Your experience was absolutely correct!
I think the police just gave you a short flash as a hint. Less accidents cause less work for them.
Do you already need a refective vest in the UK?
In Germany you have to have one for the driver from 1st April on!
I don't think the police will "hunt tourists" but they will surely control German drivers.
Another typically German is the "Parkscheibe" ...
https://www.google.de/search?hl=de&...9.0....0...1ac.1.37.img..1.10.873.0_fblZYwl6I
You need it at some locations if you want to park. If you arrive at 11:07 you can put the clock to 11:30 can can park as long as shown (1 or 2 hours - "Stunde" / "Std"). Motorised "Parkscheiben" are not allowed! You need a simple paper or plastic "Parkscheibe".
We have no single or double lines on the roads but blue-red signs.
Oh yes; and you always have to park on your side of the road (right) with the front "in normal position". In England people also "cross the road" to park on the other side. This is forbidden in Germany (but some do it). If you see parking space on the other side of the road you have to turn and then park "right".
We have more and more roundabouts (wonderful!!!).
In England I rode with 30 mph through roundabouts because I always knew what the others will do. In Germany the roundabout tradition is much shorter and you always have to beware. I ride "British" in Germany (indicate where I want to go entering the roundabout) and then indicate when I leave.
This is not correct in Germany (correct is indicating before driving out of the roundabout). But I love the English system (and I love irritating others when I indicate left, entering the roundabout).
Mostly in the East of Germany we have Green "turn right arrows" at traffic lights (a GDR tradition we didn't have in the FRG). You have to stop and can drive right if the road is free- but you have to stop.
Edited by: Cadfael