this is sooo true, germany’s been insane about this stuff way longer than anywhere else. I recall being yelled at in 1989 for sitting outside a shop waiting for my husband to purchase a newspaper, because we had left the car running. Mind you this was winter!!!
I love this. We lived in Deutschland from 92-95. It is so typische Deutsch for Germans to yell at one another for perceived transgressions of any type. We had it happen to us a couple of times because we were Auslanders and didn't quite yet get local custom. That's when I learned and began to use the phrase "typische Deutsch." If you ever want to piss off a Kraut, lay that on them at an opportune moment!