The fragrance used to mask bad metro smells in Paris isn't strong enough for the Berlin commuter rail. Transportation authorities have started sniff tests in a project to give the S-Bahn a new, refreshing odor. Smell something funny? The Berlin S-Bahn smells of many things, not all of them pleasant: wet umbrellas, body odor, unwashed dogs, kebab and currywurst, sometimes spilled beer or schnapps. But that may change. The Berlin Transportation Authority (BVG) has announced plans to lace the S-Bahn with its very own de-odoring odor. "A relevant test is being prepared," BVG spokesperson Burkhard Ahlert told the Berliner Zeitung Thursday. An employee dreamed up the idea to neutralize urban smells with an "S-Bahn perfume" contest, to find ways to improve the experience of commuters. The preliminary stages, underway soon, will involve "test sniffing," said Ahlert.
The fragrance used to mask bad metro smells in Paris isn't strong enough for the Berlin commuter rail. Transportation authorities have started sniff tests in a project to give the S-Bahn a new, refreshing odor.
Smell something funny? The Berlin S-Bahn smells of many things, not all of them pleasant: wet umbrellas, body odor, unwashed dogs, kebab and currywurst, sometimes spilled beer or schnapps.
But that may change. The Berlin Transportation Authority (BVG) has announced plans to lace the S-Bahn with its very own de-odoring odor. "A relevant test is being prepared," BVG spokesperson Burkhard Ahlert told the Berliner Zeitung Thursday.
An employee dreamed up the idea to neutralize urban smells with an "S-Bahn perfume" contest, to find ways to improve the experience of commuters. The preliminary stages, underway soon, will involve "test sniffing," said Ahlert.
sniff test, huh?
funky gig... ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
Seriously. Japanese subways are spotless, and they don't smell. Of anything. The cars are clean, the tracks are clean, the tunnels are clean, even the restrooms are clean.
Why? Because they actually hire cleaning staff, and give them the time necessary to do their jobs.
Drinking in public is allowed in Japan, but mostly, I suspect, because people don't actually drink in public. It's more along the lines of, "not banning something nobody does" than "tolerating something that's annoying."
As for food smells in stations, probably the most common in Japan is sweet breads and pastries being baked, oddly enough. Nobody complaining about that one.
I make the comment about cleaners never having been to Germany, but being well aware of the shocking disregard for basic public cleanliness everywhere in the US. Cleaning is maintenance, and maintenance doesn't pay the bills.
The BVG takes care of the U-Bahn, trams and busses.
I know! Tiring details that have to be explained to the reader! And so unimportant!
For those who speak German, here's the origininal Berliner Zeitung article, which does not get anything wrong.
