Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

POLICE

Impatient train passenger takes electric scooter onto German Autobahn

A man drove an electric scooter onto an Autobahn after he got fed up waiting for a train.

Published: 2 July 2019 08:50 CEST

Impatient train passenger takes electric scooter onto German Autobahn

Photo: DPA

Police said the 28-year-old electric-scooter rider was following the route on his navigation device when he ended up on the A46 road in the western German state of North-Rhine Westphalia.

His unusual journey started on Monday afternoon at Erkelenz station, southwest of Düsseldorf. After becoming frustrated because there was no sign of his train, the man decided to take matters into his own hands.

“He used the navigation function of his mobile phone and was guided to the Autobahn by it,” police said.

The man drove the e-scooter onto the A46 at the Erkelenz-Süd junction. Only vehicles capable of driving more than 60 kilometres per hour are allowed on Germany's highways. Electric scooters can drive up to 20 km/per hour.

READ ALSO: Will fines for electric scooter riders in Germany improve safety?

Two car drivers spotted the man who was on the hard shoulder and escorted him to safety.

One drove in front of the e-scooter with the car's hazard warning lights switched on, while the other secured the rear.

At the next junction – Hückelhoven-West – they led him off the motorway. The 28-year-old was met by the police there, who filed a report against him.

The man and his e-scooter covered about seven km in total on the A46.

Debate over safety

The drivers who recognized the man was in danger have been praised for their swift action in getting him – and his e-scooter – off the Autobahn.

“These two drivers handled the situation very well,” police told regional newspaper the Rheinische Post.

E-scooters have been appearing on streets across Germany since the government gave them the green light in May.

However, there has been fierce debate over how safe the battery-powered vehicles are.

Last Thursday, an e-scooter collided with a truck in central Berlin – the capital's first serious road accident involving the vehicle.

The 26-year-old electric scooter rider was seriously injured in the incident that happened near Friedrichstraße.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

READER QUESTION: What powers do police have on the street in Denmark?

Copenhagen Police said last week that they had confiscated more than 20 knives in just under a month as a result of around 830 people being checked for weapons in special visitationszoner or “stop-and-search” zones.

Denmark’s laws allow these zones to be established by law authorities for a limited period in response to violent crime. They mean police officers can stop people on the streets or in cars and check if they are carrying weapons without having to give any cause.

READ ALSO: Danish police search 830 people in Copenhagen in less than a month

The Local was contacted by a reader who asked what police “may and may not do” in Denmark.

“For example, can they ask for ID, question you on the street, search you? Can people video in a public place?”, they wrote.

Asking for ID

Police don’t have the right to demand ID, but can ask for your name, address and date of birth, in accordance with paragraph 750 of Denmark’s Retsplejeloven or policing laws. You do not have to give your full CPR (personal registration) number if you have one, although you might be asked for it and see no reason not to give it.

If someone refuses to provide this basic information to the police or provides false information, they can be fined or punished.

It’s worth noting, though, that foreign residents of Denmark who have an opholdskort or residence card are technically required to carry it with them at all times.

READ ALSO: Can you travel in and out of Denmark if you lose your residence card?

The police can question members of the public, but individuals are not required to provide any statements, and no force can be used to compel someone to speak or answer questions.

Searching

Police can search a person or their vehicle if they have “reasonable suspicion” that the person may have broken the law. They can only conduct a search without any cause if they are in a designated search area (visitationszone) as described above.

In non-visitationszoner, police need reasonable grounds to conduct a search. This can include visible illegal activity, smell of drugs, acting suspiciously or being in a location where drugs or weapons are known to be circulating.

Police may also search your vehicle if they suspect it contains illegal items, such as weapons or drugs, or if the vehicle is involved in a crime.

Detainment

Police in Denmark have the authority to detain individuals for questioning if they suspect the person has committed a crime. Detention without formal charges must be reviewed by a court (known as a grundlovsforhør) within 24 hours.

Police can issue on-the-spot fines for minor offences such as traffic violations and public disturbances, but must follow up with court procedure for serious matters.

All searches conducted by police must be recorded, as must preliminary charges (termed sigtelser), which mean you are under police suspicion. These preliminary charges, which police can give if they have “reasonable grounds” to suspect you have broken the law, enable them to carry out a search as described above.

You are not obliged by law to respond to police questions during these initial searches and proceedings. Once arrested, the police must inform you of your rights, which include the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer.

Police must record searches and initial charges including the time and circumstances of the interaction, allowing a member of the public to later file a complaint if they believe police did not act correctly.

Video recording in public spaces

Members of the public have the right to film or photograph in public spaces, including police officers, as long as they do not interfere with police work. Denmark does not have laws that prohibit filming law enforcement as long as the filming does not obstruct the officers in their duties.

If police deem that filming obstructs their work or invades the privacy of others, they can ask individuals to stop. Recording police actions from a distance without interference should generally be allowed.

In 2021, Copenhagen Police commented after media reported, based on video evidence, that some officers had threatened members of the public with being arrested if they filmed them.

“Based on the recordings presented to us, we have decided to clarify the rules on this area to all employees. As a starting point, there is no basis for charging a person who is passively filming… a police officer on duty,” Copenhagen Police told newspaper Berlingske.

Complaints

Members of the public can file complaints with the independent Police Complaints Authority (Den Uafhængige Politiklagemyndighed) if they believe the police have misused their power or acted unlawfully. You should provide a case number when filing the complaint, if you have one.

Complaints can also be filed at local police stations.

As a member of the public, you have the right to complain about both the conduct of the police and the basis on which they took their decisions – meaning, for example, how they may have justified carrying out a search. In the later case, the complaint may mean you believe a police officer has broken the law.

The Police Complaints Authority handles the case differently depending on whether it relates to a conduct issue or a potential criminal act.

Are there any further questions relating to this article you’d like us to answer? Let us know in the comments.

SHOW COMMENTS

Url copied to clipboard!