How reliable is the average German?
According to cliche, Germans are reliable. But is it true? Not necessarily! There are always the exceptions to the rule.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Everything a bit last minute, but it should be fine.
00:04 Absolutely nothing new for you.
00:06 What do you want now?
00:08 I have a lot to do today.
00:09 Well, I'm a little German conscious and I know that when it comes to reliability, we
00:15 Germans usually do pretty well.
00:18 But, die Ausnahme bestätigt die Regel.
00:20 The exception proves the rule, as they say.
00:23 Are you saying that I'm the exception?
00:25 No.
00:26 What makes you think that?
00:28 Material for our new episode on German virtues.
00:33 This time we're talking about reliability.
00:35 Are we Germans really as reliable as we're told?
00:38 Everyone knows we are.
00:39 Yes, Vertrauen ist gut, Kontrolle ist besser.
00:43 Trust is good, control is better, right?
00:46 Well it depends.
00:48 Oh man, I hope everything works out today.
00:51 I have to move house and catch a plane.
00:53 I can't miss this appointment.
00:56 Come what may.
00:58 It will be fine.
00:59 Your friend is coming to help.
01:01 Hi.
01:02 Hi.
01:03 Thanks for coming.
01:04 Of course.
01:05 Versprochen ist versprochen.
01:06 Promise is promise.
01:07 Where should we start?
01:08 Just grab all the packed boxes and put them in the car.
01:14 Of course.
01:15 Thank you so much.
01:20 Can we go now?
01:21 Yeah, why don't you drive up slowly?
01:22 I have to wait for the handyman.
01:24 They were supposed to be here ages ago to do the final touches before the new tenants
01:28 move in.
01:29 But yeah, thank you.
01:30 See you.
01:31 Bye bye.
01:32 You should have listened to me.
01:34 I told you weeks ago that you should have made an appointment.
01:38 I called them a month ago.
01:39 I made four appointments but they never showed up.
01:42 Apparently you can't rely on them.
01:45 What?
01:46 I can't imagine that.
01:47 German handymen are definitely virtuous.
01:50 Most Germans find it difficult to get a tradesperson at all and almost one in two German homeowners
01:55 complain that agreements and deadlines are not properly honored.
01:58 But when they do come, they do their work properly.
02:01 Rather not.
02:02 Two thirds of German homeowners are annoyed by improper and faulty work.
02:07 But never mind, we have to leave.
02:10 It's 1-1, you can rely on friends, but when it comes to tradespeople, you need a little
02:15 flexibility.
02:16 Now let's see how reliable Germans really are in the end.
02:21 What's going on?
02:26 It's probably just a minor glitch.
02:32 And it's a German car after all.
02:34 Pure quality and the top export of the Federal Republic of Germany.
02:39 It used to be different.
02:40 Originally, the made in Germany seal was introduced in the UK in the end of the 19th century as
02:46 protection against supposedly cheap and inferior imported goods.
02:51 Yes, but according to an international study, made in Germany still enjoys a positive global
02:57 reputation.
02:58 Three out of four respondents are of the opinion that made in Germany means durability and
03:04 reliability.
03:05 Ah, what luck.
03:06 Yay.
03:07 Could you take these post-its for your neighbors, please?
03:17 All of them?
03:18 Aren't any of them home?
03:19 No.
03:20 Could you take them, please?
03:21 Okay.
03:22 Okay, if I have to.
03:23 All right, thank you.
03:24 Bye.
03:25 Typical.
03:26 Hey, hey, the post-it service in Germany is very reliable.
03:33 Well, they have to be.
03:34 In Germany, there are even regulations on when letters must reach their recipients.
03:39 Yes, and it works pretty well.
03:41 Well, unless they're left with neighbors who are gone for a while, then you can wait a
03:45 very long time.
03:47 Speaking of which, I have to get going.
03:48 My flight leaves soon.
03:49 What?
03:50 Is the new Berlin airport still not open?
03:56 Shouldn't it be operational by now?
03:58 Of course it is.
03:59 This is definitely just the wrong entrance.
04:02 The opening has been postponed six times, and when the fourth opening was canceled,
04:06 they didn't even dare to set a new one.
04:08 See?
04:09 It opened a long, long time ago.
04:12 You can rely on us Germans.
04:15 You mean that major construction projects in Germany are often delayed and end up being
04:19 much more expensive?
04:21 Yes, we can be relied on for that.
04:27 As you can see, we Germans aren't always as reliable as we say.
04:31 We just really use the worst examples, but at least between people, reliability works.
04:37 Yes, it seems that way.
04:39 Almost every German thinks it's important to have people they can rely on no matter
04:43 what, and almost everyone describes themselves as reliable.
04:47 So we can conclude, yes, we Germans are reliable, but not in every facet of life.
04:52 (upbeat music)