This one's a multi-parter...
1) The package of straps that [mention]Froskemann[/mention] sent to review for our members was intercepted and held by German Zollamt in Garching (inconveniently ~1 hour north of Munich).
2) Today was the only day I could go to pick it up, so I planned to take the train to Garching. Of course there is a strike by the transit workers today, and trains are not running (
Read about it here). This meant I had to ride my bike to get the package. Okay, no problem...at least it’s exercise!
3) Got on my bike this morning and rode about 3 blocks while in mid-pedal, the left pedal fell off! The bikers behind me swerved to avoid it, and I was fortunate to find the hes bolt nearby. A stranger nearby saw the event and offered to run up to his flat and get a wrench to repair it...and did so.
4) At the Zollamt I got to an officer after about a 30 min wait. I explained that this was a product sample for review and not a purchase. I offered to show them the correspondence with the manufacturer, which they had me do. Even after reading the clear offer of a sample for review, they said my only options were to pay import tax on the value or refuse the package. When I asked if I could pay the tax now and have it refunded later after I send the items back, they laughed and said that there is a process for that through another office...but not an easy one and kind of a crapshoot.
5) They refused to go by the declared value of the package ($35) and instead insisted that I show them the retail value of the straps by pulling up the sender’s website. Perhaps it was the bike ride or the three espressos this morning, but I quickly did a google search on Aliexpress nato straps and found one listing them for $0.50 to $1.00. When I showed the officer, she took the higher amount ($1.00). BUT, because this still put the total under EUR 20 (8 straps x $1), I was not liable to pay any tax!
6) When I got outside, I found someone had knocked my bike and broken the legally required bell for alerting pedestrians when passing:
So...my complaint is a day filled with bureaucratic nonsense wasting my time and multiple unreliable means of transport. On the bright side: I got extra exercise, was helped by a very kind stranger, escaped without paying tax, and have some fine looking straps to review in the days ahead courtesy of [mention]Froskemann[/mention]!