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How to travel without ticket in Germany

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Groningen

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Well do not try it, but this German has found the solution. On his belly he has a sign with the text "I travel black". After paying 40 euro the courtcase was dismissed. Eh; until the next time. When i carry a sign "I steal"; can i than really get anything for free in Germany.

starnberg.jpg


No; this is not a joke!
 
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PermitToTravel

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There's a newspaper article (in German) on this here:
Google Translate with a few minor corrections said:
He considered himself very clever, a court still found him guilty: In Hanover, a notorious faredodger has been sentenced to a fine. The 38-year-old had argued that he had no ticket needed for a special shirt.

Hannover - A T-shirt with the words "I'm a faredodger" protects a passenger without a ticket is no excuse. The district court sentenced Hannover on Wednesday, 38-year-old Silvio B., who had been caught three times without a valid ticket on the tram.

B. had indicated that he had the shirt worn clearly visible and therefore no benefits fraudulently. The judge emphasized, however, this is irrelevant, since the man had done neither the driver nor the inspectors attention to the imprint before departure. He condemned the Hartz IV recipients to pay a fine of 500 euros. He must also pay the court costs and the increased fare.
Before the trial, as had the dark T-shirt with white print still confident of victory presents "I'm a faredodger" numerous press photographers and film crews. Innocently he protested that he had fraudulently no benefits. They should have been preceded by something clandestine or deceit in his view. He also wanted to show the process of civil disobedience, Silvio B. said

It appears that the basis of his argument was that his shirt was a contractual negotiation; he was quite rightly found guilty because he boarded a tram without giving the company a chance to accept his contract terms.

A humorous similar story where a company did accidentally accept a contract negotiation is here
 
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eastwestdivide

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Surely the 40 euros was the fine for not having a ticket, so he didn't gain anything apart from a day in court and a newspaper story?
 

Jonny

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Surely the 40 euros was the fine for not having a ticket, so he didn't gain anything apart from a day in court and a newspaper story?

It sounds like something unique to Germany where defendants may be given an opportunity to 'settle' but with the state over a marginal case.
 

maxiboy

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It sounds like something unique to Germany where defendants may be given an opportunity to 'settle' but with the state over a marginal case.

Yes, this does exist (see Section 153a of the Criminal Procedure Code).

However, the differentiation of a penalty fare (that is a civil debt of twice the open fare, but at least 40 Euros) from the criminal prosecution of fare evasion (associated with several criminal offences) also exists in Germany.
 
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