137-euro fine

Craftsman annoyed by parking rip-off

The contractor stood here for twelve minutes.

(Bild: zVg, Krone KREATIV)

Video surveillance and hefty fines are supposed to deter parking offenders. However, this makes it difficult for tradesmen and companies to deliver materials to customers, as a recent case from Upper Austria shows. And it is getting worse.

In the fight against long-term and illegal parking, shopping centers, property management companies and private individuals are increasingly turning to video surveillance. The "offenders" then receive cease-and-desist letters from companies and lawyers who specialize in precisely this. The cost: usually several hundred euros.

Material dumped
This is exactly what happened to Rudolf Fink (62). The entrepreneur from Pucking has a sun protection company. "We increasingly have the problem that we can't find a parking space to unload the material," he says. He recently parked on the edge of a housing estate in Ansfelden - for twelve minutes. The company car was parked in a no-parking zone. A few days later, Fink received a letter asking him to pay 137.72 euros. "I left immediately after unloading," he says, annoyed by the fine.

It's getting more and more difficult
Because it is not an isolated case. "It's been happening again and again recently. But for us tradesmen, it means we have to check the parking conditions beforehand. How is that supposed to work? Or I then charge the fines to the customers, but that can't be the case either," says the entrepreneur.

No mercy
The property management company, which has hired a private firm to monitor the no-parking zone, is unrelenting. "As a responsible property management company, WSG, we attach great importance to ensuring that the areas in the no-parking zone remain clear so that emergency vehicles can pass through unhindered in the event of an emergency. The safety of our tenants is our top priority."