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Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 21, 2026, 3:22 a.m.
Waitzstraße in Hamburg, Germany
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Waitzstraße, located in western Hamburg’s upscale Othmarschen district, seems at first a peaceful, leafy street. This one-way stretch, with a strict 6 mph (10 km/h) speed limit and cautious drivers, should be a safe environment.
Yet, for two decades, an uncanny number of vehicles, about 30, have collided with the windows of shops, cafés, banks, and hair salons. The media call it Germany’s most accident-prone shopping street, while locals joke the frequent slapstick mishaps are a curse.
In 2015, the city installed heavy concrete blocks to prevent crashes. Despite their solidity, these barriers failed to stop cars from hitting storefronts; some even pushed blocks into windows, causing more damage.
Yet, for two decades, an uncanny number of vehicles, about 30, have collided with the windows of shops, cafés, banks, and hair salons. The media call it Germany’s most accident-prone shopping street, while locals joke the frequent slapstick mishaps are a curse.
In 2015, the city installed heavy concrete blocks to prevent crashes. Despite their solidity, these barriers failed to stop cars from hitting storefronts; some even pushed blocks into windows, causing more damage.
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