New illegal parking rules become a trap for police officers – Austria News
The latest amendment to the road traffic regulations has made things more stringent for motorists. Now police officers also fell into the new illegal parking trap.
On October 1st, the law of the road – the StVO – changed. While cyclists are now able to turn right even on red selected intersections is allowed, drivers now have to deal with stricter parking regulations. Thanks to the new set of rules, a vehicle may only protrude a little beyond the marked parking spaces onto a sidewalk or cycle path.
Read more: New rules – that now applies to Austria’s roads
This caused frustration among car owners across the country, because suddenly there were penalties for illegal parking, even though the car was not parked differently than before. Word of the relevant amendment to StVO paragraph 23 should not have gotten around among the local petrol brothers.
Even police officers have to stick to it
“We intervene to clarify, in individual cases there will be organ mandates or reports,” says Ferdinand Pirmann from the Klagenfurt city police command during a local inspection by the ORF. But even his law enforcement officers don’t all seem to be paying attention to the new parking regulations. Some police officers involuntarily outed themselves as illegal parkers, as photos published on Wednesday by a Radio Carinthia listener show.
You can see how patrol cars and police buses protrude far out onto the sidewalks – sometimes even further than all other private cars in the vicinity. This overhanging parking is only exceptionally allowed to officials “in the proper execution of the service”, as Pirmann explains.
Read more: New penalty trap – this is how you are no longer allowed to park
If police officers have to drive to a scene and have no other option, they may disregard existing stopping and parking bans. But: “If the vehicle is parked for a longer period of time, we also have to observe these regulations.”
(Follow-up) training courses for law enforcement officers
In the specific case, there was no excuse for the officials. You’re working on it, the traffic cop has to admit. There have already been training sessions with colleagues on the new regulation. Pirmann praised: Due to the role model effect of the police, they will stick to it meticulously.
Not only the police officers, but please for all drivers who are traveling in cities with something larger than a Smart: “Anyone who has a car that is too long or wide for a certain parking space cannot use the dimensions of his car as an excuse,” he informs ORF . Everyone has to look for a suitable parking space for their car. But what if nobody else is free or there are no larger parking spaces marked on the street? Bad luck.
§ 23 of the StVO: stopping and parking
(1) The driver must set up the vehicle for holding or parking, taking into account the best use of the available space, in such a way that no road user is endangered and no driver of another vehicle is prevented from driving past or driving away. It is forbidden for parts of the parked vehicle to protrude into traffic areas reserved for pedestrian or bicycle traffic. Exceptions to this are in the case of pedestrian traffic areas where there is a slight intrusion (e.g. side mirrors, bumpers) and for loading activities of up to 10 minutes. In any case, the free cross-section must be at least 1.5 m. Furthermore, a cross-section of at least 1.5 m must remain free on pedestrian traffic areas in cases of the installation or attachment of objects and installations; the erection of temporary obstacles such as scaffolding or ladders to carry out construction or repair work is permitted. – Source: Federal Legal Information Service (RIS).