Trouble on Sunday

Police fines and honking concerts because of parking offenders

There are too many cars and too many drivers interpreting the rules in their own way around the flea market.

(Bild: zVg)

Traffic chaos and illegal parking on a country road in Klagenfurt annoy local residents every Sunday when market strollers arrive.

Every Sunday, police officers have to move out into St. Jakober Straße and plaster the illegally parked vehicles with parking tickets. This is because visitors to the flea market in the OBI parking lot show a lot of imagination when looking for a parking space.

Street parked up despite ban

"The road is parked up, creating traffic chaos and drivers start honking their horns," say the residents, who have to put up with the noise of numerous truck transports from Monday to Saturday anyway.

Police deployed several times a day
A local inspection by the "Krone" confirms this: Drivers are using the lines, which actually indicate a lane narrowing, as parking spaces. According to the police, this means that there is no longer the prescribed remaining lane width. In addition, this is a country road on which stopping and parking is generally prohibited. "Sometimes the police have to come several times in one day - at the taxpayers' expense!" says one local resident angrily.

Even the ambulance service sometimes has to wait in traffic jams on flea market Sundays in Klagenfurt.

(Bild: zVg)

The battle against the weekly honking concerts and parking offenders has been going on for some time. Affected residents have already turned to politicians: "We have raised the issue with local councillors and town councillors, but also with the mayor himself - so far without success." In the meantime, the market operator has provided road supervisors to ensure order and safety, but they are no longer being deployed.

Residents demand relocation of the flea market
"Interestingly, until last September, Völkermarkter Straße 274 was actually designated as the flea market area on the website, i.e. the parking lot in front of the Intersport and Smyths Toys Superstore, and not the one in front of the OBI and Subway branch, where the flea market has always been held. "When this was brought to the attention of those responsible, the entire parking lot was simply decided to be the new location," wonders one of those affected, who appeals for the market to be moved to one of the other, larger parking lots in Völkermarkter Straße, where no neighbors can be disturbed.

Little hats should bring the solution
The "Krone" confronted the market operator with the problem: "There are enough parking spaces, but unfortunately many people don't know that there is a ban on stopping and parking in St. Jakober Straße." In addition, a solution is already being worked on: "We will put up little cones as barriers."

According to Mayor Christian Scheider, there is little that can be done about illegal parking: "Where there are a lot of people, there are problems with parking. And the flea markets in Klagenfurt are very well received." He refers to police checks and fines.

However, this is no consolation for local residents. They are calling for the market to be relocated, above all "because holding the market has a negative impact on public peace, order and safety as well as the flow of traffic!" Emergency vehicles are also slowed down by the traffic chaos.