Alles verboten - almost

Germans love telling people off.

- Cathrin Schaer

It's an accepted part of culture here, an annoying habit that would probably get you beaten up in New Zealand. But in Berlin it's not at all unusual for some random German to peer into your pram and tell you your child is not dressed warmly enough. Or to yell at you for crossing on the red in front of impressionable children. Or to inform you that, hey, they cut those holes in the speed bump so cyclists can ride through them and why are you walking over that particular part of the speed bump? No kidding - all this has happened.

But now, at least we foreigners have a righteous answer: "Yes, good German citizen, I will indeed dress my child more warmly/cross on the green/pay my taxes on time and obey all your rules but only when Germany starts respecting international law."