Why do the Swiss wait at a red light at 1:30 am?

The real rule

Why the Swiss laugh, and what it means if you're new here.

Small traffic offences in Switzerland have fixed fines, called Ordnungsbussen, and the amounts are written into a federal ordinance. For pedestrians, the red light is on that list: CHF 20. So the Swiss who wait at 1:30 am are not only being Swiss, they are also doing the maths. For a newcomer it means: the red figure means stop, even when the only other road user is a fox.

Swiss Mythos

The rule, explained

The fines come from the Ordnungsbussenverordnung (OBV, SR 314.11), the federal ordinance on fixed fines, published on fedlex. Its Annex 1 lists the offences and their prices. Number 903.1: a pedestrian who ignores a light signal pays CHF 20. Number 901.1: a pedestrian who does not use a zebra crossing less than 50 metres away pays CHF 10. The Kantonspolizei St. Gallen says the same in its guide to the rights and duties of pedestrians: crossing on red means a fine of 20 francs. The list does not care what time it is. So Ueli waits, the light turns green, and there is still no car.

Sources: Ordnungsbussenverordnung (OBV, SR 314.11), Annex 1, on fedlex; Kantonspolizei St. Gallen, rights and duties of pedestrians

Questions people ask

How much is the fine for crossing on red in Switzerland?

CHF 20, a fixed fine (OBV, Annex 1, no. 903.1).

Do you have to use the zebra crossing in Switzerland?

If one is less than 50 metres away, yes. Not using it costs CHF 10 (OBV, Annex 1, no. 901.1).

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