by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Bicycle tours in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein will from now on have to be registered with and licensed by the authorities if they happen to travel on routes that do not have a cycle path and that includes even families, regardless of number of participants.
Oh and this registration is by no means free. Each and every “license” will cost 50 Euro (about £30) and that means that if a family wants to go by bicycle to the shops in rural and semi-rural areas or take the children to school then each and every time they have to fork out this sum and registration, obviously, has to happen during working hours and several days ahead.
Should anyone attempt to undertake a cycle tour, even a family of three or four (or even two), without a permit then they will face a penalty charge of several hundred Euro. It will also be considered an offense to deviate from the route given in the application.
Germany, once upon a time, could always, together with Denmark and The Netherlands, as cycle friendly and as an example for good practice. This has come to an end now, for sure.
© 2014
