Rant No. 15: Heating.

Germany is an energy efficient country. That’s the image they like to portray anyway.

But then what about the excessive heating on the u-bahn, the trains, and the buses. In the winter they are all heated to about 40°C, despite the fact that everyone is wearing layer upon layer of thermals and clothing, heavy coats and hats, scarves and gloves.

Everyone is dressed for -10°C, and then you get onto transport and there is a 50°C difference in temperature.

Why? What is the point? Isn’t this a massive waste of energy? With so many layers do people really need such heat inside?

Not only is this not green, but it is also really uncomfortable and unnecessary. I find myself spending so much time in winter dressing and undressing. Taking this layer off, stripping as soon as I get on the u-bahn.

At work, I have to take off my thermals because the heating is so high in the office. Then the Germans ask me how I can walk around with so little clothes on while it is winter, it must be because I am British, but it’s like a sauna for me! I just can’t cope with the heat, but it doesn’t seem to affect the stoic Germans.

I’m not saying don’t use heating, but how about a little common sense and just turning it down a bit.

When you enter a shop it’s like setting foot on a beach in Dubai. Walking into a restaurant is like passing through a heat wave. I’m sure this hot-cold-hot-cold is the reason that so many of us get sick here in the winter!