'It wasn't me' German parking fine loophole closed
December 18, 2019
Germans had been able to avoid paying parking fines by disputing that they had been the one to park their own vehicle. Germany's federal court has now closed the loophole following a hospital parking lot dispute.
Image: Fotolia/Petra Beerhalter
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A car owner can no longer easily avoid paying a parking fine after a well-established loophole in German law was closed following a high court battle.
The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruled on Wednesday that a car owner must now tell authorities who illegally parked their vehicle or face a fine themselves.
Until Wednesday, German car owners had been able to avoid paying a parking penalty by claiming that they had not parked the car themselves as, according to prior German law, only the person who parked the car could be fined and there needed to be proof of who parked the vehicle.
The case reached the high court following a dispute in Arnsberg over illegal parking in a hospital parking lot. The car of the accused driver broke parking regulations in the lot on three occasions — her car once overstayed the maximum free parking time limit and twice was found parked in spaces reserved for hospital workers.
However, the car owner disputed that it was she who had parked the car on each occasion.
The owner of the parking lot was initially unsuccessful in the first bid, after taking the case to the Arnsberg regional court, but then the Federal Court overturned the ruling in the appeals process.
The court refused to say the accused had sole liability over the parking violation just due to being the owner of the vehicle but the owner had "not effectively contested her driving behavior." In cases such as free use of a private car-parking space then an owner must explain who the driver could have been instead.
It is down up to the Arnsberg regional court to rule on whether the vehicle owner should pay the parking fines.
A car-free day in Addis Ababa
The Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa has just had its sixth Car-free Day, a monthly initiative launched by the government to encourage non-motorized transportation and fight air pollution.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Taking a deep breath
Although many parts of the city remained open to cars, on Sunday, May 12, several major arteries were closed down for cars. Overall traffic was lower than usual in the frequently jammed capital of around four million people. While not enough to solve the Addis Ababa pollution problem, many see this initiative as a good starting point and a day to be enjoyed.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Room to kick the ball around
The car-free day also encourages physical exercise. Soccer is the most popular sport in the country, and it showed on Sunday. Although British League clubs count among Ethiopia's favorite, the local championship is also followed fervently.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Workout day
Hundreds got up at dawn to train to the sound of music in the capital's central Meskel Square. A habit quite entrenched in Ethiopian culture, it is not uncommon to see runners as early as 4am on a weekend.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Smog gets in your eyes
On most days, Meskel Square is one of the traffic hubs of the city. Smog is a common feature of the city's skyline. Addis Ababa is the fourth most polluted city in Africa, just behind Lagos in Nigeria. Green spaces are rare, as are infrastructures to accommodate cyclists. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed wants to rebuild the riverside and create recreational areas as well as cycling lanes.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
'Four wheels move your body, two wheels move your soul.'
The city’s administration recently donated around 600 bikes to its employees. Abraham volunteers for the Transportation Programs Management Office to promote cycling in the country. “The trend is shifting towards motorized transportation,” he lamented. But he sees an increase of people joining car-free days. This shows that it can make a clear difference if implemented more regularly, he believes.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Skaters' heaven
Addis Ababa's skating community is growing. The NGO Ethiopia Skate takes this urban sport to underprivileged children, providing them with skateboards and regular training. “On car-free days, we go out with the kids, give out skateboards and teach them how to skate”, said Micky of Ethiopia Skate. “It's getting easier because people are starting to understand this sport and its culture.”
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
Dancing on the streets
For Destino Dance, performing in public spaces has already become a habit. The company makes dancing accessible to disabled people and reaches out to disadvantaged children from the local community. Founders Junaid and Addisu are professional dancers. They started out dancing in the streets of Addis Ababa. Now, they are creating a fusion between contemporary dance and Ethiopian traditional dance.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
A dearth of public transportation
Addis Ababa is the only African capital with an electric railway, albeit frequently criticized for a lack of efficiency. It was built and financed by China at a cost of half a billion dollars (€ 445 million). While it could be an alternative to cars, this one line is not enough to have a real impact on levels of air pollution.
Image: DW/M. Gerth-Niculescu
High levels of frustration
Many Ethiopians can't afford a car, mostly because of the high import and ownership tax of a combined 300%. Citizens have voiced anger at the government for the prohibitory prices. Ethiopia is still among the least motorized countries in the world. Thus, minibuses are the most common means of transportation in Addis Ababa, with thousands of them buzzing up and down the dusty streets every day.
