No, that is not a reference to “Dinner for One“, which millions of people in Germany will be watching this evening, but to the sign in our local supermarket with the opening times for New Year’s Eve.

Once again, the word “Silvester” has been mis-spellt with a “y”.  As James would no doubt say, “I’ll kill that cat!”

Happy New Year!

I am often intrigued and sometimes even puzzled by parking regulations in Germany.

There are some quite simple rules, usually involving a think called a Parkscheibe or quite simply a ticket machine.

But every now and then I come across a sign that causes confusion so that I myself become unsure about where to park.

What is really annoying though, is when I sign is quite definite about whether you can park or not, and people just ignore it.

Precisely that is happening in front of our block of flats at the moment on a regular basis. There is a turning circle which you are meant to leave free for other people to turn round in, it being the end of the road (unless you have some form of special permission, eg. the district nurse).

But some drivers are so blatantly ignoring the signs – that they actually park directly under them! Try talking your way out of this:

The last time I looked, the fine for parking here was 25 Euros. I’m sure if the town were to check here a bit more often, they could make several hundred Euros every day!

P.S. it happens in the UK as well

This sign really puzzles me:

Mondays to Fridays I can park for 2 hours between 8am and 6pm using a Parkscheibe, or if I am a local resident with Parkausweis Nr.5. But what happens after 6pm?

Can I park here as a non-resident then? Or is it residents only? Or unlimited time?

I asked some people local to the town where I saw the sign (and wanted to park), but no-one really seemed to be too sure. I have also heard that traffic warden have checked the cars after 6pm, so perhaps it really is just for residents? Anyone know for sure?