My son Augustine and I got pulled over by police officers in Basel Switzerland on our bikes…
I Got Pulled Over By Police In Basel, Switzerland…On My Bike
I’ve talked often about how much I love the bike ride from Lörrach, Germany to Basel, Switzerland through the Südschwarzwald (Southern Black Forest). I’d do it every day if I had the time and it’s not only fresh air and great exercise, but beautiful scenery.
I like to take Augustine along too (I’d love to take my daughter along too, but she’s still a bit too young).
In Los Angeles or most major US metropolitan cities, you just don’t ride a bike. In the area around my home to the north of downtown LA, there has been great effort made to make the roads more bike-friendly. We have green lanes designated for bike traffic and traffic patterns and road signs have been engineered to respect those cycling.
Doesn’t. Matter.
With all the crazies behind the wheel, you still take your life into your own hands in a fairly cavalier way if you choose to ride a bike in SoCal. So I don’t do it.
Which leads me to the rules…a hallmark of German society, but also of Germanic Switzerland.
We were in Basel crossing the Mittlere Brücke (Middle Bridge). I was trying to follow the navigation directions on my phone to the coffee shop we were going to. Augustine was behind me.
Suddenly an unmarked van pulled up next to me. The window rolled down and a police officer started talking to me. The entire conversation took place in German.
Police: Sir, how old is your son?
Me: He’s nine years old.
Police: That is too young for him to be on the street. He’s not an expert. He should be on the sidewalk.
Me: Understood.
Police: Also, you are using a phone. This is not allowed. You cannot hold a phone while riding your bike.
Me: Please forgive me. I do not live in Basel and was trying to find a coffee shop. I will put my phone away.
Police: No problem sir, have a nice day.
And with that, the van took off. Switzerland is a country that will send you a speeding ticket in the mail for exceeding the posted limit by even 1-2 km/hour and will garnish your wages directly to settle the bill…I thought for sure I’d get a ticket.
Thankfully, not only was the police officer exceedingly polite, but he did not throw the book at me. It has been my experience that police officers in Europe really try to help…and are not the “respect my authoritah” types that we sometimes see in the USA (though I think most cops in the USA are also just out to help).
I’m thankful. I talked to my wife after and she said, “Of course phones aren’t allowed on bikes. We are taught that as children!”
Now I know!
Glad I did not end up here:
No phones on bikes? When I’m in France, Australia, and New Zealand, I see a lot of delivery drivers (their Doordash, Uber Eats, etc.) using bikes in the CBD. Everyone of them is watching their phone mounted on the handlebars following directions (just like rideshare drivers in their cars here and everywhere).
I was holding my phone with my right hand!
And I thougt I’d be reading a review of the Zurich County Jail.
Sorry to disappoint!
That was me writing the zurich county jail… you got really lucky this time Mat. Today coming from strasbourg to geneva i prefered to go a longer way through the hills to bypass the basel crosing into swiss as they are notorious for stopping foreign registered vehicles
Lol you little scamp!
Teehee. Weather was so nice in NYC today, I also took a bike ride.
I am surprised that riding a bike on the sidewalk isn’t illegal. It ticks me off when I see people in the US riding bicycles on the the sidewalk, especially motorized ones. Maybe a pedestrian being run over by a bicycle is preferable to a bicycle being run over by a car?
While we’re at it, another thing that tick me off about bicyclists in the US is that most seem to completely ignore stop signs, one-way signs, traffic lights, etc. I guess when they get run over by a car, at least the driver of said car won’t be to blame. (I’m sure a slimy attorney would claim otherwise…)
Normally it is, as I understand it, but perhaps there is an exception for young children?
In the UK, I took a cycling proficiency course at about age 10. Sort of like an optional driving test. Having passed it though, I was deemed ‘road safe’ and wasn’t supposed to cycle on pedestrian paths anymore, unless the road was too dangerous. I wouldn’t be surprised if Switzerland had something similar.
Funny to see familiar pictures of my home turf(s) = Basel und Lörrach (Eisdiele), as one of your newsletter subscriber from this part of the world.
In regards of your son riding a bike: kids until 12 years of age and their accompanying adult can legally ride on Swiss sidewalks. Especially all the tram(ways) tracks in the city embedded in the regular main streets makes riding a bike tricky… however we as car driver ‘hate’ the bikers in the city as often they behave as idiots and ignore any road signs.
And yes, riding while using your phone is an offense same as riding under DUI, both will normally lead to a fine or in worst case temporary suspension of your (car) driver licence, even caught as a drunk pedestrian!
Keep on the informative good work as FT!
Herzliche Grüsse aus Basel
Danke @fkaway!
I see the same in Japan.. but they don’t make it easy for bikers either due to how narrow some streets can be.
To them, it’s either follow the law and ride on the tiny joke of a bike ‘lane’ or ride on the sidewalk..
I’ve definitely almost been hit by cyclists and stabbed by another who was carrying his umbrella like a jousting lance.
I agree with you about riding on the sidewalk. Riding on the road is often safer than on the sidewalk. Sidewalks are designed for pedestrians, not faster-moving bikes, and drivers typically don’t expect cyclists there—especially at driveways and intersections, where many collisions occur. On the road, cyclists are more visible and behave in line with traffic flow, making their actions easier for drivers to anticipate. While it may feel less comfortable, riding predictably in the roadway generally reduces the risk of sudden conflicts.
Regarding not stopping at stop signs, cyclists can sometimes be safer treating a stop sign as a yield (the “Idaho Stop”) because it allows them to maintain momentum and clear intersections more quickly. Bicycles accelerate slowly, so stopping completely increases the time they spend exposed in the intersection. Yielding lets cyclists proceed when it’s clearly safe, reducing conflict with cars. It also improves visibility and predictability—cyclists can position themselves better and avoid being overtaken by impatient drivers. Studies from places that allow the Idaho Stop have found reductions in cyclist injuries, suggesting that, when used responsibly, it can enhance safety rather than reduce it.
Not to excuse the habit, but Stop Signs are largely an American invention. They just don’t really exist in Germany/Switzerland. Which means that in many cases in America treating one as a yield sign is completely appropriate. A bike is also not a multi-ton vehicle so typically they would just injure themselves and not others.
FYI, in several cities in California it is LEGAL to ride a bike on the sidewalk (although not an electric bike), to accommodate for limited bike lanes and unsafe drivers. I live in Venice beach and sometimes when biking I just don’t have a choice and need to ride on the sidewalk to avoid getting hit.
Even with the many ‘green lanes’ cities have installed throughout California most drivers in SoCal are just too focused on their phones and themselves to worry about bikers. I wish our police would focus on biker safety like they do in Germany!
Matt do not take a presentation clicker with a laser pointer to Switzerland. They are illegal and you will be detained by the police at the airport. I had no idea. Missed my flight to Madrid but when I called the EP desk at American they just put me on the next flight.
Good to know!
Since June 1, 2019, Switzerland has enforced a strict ban on importing, possessing, and using dangerous laser pointers (classes 1M, 2, 2M, 3R, 3B, and 4) to prevent injuries and dangerous glares. Only Class 1 laser pointers, which are safe for the eyes, are permitted. Violating this law can result in severe penalties, including fines up to CHF 40,000 or jail time.
Ill assume multi umlaut has it right. I do know Australia bans laser pointers over a certain level (one you’re unlikely to buy to make presentations). Like most things that are not clearly”over the line” (serious narcotics, guns, etc.), if in doubt ask them on entry. Worse they’d typically do is confiscate.
In Korea, the delivery guys have 5 or more phones going at one time.
Too bad you did not have some donuts with you. LOL
Re: Paola Bracho “And I thougt I’d be reading a review of the Zurich County Jail.”, fixed it: I was hoping to read MATTHEW KLINT’S review of the Zurich County Jail :-).
Re: CHRIS: ln Korea, the delivery guys have 5 or more phones going at one time.”, fixed that one too: ln Korea (and other places in SE Asia) the delivery guys have 5 or more phones going at one time AND 5 or more people on the scooter at one time :-).
“Knowledge is when you learn something new every day. Wisdom is when you let something go every day.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson –
By nine years old, I was a better biker than most adults.
You must remember my son is an LA city slicker.
I must confess I called the Basel police & told them you are an American subversive out to dethrone our great leader. And your son is an adult who is just very small that you use to infiltrate my MAGA world through Youth School Programs. They seemed OK with it!
My niece is a Swiss cop and she’s certainly not the rule-crazy type, being much more common sense. From what little I’ve gathered that seems much the norm but it’s tough to extrapolate too much.
In Germany, the same rules (and consequences) apply to bikeriders as they do to car drivers (for the most part e.g. running a red light, using a phone etc. You can even loose your drivers license for the car!). You should also use the bike lane (if there is one) on the right hand side of the street in the direction of travel (not on the left). Phones, like bike computers, are fine if fitted to the handlebar. Otherwise, its a 55€ fine. https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/zweirad/fahrrad-ebike-pedelec/vorschriften-verhalten/verkehrsverstoesse-radfahrer/
As for the sidewalk. Kids below a certain age are supposed to ride their bikes on the sidewalk not on the street. They are too slow to do much damage on the sidewalk and too small to be seen on a busy city street. Thus the sidewalk is often the safest area for them (cars, if they do cross the sidewalk, tend to be very slow for the most part). https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/zweirad/fahrrad-ebike-pedelec/vorschriften-verhalten/kinder-fahrradfahren-strassenverkehr/
Danke.
What if you drive a bike but do not have license? What do you lose than?
https://www.ch.ch/en/vehicles-and-traffic/cars-and-other-vehicles/cycling-in-switzerland/#bicycles
https://www.bfu.ch/de/ratgeber/kinder-auf-dem-velo
Children younger than 6 years of age are allowed to ride a bicycle on main roads, but only under the supervision of a person at least 16 years old.
Children up to 12 years of age may cycle on the pavement/sidewalk – but only if there is no bike lane or bike path. Pedestrians have the right of way.
So it looks like your son was legally riding his bike.