Germans hate travel delays. Hate them. This is because they belong to a culture in which efficiency is prized above all other aspects of society. In Germany, efficiency is king; a cold, unfeeling despot sitting atop a mountain of dead alarm clocks high above the heads of lesser priorities, such as passion, hope or basic human enjoyment of life.
For a German, it’s all about getting from point A to point B, and anything holding up this process is to be regarded with weaponized contempt. Late flights, tardy buses and delayed subway trains drive them absolutely bugshit. And traffic jams? Oh God, traffic jams will rocket their emotional state all the way from Eerily Stoic to Nuclear Wrath.
On an important side note: In German, the letter ‘J’ is pronounced like the English letter ‘Y’ (e.g. ‘John’ becomes ‘Yohn,’ and ‘Jazz’ becomes ‘Yazz.’)
This is why, back in Portland, Oregon, as my wife was attempting to drive west on I-84 during rush hour, she sent me the following photograph and angry text message:
THE WIFE: “I am today in a very bad traffic yam!”
Click here to learn more about the term “Denglish.”
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Oh God, My Wife Is German. 
I have to admit traffic jams happen all over the world – and even though the “Yam” made me giggle I’m quite tempted to say: they have them here in Switzerland too – and most people cussing about them are: Germans! I’m not really sure why? But while I learnt, during the time living here, that I should calculate plenty of time to get from Point A to Point B, in case of a traffic “yam” coming up, that Germans seem to think when they are leaving the house, everyone else has to “disappear” and/or get out of their way… It does irritate me sometimes.
My Dad’s former work colleague, even though I admire him and love him like an uncle, he has the same problem. And when I mentioned my suspicion to him once, he laughed and said: “Maybe you’re right girl”.
:-)
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So cute! But we have the same “problem” in Sweden with pronouncing the letter “J”. Learned that from a former roommate named Jeff….
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