into your bags in the cart. Then you have only to pay at the cashier and there is an extra check out lane for it.

[@evalier1151]

We have self checkout here at combi, marktkauf and famila… all bünting group…

[@IchMagDosenmais]

3:35 Oh, you hear it over distant. I live in a Villigae and we once had a Neighbour who woulc call the cops cause our dog was barking on a sunday. Well, it wasnt our dog, it was the dog three streets further. So yes, people can be mad shit crazy about that

[@Thaidragon76]

use a shopping cart for shopping if you buy more than you can carry in your hands, never pack it directly at the checkout, but first put it in the shopping cart again and after paying, pack it in bags elsewhere, I do it directly at the car

[@PizzaMineKing]

In germany, the only people working on sunday are emergency services - and those on low staff, and the low staff getting additional benefits for working sunday.

[@nighteyergbg]

looking in the eyes during a toast is also a kind of respect.

[@DieAuswandererDoku]

To understand the toasting you have to know the history. In the Middle Ages you had coarse jugs. These were violently pushed together. Something squirted out of each jug into the other. A sign of trust. Back then, enemies were often poisoned with drinks. To increase trust, look into each other's eyes when toasting. So you can not observe what quantities have spilled into the container of the opposite. The bad sex line was later added as a joke. ;)

[@fischermanuela6850]

A saying I use, because I don't always look the other person in the eye when I toast someone and when they get upset with the words "only pigs drink alone!" and then I say "but only a sow, takes it so exactly (takes a strict look at it)." "Nur Schweine trinken alleine..." "Aber eine Sau, nimmts genau" 😉

[@Brainreaver79]

what have children to do with red lights?.. thats easy.. as adult you are a role model for children. so if they see you crossing on a red, they will too.... with so many children going around unsupervies,.. that can backfire pretty quckly

[@gandalf_thegrey]

15:42 For that price you get a bottle of water (most likely 0.7L) still ridiculous, but you pay 3,50€ for a beer (0,4L or 0,5L) soooo..... yeah

[@andi4022]

I had to laugh so hard, because I actually once told my grandfather that he would have bad s*x for 7 years, if he doesn't look into my eyes when saying cheers. He immediately closed his eyes and said... Better bad, than none, let's give it a try. My mum nearly collapsed 😂😂😂