Friday, January 30
The streets of Berlin have been as smooth as a mirror all week. One thing that can help you walk on the ice without slipping is a set of spikes that you attach to your shoes.
Outdoor and DIY stores are currently dealing with the high demand for shoe spikes, so much so that some are facing delivery difficulties. “In the three weeks since New Year’s Eve, we have sold quantities that we would otherwise sell in five years,” said one employee.
Meanwhile, the SPD and CDU have been disputing the use of de-icing salt (Streusalz), which can be used to melt the ice but has environmental effects, in that salt can destroy soil and harm city trees and lawns. In Berlin, defrosting ice this way is strictly prohibited; only the BSR is allowed to use salt on the roads.
Transport Senator Ute Bonde calls for a softening of the general ban on dew salt on sidewalks, stating an appeal to “avert danger to the life and limb of Berliners”. About the use of dew salt, SPD’s top candidate Steffen Krach also said, “Simply do it.” He claims that the debate about responsibilities and legal possibilities has been ongoing “while Berliners are sliding through the city like penguins”.
So far, only lava or limestone granules have been used on sidewalks, and Berliners continue to find their own ways to brave the ice, from shoe spikes to snow chains to hiking poles. After all, looking at the weather for this weekend, it doesn’t look like the ice will get much better anytime soon.
