IWWIT - I know what I'm doing
Cruising
Guide
Your handbook for encounters, desire and freedom. Everything you need to know - compact, honest and respectful.
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✨What is cruising?
📚For beginners
❤️Consensus
📍Cruising spots
🛡️Safety
💊Safe sex
⚠️Law & Regulations
🎒Belt bag
🌞Cruisin‘ High
🌎Abroad
Choose your own adventure!
The image film that makes you want to cruise
An elaborately produced video about cruising, community and self-determination.
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✨
Basics
What is cruising?
Cruising is a queer practice - as old as the community itself. It's about encounters, desire and freedom: anonymous sex in exciting places, spontaneous adventures, playing with looks and signs.
Culture & Resistance; Perspectives & Gestures; Self-determination
Whether in the park, in the darkroom or online - cruising is more than just sex. It is a piece of queer culture, resistance and self-determination: the right to live our lust.
Roaming around, observing, signalling - sometimes with a look, a gesture, touching each other, having sex. The rules are unwritten, but clear: Consensus, respect and mutual esteem are the top priority.
Cruising has a history: In times of persecution, public cruising locations were both a refuge and a rebellion.
Cruising requires self-confidence, trust, boundaries and sometimes courage. But when it succeeds, something special is created: a moment of freedom.
📚
Access
Cruising for Beginners
If you are new: take your time. Observe first. Every location has its own codes - how to look, wait, communicate and initiate sex.
Observe, learn codes, step by step
Newcomers often experience that they are suddenly the centre of attention. This can be flattering, but also overwhelming.
You decide. A no is always okay.
💡 Tip: Feel free to draw inspiration from the internet and porn, but don’t let it put you under any normative pressure.
Safer Sex Basics →
❤️
Important
Cruising consensus
Cruising is about closeness, looks and gestures - rarely about words. This is precisely why consensus is so important.
No, accept Read signals Stop at any time
Consensus is a prerequisite: Accept a no, without discussion.
Pay attention to signals: A yes feels active. If someone freezes, it's not a yes.
Consensus is not an obstacle. It's what makes cruising good.
Consensus & agreement →
📍
Places
Cruising spots
The choice is huge: parks, saunas, darkrooms, sex clubs, apps and more.
Parks, Darkrooms, Clubs & Saunas, Apps
🌳 Parks & green spaces
The classics. Pay attention to the time and surroundings.
🚪 Darkrooms
Have condoms, lube and tissues to hand!
⛈️ Sex clubs, saunas
Protected environment with clear rules of behaviour.
📱 Cruising apps
Romeo, Grindr, Scruff, Buddy, Sniffies and many more.
🏠 Chills
You can leave at any time if you don't feel comfortable.
🛡️
Safety
Safe cruising
You can increase your safety with a few simple tips.
Keep your eyes open. No valuables. Emergency contacts
Keep your eyes open: If something seems strange to you, pull back.
Let someone know - Wherever you go, report back.
🚨 Emergency numbers: Police: 110 · Ambulance: 112
Telephone counselling →
💊
Health
Safer sex while cruising
Having fun without having to worry - that's the aim of cruising!
PrEP, condoms, regular testing, PEP in an emergency
PrEP: Effective protection against HIV through regular use.
Condoms & leaks: Protect against HIV and STIs. Always with lubricant!
PEP: Emergency treatment within 72 hours. Do not hesitate!
Vaccinations: Hepatitis A+B, Mpox and HPV recommended!
Find a PrEP practice →
PEP information →
Trans* safer sex tips →
⚠️
Law
Cruising is not a crime!
Cruising in itself is not prohibited. But there are laws in public spaces that you should be aware of.
Public nuisance, privacy, owner’s rights
Sex between adults is generally legal in Germany. Pay attention to the withdrawal of bystanders.
No photos/videos without the consent of all parties involved!
⚖️ Discretion: Don’t out anyone — be sensitive and discreet.
🎒
Packing list
Your cruising bum bag
Experienced outdoor cruisers have everything with them - often in a practical belt bag.
Condoms & lube, tissues, mobile phone to hand
✅ Wrap up:
Handkerchiefs - Condoms & Lollipops - Lubricant
Mobile phone - Bin bag - Hand sanitiser - Whistle
❌ Leave it at home:
Cash, laptop, expensive valuables
🌞
Consciously
Cruisin‘ High — Drugs & Casual Sex
Substances can increase desire and courage, but also make people more willing to take risks.
Find out moreYour own substancesSafer use
Plan your high consciously. GHB + alcohol = high risk! Never mix.
Consensus is also a high duty.
Substance information & safer use →
🌎
Travelling
Cruising abroad
Safety always first! Find out about the legal situation in your destination country.
Check the laws, use a VPN, make a note of the message
In some countries, same-sex sex or cruising is a punishable offence. Find out in advance!
Use VPN, no clear names, switch off GPS.
Travelling globally means being mindful locally.
HIV while travelling →
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Culture
Hanky codes
Coloured handkerchiefs indicate preferences - left = active, right = passive.
Red = Fist; Black = S/M; Light blue = Bubbles
Red - Fist
Black - S/M
White - Jerk off
Orange - No Limits
Light blue - bubbles
Dark blue - Fucking
🌳
Environment
Cruising in harmony with nature
Mother Nature has the best darkrooms. So that it stays that way: Don't leave any rubbish behind!
Take your rubbish homeBe quietClean-up Days
Condoms, tissues, bottles - take everything back with you.
🌿 Cruising Clean-up Days – Take part in community action days!
Manuel and Paul in conversation
about cruising as trans* masculine people
M
Manuel: As a trans* man, I hesitated for a long time. Cruising seemed to be a world reserved for cis men. But I’ve learnt that desire knows no norm. The looks I get — they’re genuine.
P
Paul: For me, that first darkroom was a turning point. Nobody asked any questions. Nobody judged me. My body was simply — welcome. It was incredibly liberating.
M
Manuel: Practising safer sex as a trans* person can sometimes be more complicated. Some people don’t have any information about trans* bodies. So: educate yourself, ask questions, and be open-minded.
P
Paul: My top tip: Go where you feel safe. Queer saunas, parties with awareness teams — that’s where I feel more relaxed.
M
ManuelCruising has shown me: my body belongs to me. I decide what happens. That’s empowerment.
More about trans* & cruising →
Read the whole brochure
All topics in detail with personal stories, tips and further links - as a digital edition.
