Ok, another installment of "EuroRoss is an idiot."

I'm sick as a dog today but I have to drag my sorry ass to the uni for a group meeting (which one of the other members didn't even show up for!). All's fine I tell myself, ten minutes there, ten minutes for the meeting, ten minutes back, half hour max no problem.

Problem... my car won't start after the meeting. Specifically the F-ing key won't turn in the hole (explicit comments to this reference encouraged). So after 3 phone calls to the insurance agent, mechanic and emergency help line, and two friends trying to turn it for themselves, I found out that cars here have some kind of "safety lock" system that locks the starter if you've turned the steering wheel after shutting off the car. Great, the system effectively kept the car "safe" from me driving it and "safe" from taking me home to bed.

I am adding this to my "things I hate about Germany/Europe list" which will be online soon (translation tomorrow, translation this week, translation next month, translation: whenever the F%#$ I get to it OK!).