I posted another thread about my recent trip to Denmark and Sweden. I experienced these in Germany as well.
First is the traffic light system. When a light is getting ready to turn red, the yellow light comes on just as it does here, but it seems a little longer. Also, as in Florida and a lot of states, vehicles aren't supposed to enter an intersection unless they have a green light and the intersection is clear. The big difference is when a light is getting to turn green - the yellow light comes on alerting drivers it's going to turn green. They don't waste any time when the green light comes on. There's no tolerance for vehicles running red lights or being in the intersection late in the cycle. I'm guessing this would make some of the Iowa folks crazy as they seem to favor getting out in an intersection to turn left, and finishing the turn after the light turns red.
The next may be in use in some parts of the US by some airlines, but it's pretty much the rule in European airports. There are electronic gates at each departure gate to facilitate the boarding process. I flew Air France and Delta, but it was the same at all departure gates. Usually there were two stations, each person scans their own boarding pass or looks at the recognition screen, and the gate opens if they are in the proper boarding group and have the correct flight. There are usually two scanners going, and the gate agent only gets involved if there's an issue. I witnessed people getting rejected because their boarding group had not yet been called. When a machine rejects a person it doesn't seem to become a personal thing, and people seem to accept it better.
There's a 3rd thing, but I don't think it's feasible in the US. Everyone is require to have travel passes, but they aren't required to be scanned when entering a train, train departure area, or bus. They only seem to be checked on longer train rides, or going between countries.
First is the traffic light system. When a light is getting ready to turn red, the yellow light comes on just as it does here, but it seems a little longer. Also, as in Florida and a lot of states, vehicles aren't supposed to enter an intersection unless they have a green light and the intersection is clear. The big difference is when a light is getting to turn green - the yellow light comes on alerting drivers it's going to turn green. They don't waste any time when the green light comes on. There's no tolerance for vehicles running red lights or being in the intersection late in the cycle. I'm guessing this would make some of the Iowa folks crazy as they seem to favor getting out in an intersection to turn left, and finishing the turn after the light turns red.
The next may be in use in some parts of the US by some airlines, but it's pretty much the rule in European airports. There are electronic gates at each departure gate to facilitate the boarding process. I flew Air France and Delta, but it was the same at all departure gates. Usually there were two stations, each person scans their own boarding pass or looks at the recognition screen, and the gate opens if they are in the proper boarding group and have the correct flight. There are usually two scanners going, and the gate agent only gets involved if there's an issue. I witnessed people getting rejected because their boarding group had not yet been called. When a machine rejects a person it doesn't seem to become a personal thing, and people seem to accept it better.
There's a 3rd thing, but I don't think it's feasible in the US. Everyone is require to have travel passes, but they aren't required to be scanned when entering a train, train departure area, or bus. They only seem to be checked on longer train rides, or going between countries.
