The policeman: “It was somehow unreal
Police officer Carten Kehr is the leader of the Frankfurt bicycle squadron. The work has changed within a very short time: “Suddenly it was our job to identify distancing violations and to prevent large groups of people from gathering.”
It was clear that his life would change in early 2020. The police chief inspector Carsten Kehr (34) took over the management of the newly founded bicycle squadron in February 2020, an exciting task that is due to the changed situation on the streets with more cyclists and e-scooters: since then, six officers have been on bicycles and as a link between all road users should strengthen mutual understanding. But then more changed in his life than he had expected: “With the first lockdown there were more cyclists,” he observed. Bicycles, pedelecs, e-bikes – the demand rose so much that retailers had trouble delivering.
Citizens switched, either because they wanted to avoid public transport or because they wanted to while away the time in the fresh air. Seen in this way, the bicycle squadron came at the right time and had a lot to do right from the start. Cycle paths and footpaths were full not only on the weekends. You have to get along – obeying the traffic rules helps with that. The officials of the bicycle squadron remind you of this – if necessary with a ticket. Kehr and his colleagues also have their sights set on tuned pedelecs, which, with the appropriate conversion, can also reach 80 kilometers per hour, “that is no longer a bicycle, but a motor vehicle,” explains Kehr. There would actually have to be number plates on it, there is compulsory insurance and guaranteed trouble. And it’s dangerous: whoever collides with it…
The Bicycle Squadron is part of the Police Traffic Control Service. The hat to do especially in problematic traffic situations, at demonstrations, major sporting events, Iron Man, JP Morgan run and football games. And there has been significantly less of that in the past two years, “that is drastic for us,” says Kehr.
The work is changing: “Suddenly it was our job to determine distance violations and to prevent gatherings of too large groups of people.” On weekends, when, contrary to the distance rules and the alcohol ban that sometimes applies, there were celebrations outdoors in the squares, the mood was already there been charged. He can confirm the impression that there are people who are increasingly irritable and “are not so inclined to police measures”. And he recalled a bike lane tour one morning during lockdown when the city was quickly empty: “It was kind of unreal.”