The bridge that's in two countries at the same time

Schengen is a small town in Luxembourg, on the borders with France and Germany. But one of those borders is a little more complicated: the Mosel (or Moselle) river is a condominium, it belongs to both countries at the same time. And thus, so the bridges above it.
REFERENCES:
I'm not 100% happy with the research in this video, because it was put together quickly and, through necessity of language, from English-speaking secondary sources. However, Frank Jacobs in the New York Times on condominiums, talks about the history of the treaties: opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...
and that's confirmed by a reference in Freshwater Boundaries Revisited: Recent Developments in International River Law by María Querol, which quotes Bernhardt's Encyclopedia of Public International Law, Vol 111, p465.
Interestingly, the borders on Google Maps, Bing Maps and OpenStreetMap all take different (and sometimes nonsensical) twists and turns, so I've chosen to illustrate the simplest example.
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[@TomScottGo]

I turned this video around in two days from filming to upload, including all the graphics. It really felt like something I'd put together a few years ago, and while I won't be regularly going back to this style, it felt good to be putting things together myself again.

[@Enlitner]

Villmols merci. I live here and didnt know that.

[@RSpudieD]

Good job!

[@neutrox7844]

This comment was made 2 days before the video upload *Visible confusion*

[@1121494]

Why did you only mention the B-NL Boarder Video you did? You also did a video on another condiminium Boarder, Lake Constance. That one was certainly sufficently interesting for your channel, imho.

[@Flyguy779]

it's funny how everyone knows Schengen but if you actually go there it's just a small backwater village here in Luxembourg xD

[@thegrammarcrusader4085]

"Hey, so where are you?" "I'm in Luxembourg." "I thought you said you were in Germany." "Yep."

[@LukasRuge]

I'm in the Luxembourg (What?) I'm at the Germany (What?) I'm at the combination Luxemburg and Germany.

[@timothybarney7257]

@@LukasRuge Germabourg or Luxemany?

[@Bennie_Tziek]

@@timothybarney7257 Luxland.

[@joanignasi91]

Sounds like something you would hear in WW2

[@sirBrouwer]

@@Bennie_Tziek that sounds like a name of a sofa shop.

[@thiccardboyle2952]

"huh,thats wierd"should be a series.

[@edopronk1303]

I'm in.

[@syriuszb8611]

Great idea.

[@otterylexa4499]

Seconded.

[@Falkano]

yes, please

[@lyreparadox]

+

[@vdiitd]

Tom Scott to Museum staff: Hey, what happens when someone commits a crime on that bridge? Museum Staff: ?????

[@Carewolf]

Well, there was an entire TV series about that concept on the bridge between Sweden and Denmark, and there the border is an actual line. This would be more convoluted.

[@RNCHFND]

@@Carewolf name please?

[@Carewolf]

@@RNCHFND The Bridge (Broen originally). Note there is an American remake that makes much less sense.

[@paulh.9526]

@@Carewolf I think there's an Anglo-French remake as well.

[@BenjaminPoupard]

We don't know, but have you seen our hat collection?

[@paul42scott]

Tom: "This is gonna be a slightly more improvised video than normal." *Proceeds to give a well spoken, interesting talk, indistinguishable from all his other videos*

[@asho4821]

Huh, that's weird

[@NetAndyCz]

Damn, I wanted to say that and collect all the likes!

[@CheshireTomcat68]

@@NetAndyCz You did? that's weird.

[@GaviLazan]

But, did you get on with your life?

[@asho4821]

@@NetAndyCz Huh, that's weird

[@thegrammarcrusader4085]

@@NetAndyCz You did? Thats weird.

[@memcwhoDave]

Is anyone else hoping for a video shortly titled "The island that switches countries every 6 months" with Tom stood on Pheasant Island. Entire script "huh, that's weird"

[@laerin7931]

AFAIK, you aren''t actually allowed on the island, so he'd have to stand on the river bank.

[@Etelvinicius]

@HO LAM YIU Only if the island were in Scottland.

[@GGorsty]

Now that you have said that. Yes, yes i am interested. Since now.

[@volundrfrey896]

I feel that somewhere there's a google maps developer who's very angry about having to work out how to periodically switch the border around that tiny island.

[@gamermanh]

@@laerin7931 If it's the one shown in the picture on the video (I admit, I have no idea) then why does it have a bench on it if that's the case?

[@celanis7164]

Growing up inside the shengen area, I had to educate myself to what a border really means when I wanted to travel abroad. The whole world has been running with them since time immemorial, and here I was trying to grasp some strange concept that had never applied to me before. It's truly a marvel, and I think a lot of the EU citizens have forgotten what it means.

[@lunkel8108]

I've grown up in germany and the concept of there being heavily policed border crossings between countries like america and canada has always been so strange to me.

[@mlippert]

I live in the Schengen area, and I always have a strange feeling crossing over to Switzerland, even though they have never as much as looked at my papers...

[@Tjalve70]

Driving through Europe just as every country was shutting down due to corona made me see borders in Europe quite a bit differently than before. And I'm still pissed off at Germany suddenly with no warning deciding to ban tourists from hotels.

[@20quid]

"The whole world has been running with them since time immemorial" Not really. Borders were hazy and impermeable for most of human history. There was technically a point where the Roman Empire ended, but merchants and traders regularly crossed over with their goods. Even where there was a clear barrier at the border, such as Hadrians Wall, the gates were left open and people freely passed through most of the time. It was only in the 18th and 19th centuries that borders as we know them today came about, and honestly I'm glad they've been so short-lived in the EU. They really are an inferior way of doing things.

[@TrueFlameslinger]

@@20quid The borders still exist, passage over them just isn't as restricted as it used to be. They can be a good administrative tool, plus in some places of the world a hard border is needed.

[@SebastianLammermann]

The answer is relatively simple, as far as I know: Luxembourg and Germany take turns in administering the whole river every year. Furthermore all maintenance is done by the International Mosel Society, which is owned by Luxembourg, Germany and France.

[@TheOboeCrack]

I was gonna ask about this, who repairs the bridge?

[@lukaszimmer1973]

They share it

[@danlyle531]

Me: procrastinating by watching an interesting video about borders Tom Scott: "just get on with your life"

[@lyreparadox]

Okay, will do.

[@SP-qi8ur]

Timestamp?

[@danlyle531]

@@SP-qi8ur it's in the very last line of the script, at about 3:00

[@alexstauffer3359]

No! You get on with my life!

[@AhmedHassan-lv6ld]

Yep :I

[@guidoferri8683]

"It's very cold here" - has the jacket open

[@jjc5475]

gotta look cool.

[@Patrick_Bateman92]

"It's very cold here" - decides to continue living

[@supersoaker6717]

Huh, that's weird.

[@Cowcow211]

Microphone. Notice it's location

[@SparkySummers]

@@Cowcow211 No, it's a microphone.

[@drsnova7313]

Having grown up next to Schengen (in Saarland, Germany) with all the border checks - nothing in this world could ever convince me that going back to putting walls around our countries would be a good idea. Maybe if you live on an Island with no neigbours to walk to, you don't get the same feeling.

[@richardharrold9736]

I'm sure the families of those killed in the Berlin terror attack were just thrilled that the terrorist made it to Milan via France because of their precious freedom...

[@K2ELP]

@@richardharrold9736 you know that terrorists don't mind crossing borders illegally?

[@richardharrold9736]

@@K2ELP of course. That's why border control posts are needed, to prevent criminals and terrorists travelling unimpeded.

[@Cheebzsta]

@@richardharrold9736 Thankfully if there's one country I would hope to count on remembering the value of not throwing undesireables in prison camps for no reason than convenience it would be Germany. If you're an American you ought not believe your borders are secure. You have some of the largest unmonitored, undefended borders in the world. Few people who're both motivated and smart enough to commit a planned attack on innocents can't get in and that's assuming they don't just get a visitor visa then buy one of your gazillion of background check free firearms at a gun show in Florida. Don't believe me? Here's how you break into the US: Take public transit down to White Rock BC and find someone horny enough on online/Tinder to pick you up on the other side. Source: Skirt chasing before I was an adult with a passport. Trust me on this one.

[@KhAnubis]

The thing about the island that switches countries though does make me wonder how you’re supposed to measure the area of Spain and France, if they gain/lose that bit of land every six months

[@negevpuppet9633]

Countries like spain and france are both big enough that this island doesnt show up in the Approximation of the size, and if we would go into measuring the size far more exactly there are other things to consider like the coastline paradoxon, which i believe to have a fare huger impact on the size than the island

[@brauno3539]

True that it is very small and does barely show up in the calculations. ~6000 sqm = 0.006 sqkm ~ 0.002 square miles On most official websites, the surface area is given not any more

[@brauno3539]

On most official websites it is not given any more accurate than 1 sqkm

[@laus9953]

@@negevpuppet9633 what is the coastline Paradoxon?

[@DimT670]

@@laus9953 the coastline changes, both over the years and monthly or even daily, so can you give an accurate approximation of a country if your approximation might be off when the tide recedes?

[@Bbonno]

So Schengen is a an actual town somewhere. That's something I might not have known!

[@Valery0p5]

I've always confused it with Shenzhen, Wich is in mainland China, north of HK. Why the heck European countries would have signed an European treaty in China? 😅

[@wulfherecyning1282]

So is Edam, as in the cheese. And Brussels, as in Brussel sprouts. And Champagne, as is the drink, well, okay, that one is a region. More importantly, when you're talking about an international agreement (a treaty) they're almost always named after the place they were initially agreed within. That's why the Treaty on European Union (the most recent version) is also known as the Lisbon treaty, or the 1990s version the Maastricht treaty.

[@harrywood6502]

Most (if not all) of the European treaties were named after and signed in towns/cities. The Maastricht treaty for example was signed in the Dutch town of Maastricht that borders Belgium and just so happens to be only 2 and a half hours north of Schengen.

[@Valery0p5]

@@wulfherecyning1282 and Marsala, which is actually a city! :D

[@borstenpinsel]

The real question is: did you think schengen is German or French for "borderless" or "free travel"?

[@rexmedorum]

As someone who partially grew up near a different 3 countries point in the EU I can say all these treaties made life so much easier when you have relatives and coll colleges in different countries ... 5 minutes down the road.

[@simonstark2948]

I was hiking with my father recently at the German Austrian border and in the mountains on a lone hiking path was a sign: "Austria: Opening hours 8-20h" (maybe I'm wrong with the exact time). I was barely holding my laughter assuming it being a joke Austria played on itself portraying itself as a country that knows when to have free time. Then my father told me that they were serious about it and once "standing in a forest and asking foreigners questions instead of minding their own business" was considered a full time job for many people...

[@milifilou]

I live there, and I've always wondered while crossing that bridge why they have 2 signposts for the countries instead of one that has the side entering luxembourg and the other entering germany. I used to cross that bridge every day and thought is was a line border. good to know the signage is more accurate than I thought.

[@Tfin]

You'd see the same thing at the borders of towns in the US, with big gaps between the signs in most places, so I know I wouldn't even briefly consider the signage odd.

[@eoghan.5003]

@@Tfin There's the thing where there's a sign saying "you're leaving county x" then some no man's land then the "welcome to county y" sign. But maybe in Schengen it's the opposite; you have "welcome to y" before "leaving x", creating overlap as opposed to gaps.

[@JasperJanssen]

When entering the bridge: now entering Germany! When leaving: now leaving Luxembourg! Most people would just think the signs were accidentally reversed.

[@KeepVenture]

Im now wondering if this is the case for all bridges on the mosel or just in schengen🤔

[@kme]

@@KeepVenture the ones that border Germany, yes. I believe this also applies to the Sûre between Igel and Grevenmacher and going up that way too. I live on the German side of the Moselle, not far from Grevenmacher and we regularly used to drive over the bridge there. (now we don't have a car, we take the bus or the train 😁)

[@hassiaschbi]

There is a bridge between Germany and Austria that is worth a video (my opinion)! It’s made of steel and each country has their own certification for steel. Now, each country built one half. The problem arises as the two halfs connect in the middle... they must be welded together. But there is no certification procedure for a connection between the two used kinds of steel. The ended up welding a plate of steel in the middle, that was certificated after a European norm to solve the problem. The fun part is, that it is said, that all three steels are made by the same manufacturer with exactly the same process. They are just testet for slightly different criteria. Compliance at its best (or worst)...

[@Archbtw_]

Least buerocratic action involving Gemany (idk how to write bueraucracy)

[@alicec1533]

I now want Tom to do a video on another weird border, but it just be a three second clip of him standing there saying "Huh, that's weird"

[@JP-mx5jp]

I had low expectations because I thought it was another one of those "one foot in both countries" type scenarios, but once again Tom Scott proves never doubt him.

[@sirrliv]

"Strange borders aren't interesting" Points to The Tim Traveler, particularly his video on the Vennbahn, the strip of Belgium that runs along a now disused railway that is partially in Germany.

[@thegrammarcrusader4085]

Huh, thats weird.

[@wich1]

Agreed The Tim Traveler is awesome

[@0topon]

I cant find that video do you have a link for it?

[@KuraIthys]

Can... We just take a moment to appreciate just how many of these weird borders are centred around the same small number of countries? Luxembourg and Belgium seem the worst offenders somehow. XD I know the Benelux area has some interesting history, having open borders long before the rest of the EU did it. (and of course, historically the borders of the Netherlands and Belgium shifted a lot - the Flemish part of Belgium is the way it is for a reason, and there's also a reason why Dutch and Flemish speaking people can mostly understand one another.) But it's still kinda weird how many very strange borders are concentrated around those countries...

[@FortoFight]

Is there anything to it other than what you've already said? If not, it conforms to Tom's "huh, that's weird" paradigm.

[@ImWr3n]

That's Borderline interesting. Sorry, I'll see myself out.

[@Foxy-pr4bx]

You better 😂

[@onionbot2]

booooooo

[@jimmerframed6988]

😂😂😂

[@ruatachhangte]

Badum tiss! 😂😂

[@lucasbune]

No, come back! :P

[@awesomelyshorticles]

Im always blown away by the augmented reality animation of lines in your videos. Its not much but its so well done its like it was really there in the frame.

[@luckyleo7050]

I am so glad that you take the big questions in my head that keep me awake trying to figure them out and you logistically analyse them and provide evidence and entertaining facts.

[@chriskeene]

Tom Scott: There isn't much to say about weird borders Me: watches map men (map men (map map map men)) for the 8 millionth time.

[@nini9171]

Aside jay foreman of course

[@magnuspeacock5857]

men men

[@JoQeZzZ]

(men men)

[@woodfur00]

…men

[@oldm9228]

Yes, as everyone here pointed out, you forgot the last "men", which is what gives the whole intro song its funny twist. I herby sentence you to watch three episodes of Fawlty Towers.

[@coolstream1]

Bold of you to assume I have a life to get on with...

[@ManaBeltane]

Really glad I stumbled across your channel. Thanks for putting in the work to make these videos.

[@gibusgamer93]

"I can't tell you why they made that decision, or what the legal result would be if you tried to commit a crime on that bridge." I am looking forward to Tom committing a crime on a bridge to find out what happens when the laws of two countries both apply

[@RuthlessDutchman]

2:15 "three dimensional if you count depth" If we're taking depth into consideration, how deep do you have to dig before a country can no longer claim the ground as theirs? Or could borders descend to the centre of the earth? Additionally, how high does a border go?

[@maja194]

RuthlessDutchman Hm. I guess concerning depth, it would just go to the core? Otherwise something like coal mining wouldn’t be as easy. And I think air as well, isn’t there such a thing like airspace that also somehow belongs to the country? Don’t take my word for anything I just said though😅

[@Gewaker]

I know part of the awnser, the usual is 20 km up in the sky, thats why in a plane you are technecaly not in a country

[@schpeelah]

It goes up to the edge of atmosphere, space is international. I don't believe there is a depth limit though, there was never a practical reason to.

[@PotatoToon]

@v.dog Borders actually goes to the sky but in space you are not in any country, because space doesn't have ownership.

[@johnuferbach9166]

i guess it goes down to the middle of the earth? in Germany you can drill 100m deep before you have to get a mining license or something like that, so the area of influence has to go deeper

[@Phyrexious]

Mildly interesting! I'm quite whelmed.

[@grummhd3020]

mediumwhelmed...

[@andymcl92]

Once the BBC finishes the Z series of QI

[@timrichards4977]

I need to say “huh, that’s weird” to more things in life. Thanks Tom.

[@aModernDandy]

This reminds me of your video on the borders in/around lake constance - which I found fascinating, because despite growing up there I had never known how weird our borders there are.

[@Kexkrummel]

Wow, I'm watching you for years now and then, when I'm gone to Germany for studying, you visit the town next to the place I grew up :o To the question why the borders are like that: It's called "Common german-luxembourgish sovereign territory" (roughly translated) and that counts for every river that builds the natural border between Luxembourg and Germany. This means, that not only the Mosella river, but also the Sauer and the Our river are at the same time luxembourgish and german as almost the entire border is marked by rivers (except some small part near Vianden). That the rivers are part of both countries was declared at the Congress of Vienna in 1815, so that no debates wether which parts of the rivers belong to Germany or Luxembourg (under dutch rule at that period) should be held. That rule got important again during the channelization of the Mosella in the 50's and 60's, so that both countries shared the costs. Sry for my bad english btw, had a rly rough day and I'm to lazy rn too use my better english.

[@Shadow81989]

This needs way more likes, so Tom sees and pins it! ;-)

[@anyGould]

My guess on "why" was gonna be "both countries use the river and it's easier to officially share than to fight over whose bank is closest". (And my guess for where you get charged is "whichever side's cop arrests you")

[@jeromesnail]

Wow thanks this is really interesting. I live really close to Schengen, on the French side ;)

[@EcceJack]

This was a very interesting read, thanks!! :)

[@dl8cy]

not language - content matters! Thank you very much for your lesson in history.

[@TheAgamemnon911]

"Huh, that's weird" is a perfectly fine message to put in a video.

[@3ohman]

Just today I watched the video you made about the borders in the Netherlands and I really enjoyed it it was short and to the point yet still very informational

[@mcbunson]

Loving an episode on borders this week of all weeks.

[@devdevc3]

Technically 90% of the stuff I watch on youtube could be boiled down to "huh, that's weird".

[@TomGeller]

Here's an interesting data point. Google is allowed to photograph the streets in Luxembourg for Google Street View, but not in Germany. The Google Street View coverage ends in the middle of the bridge, which is also where they've put the line. Check it out!

[@KavkasToxin]

I really enjoyed your previous video on borders and found the entirety of it great. Even though it was just, "Huh, that's weird." I would watch you do plenty more. The biggest difference between what you do and others is you get to actually see the location, to get a feel for what is going on. Most videos on the subject just show stock photos. Yours are lot more enjoyable because we can immerse ourselves in the subject and location.

[@gavsta18]

I live on the edge of the Mosel near Cochem having moved from England in April. This is great to know. Thanks.

[@DDFreddi]

I drive over that bridge every morning. I live in Trier and work in Luxemburg. I should try to create a carcrash and see what the consequences would be. Wish me luck.

[@Bennie_Tziek]

Can you run me over there?

[@DDFreddi]

@@Bennie_Tziek you got it bro. Meet me there on Thursday, 6:00pm.

[@Bennie_Tziek]

@@DDFreddi sadly I don't have enoug money to travel there.

[@Kexkrummel]

Wait, du wohnst in Trier und fährst nach Perl um über die Brücke zu fahren? Wo arbeitest du, damit das der kürzeste Weg ist? 😅

[@DDFreddi]

@@Kexkrummel Ich pendle zwischen Illingen und Junglinster für meinen Job. :>

[@NateandNoahTryLife]

It’s interesting hearing you critique your own videos, because I liked that border video you mentioned! I suppose part of what makes your videos good is holding yourself to a high standard.

[@1121494]

I also agree with you.

[@StYxXx]

I too liked it :)

[@phuLphiL]

This Video has been randomly suggested - and i love the message. Thanks!

[@Alia-bc3rc]

"...or what the legal result would be if you tried to commit a crime on that bridge." Well, curiosity kills..

[@keltondavis4559]

And here in the US we have 2 different cities taking care of on side of one road. One side is a 25 and the other side is a 35. And each side is paved using different asphalt at different times. Cause they can't possibly manage to split maintainance both ways.

[@andreasu.3546]

Come to Germany, our cities have basically just stopped maintaining roads alltogether.

[@FutureChaosTV]

@@andreasu.3546 That's a absolutely not true. Go to other countries then you can see roads not being maintained. Of course hypocrites like you expect to have roads in perfect condition all year around as if newly built while at the same time cheating on the income tax.

[@Leenapanther]

@@andreasu.3546 Swiss people like to complain that there are always constructions going on.

[@EifelBlaulichtTV]

@@FutureChaosTV just have to visit Belgium to see poorly maintained roads, especially in the border area between Luxembourg and Belgium. But otherwise, even Belgium has absolutely decent roads. Same does Germany have bad roads, so does Luxembourg, so does every bloody country I've been so far.

[@kittiworks]

1:12 Look at those reflections! Great video as always.

[@8b8b8b]

That's some effort in editing

[@agar322]

RTX On

[@V0odOo]

But it's only rotated and not flipped/mirrored, look at the text in the water.

[@Pushed2InsanityYT]

@@agar322 Ray Traced

[@Nanagos]

Luxembourg: "Let's split the river in a half and each country gets one side of the river." Germany: "That is OUR border"

[@ducypoo]

There seems to be something profound in this video that I am just not quite grasping, but I really like it. Thanks for the amazing content, Tom!

[@nicholas2198]

Tom, I enjoy your videos because I learn about the strange, unique and interesting things that I would never have known about otherwise. High production value isn't something I think a lot of us are too worried about as long as you've got something interesting to say or show

[@Bennie_Tziek]

Indeed. A lot of people here are also subscribed to the tim traveler, which is far away from High quality. We all just want to see things and say "huh, that's weird" and get to know why it is weird.

[@lyrimetacurl0]

Huh... that's weird.

[@duchi882]

That Bridge is basically like a Child who gets asked who their favorite parent is, Mother or Father?

[@Pseudynom]

r/wholesomecomments

[@AndreSomers]

Duchi the correct answer is “yes” of course.

[@Pseudynom]

@@rjlooker you're not wholesome

[@TheArchsage74]

Bad

[@pqlasmdhryeiw8]

With mummy being small and rich and daddy being big and wealthy-ish.

[@raeh.3329]

Hi Tom! You might not think much of your old border videos, but I love them. While it's true that weird borders might not be the most meaningful topic to dive into, I enjoy them as a testament to peculiarities that humans twist themselves into during the years. The breadth of our idiosyncrasies is staggering!

[@jonwillyum]

I normally don't comment on videos but I watch your channel often enough and I'm really interested in borders. I'm only commenting today because I was literally at that exact spot (on that bridge) recently on Flixbus. We didn't stop there, however, we stopped just before there in Germany, and then again in Luxembourg City. Usually I go to places I see online because they interest me, but this time I went just before seeing the video!

[@MrTacticalinuit]

The Baarle Nasseau/Baarle Hertog vid you made was how I found you and it's one of my favorites! Me and some friends actually went there!

[@tbtb66]

"Huh, that's weird"

[@ryledra6372]

Now get on with your life

[@Anatia.H]

Don’t be too harsh on yourself, I enjoy your random border videos, I think they were why I subscribed 🤣

[@bigmanxlhr]

Love the videos awesome work as always

[@ynnckstrm6039]

"Strange borders aren't interesting" Sam from Half as Interesting: *cries*

[@almafuertegmailcom]

They are interesting, but only half as much.

[@jur4x]

They are borderline interesting

[@AlexM-xj7qd]

@@jur4x goddammit

[@Bluedragonthekid]

1:15 Just wanted to add this: there are also countries in Schengen that are not in the EU, like Norway and Iceland

[@olmostgudinaf8100]

I was just going to say that.

[@rodneymcgovern5984]

Not really: the border between Norway and Sweden is a controlled one, and trucks and cargoes are checked, whilst people and cars cross more freely. As for Iceland, their border is the sea, and it does restrict movement!

[@MrJakobfannar]

A Danish television series called "The Bridge" is about a body found in the middle of Øresund bridge right on the border between Denmark and Sweden. It has quite similar ideas as in this video.

[@chinesemassproduction]

Scott, I believe it's more interesting than you might think. I don't travel a lot (like you do) and I have never been to Europe (probably never will), and videos like this and the other one you referenced are sort of a small substitute for that. Not every video has to be massively intriguing or out of this world, sometimes short interesting videos like this are all I really want some days, about places and things that are just sort of interesting and/or weird.

[@EdJonesVideos]

I was here a few months ago! There are loads on vineyards on the Luxembourgish side - I walked across the hills, down and into France for lunch, and then back through Germany, and then back to Luxembourg where I caught the bus back to the City. It's a really nice part of the world. Didn't know this about the bridge though. Great video

[@Drudenfusz]

Well, I guess the "huh, that's weird" comment was already made... that leaves me now just with the option to go on with my life.

[@StaK_1980]

Strange that you are dissing your own old video. I actually liked that vid (and still do). ps: the "that's weird" is what we are here FOR, Tom! :-)

[@canadianragin]

Really good tracking on those graphics!

[@connorelder5798]

That sounds so cool just like the zip line across time zones

[@panderNotPanda]

Most European countries are in the same time zone, with Germany, France, and Luxembourg all operating on CET. You wouldn't be able to cross any time zones on that specific bridge.

[@The_Tactical_Taco]

@@panderNotPanda But Spain and Portugal are not. And they have a zip line across the border. This is probably what Connor Elder is talking about. Also Depending on the time zone each of the country chooses when they eventually get rid of daylight saving time, there may be a time difference between the countries at some point. Raising the question: What time would it be on the river?

[@SparkySummers]

@@The_Tactical_Taco Vibe time.

[@Whiggism]

The Tactical Taco actually spain uses CET too its just portugal that doesn’t

[@The_Tactical_Taco]

Apparently my comment was not clear enough. Spain (CET/CEST depending on the time of year) and Portugal (GMT or WET/WEST depending on the time of year) are not in the same time zone, so that is where there is a zip line across between time zones. Luxembourg, France and Germany are currently in the same timezone (CET/CEST). However, there is the possibility that the EU will stop using daylight savings time. Each country may then choose what timezone they want (Summer or Winter time). Because Germany is further west that the other 2 there is a possibility the countries will not pick the same timezone. Technically speaking France should be in WET (if you go by the time the sun is at its peak). The same is true for Luxembourg, but not for Germany. But because a timezone difference on land is more difficult than one over water the chance of the countries not picking the same time is low.

[@Charlie-et4td]

Now that's a Casus Beli if I've ever seen one

[@jesusgonzalez6715]

European countries don't go to war over such silly things any more

[@isaiahdobesh5109]

Jesus Gonzalez I’ve gone to war in games over less :P but then again I’m playing a fictionalized empire or nation, where the conflict doesn’t involve human suffering and all the nasty results of real life war.

[@Charlie-et4td]

@@isaiahdobesh5109 may I clarify that is a joke

[@isaiahdobesh5109]

@Tasteless TV I figured

[@ondrejsedlak4935]

So this bridge is like a typical meeting, where everyone is both awake and asleep at the same time.

[@OB.x]

My aunt has a store on the border that is in both costa rica and panama because of history, my great uncle moved the border back in the day and now his store is in both countries.

[@d8vids]

Hey Tom, Been watching and loving your videos since your dishwasher salmon, I plan on making it soon. Thank you for all the help and entertainment!.

[@desogames1983]

Me: So Tom are you in Luxembourg or in Germany? Tom: Yes.

[@ilikeyourname4807]

Depends on your definition of "or"

[@scienxe0177]

@@ilikeyourname4807 It depends on the fact that you don't know anything 'bout logic

[@mittfh]

@@ilikeyourname4807 The wonders of linguistic ambiguity - the questioner expects logic XOR, the answerer logic OR.

[@MaltaMcMurchy]

Thank you for another amazing video! 🌠

[@agirlisnoone5953]

I loved your Belgium vid!!! It WAS interesting.

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

Broken bridges really annoy me... I just can't get over them.

[@padraig4659]

Why are you everywhere ?

[@idndyzgaming]

If you wish to live then get out and leave. - Lu Bu

[@Bitrey]

No dude

[@DemonThr1ftrrrr]

Me: is being born My parents: huh, that's weird...

[@wasir3703]

*F*

[@Jontheawsome92]

And they just got on with their life

[@the.abhiram.r]

Jontheawsome92 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@timerchOfficialyt]

*f*

[@GammerBossPr0]

I love you Tom Scott. You teach me so many wonderful little things, i cant be sad watching any of your videos.

[@Fasteroid]

@Tom Scott hey, you should do a video on what happens when a road from a from drive-on-the-right country meets a road from a drive-on-the-left country! I heard somewhere these types of roads temporarily phase into the fourth dimension to prevent potential collisions between vehicles.

[@jamesjoy8953]

Shots fired at Jay Foremen's Map Men series

[@ilanrosenbaum626]

I love your content and have been watching for years, thanks for content this amazing :)

[@louispugsleybirch8212]

Fantastic video, the national news should look more like this style of journalism!

[@evandavis5223]

Tonight on BBC2, QI: Quite Interesting, followed by Huh, That's Weird.

[@otakuribo]

"May peace prevail on Earth" Damn, I wish American borders could be that chill.

[@deeremies2266]

They can't, as the countries in NA are much larger than those in Europe

[@jaketus]

@@deeremies2266 Geographical size has absolutely nothing to do with border control policy. Europe used to have strict border control between countries, then Europeans thought "this is dumb" and decided not to.

[@deeremies2266]

@@jaketus Yes it does. They have to dedicate more resources to border control because the borders are so long.

[@jaketus]

@@deeremies2266 EU has 70000km of borders, 15000km of which is on land, and that doesn't include internal borders. US has 30000km of borders of which 10000km are on land. And the whole point of lessening border restrictions is to avoid the cost of running border checks, costs both from the borderguard itself as well as the cost to travellers and businesses in lost time and money.

[@deeremies2266]

@@jaketus Yes, because the countries in europe are much smaller

[@jeromesnail]

OMG Tom you were in Schengen and you didn't even told me! I love this place for the exact same reason you said: it just feels amazing to take a walk and casually visit 3 different countries in a few minutes. Also the view on the hills, be it on either side of the boarder, is breathtaking! It really feels special to live in this area (Belgium is not far either)

[@kme]

It takes about 30 seconds with no traffic. We've done it, just to say we did/could. 😁

[@nicholasthedoor]

Tom the video on borders was great and I enjoyed it. If you aren't proud of it that is fair and I'm sure you've taken lessons form it....but I and others obviously enjoyed it. Keep it up!

[@MallamMinecraft]

These videos are exactly why I subscribed to this channel.

[@doaa7941]

The bridge is in a quantum state, only if we know Obama's last name can we decide which side it's on

[@BiBoetzke]

I immediately recognited that bridge! schengen is super close to my home town.

[@Rhaegarion]

Loved the revisit to the older style, I know you don't want to go all the way back but many of us do like that style!

[@thinkbecome1219]

I really enjoyed this one. nice work

[@Fenrakk101]

Going "Huh, that's weird" does seem like the entire point of this series... :P

[@MoempfLP]

I think the whole Bodensee belongs to Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

[@Quintinohthree]

Found the Austrian.

[@RoderickVI]

Correct!

[@MoempfLP]

@@ragnkja Now i remember where i have that information from.

[@hamiltonjames4]

i love tom's videos because he doesnt ever waste our time he gets straight to the point unlike most youtube videos

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

I’ve just moved to Luxembourg, I was only looking at this border the other day thinking I wonder if Tom Scott has done a video on this, and then 2 days later up it pops on my recommendations.

[@TheLifeOfJord]

There's another cool one in Basel - went there a couple of weeks ago!

[@dime1082]

Do you mean the Dreiländerbrücke?

[@Quintinohthree]

@@dime1082 Which is just a bridge from France to Germany across a zero-width border which happens to be about 200 meters from the Swiss border. There's honestly nothing particularly special there that you don't find at a typical tripoint.

[@Ummba13]

Make a series with "Huh, that's weird" places

[@ncandrew9159]

The geography nerd in me is in heaven right now... awesome job Tom!

[@DanLayton]

I loved this, Tom!!

[@maximusmj]

there is also a bridge in Turkey connecting two continents

[@holger_p]

Continents are meaningless in matter of law, duties, customs etc. Maybe seismologists care.

[@ProdigalPorcupine]

Europe isn’t a proper continent anyway, IIRC it’s a purely imaginary construct based on culture/politics. I suppose that makes us Europeans ‘West Asians’! 😀

[@holyloli69420]

Guard: Stop, you committed a crime Me: I'm on another border Guard: Damn, we can't caught him

[@Pushed2InsanityYT]

Caught is wrong Catch

[@johnsmith99997]

Its actually the opposite, you've committed the crime in BOTH countries

[@joanignasi91]

@@johnsmith99997 So if both countries had the death penalty could you get sentenced to life due to the double negative?

[@berulan8463]

@@joanignasi91 Huh, that's weird.

[@mattkaplan1316]

Really enjoyed that video

[@hugonun2093]

Hope you're enjoying Luxembourg. I live here and personally I don't think there are many tourist attractions, but I wasn't aware that it's uncommon to have this kind of border. I guess that counts as one :)