Editor in chief at IamExpat Media
Not for the first time, a driver in Germany has landed himself in hot water - and received a hefty fine - after making a rather rude hand gesture to a speed camera.
The district court in Passau in Bavaria slapped a 5.000-euro fine on the 53-year-old driver after he pointed his middle finger in the direction of two police officers operating a speedometer last August.
The case, which was described by the regional court as “no trivial offence”, has dragged on for almost nine months, before finally concluding in a court hearing at the end of May.
The man was not caught speeding himself, but was flashed when he was overtaken by a car exceeding the speed limit on the autobahn near the Donautal Ost service station. When police analysed the photo, they noticed the offending finger and filed a criminal complaint.
At first, the driver tried to object to the penalty order, but after several months of proceedings he accepted the charges and was sentenced to 50 so-called unit fines of 100 euros each, resulting in a total fine of 5.000 euros. He also wrote a letter to the two police officers, in which he apologised and said he regretted the incident.
It may seem silly, but insulting speed cameras, police officers, or even other drivers, can get you into a great deal of trouble in Germany. The Criminal Code states that showing the middle finger to another road user while driving is a criminal offence, punishable by a prison sentence of up to one year, or a fine.
In August 2020, another driver in Bavaria was handed down a 4.000-euro fine and had his driving licence confiscated for one month after he flipped off a speed camera.