European warning
Sir: Your article 'On trial: The aim of the game' (October 21) 'prompted me to try and warn your readers of the possible consequences they face if they take advantage of the new relaxed laws governing emigration to the Common Market countries.
I decided to spend a year between school and university learning the German language at Munich University. The course commenced on October 26 and on that morning I used the tram as my means of transport. On my few previous tram-rides I have ascended the second carriage and bought a ticket from a conductor selling them from behind a counter. I followed the same procedure but found instead of a
conductor, a machine. The machine
required a minimum of three DMarks to purchase a ticket, I possessed 30 D-Marks in notes but only 2 D-Marks in change. I sat down and decided that the only way I could pay would be to buy a ticket from an inspector if one boarded the tram.
Four stops later two female inspectors did board. They asked for my ticket and I tried to explain. Alas, they spoke no English and my German was very limited. However I managed to convey that I was British and produced my passport when it was asked for. The inspector with my passport in her hand asked me for a 20 D-Mark fine. I said "Nein," thinking that she had not understood my position. Her reaction was to put my passport in her handbag and despite my asking for it twice she refused to give it back, telling me that we would go to the police.
This seemed an agreeable suggestion, imagining an impartial policeman helping me with my problem. However when we arrived at the police station, the tram-inspector spoke three or four sentences and handed my passport to an officer. Nobody there spoke English and the officer proceeded to ask me two or three questions in Germany, none of which I understood, He then searched me, looked through my wallet and told me to follow him. Thinking that I was being led to . a more senior officer I asked for my passport. He replied" Nein," grabbed me by the right arm and guided me into a cell. I was dumbfounded.
Fifteen minutes later the door was opened and I was told to get out of the cell. A policeman who had previously denied knowledge of English then began to speak it almost fluently telling me how I should obey German law. When he allowed me to speak I told him that I had every intention of paying but that I could not. His reply was that it was.my fault, not possessing the correct change!
He then told me to pay the 20 DMark fine or get back into the cell. Being in danger of missing the roll-call at the university course and thus forfeiting my place for two months I decided to pay.
I sincerely hope that the 13,-4".h legal system will make its mark on Europe and that the German police will treat Her Majesty's subjects with more respect and courtesy after January 1.
P. W. G. Duguid 8011 Neukeferloh, Luisenweg 15, West Germany
Previous page
