A Deceptive Location

Parking Meter as a Trap: City Ripped Off Driver

This is what the parking meter trap looks like in the Pradl district of Innsbruck.(Bild: Christian Forcher/Fotoworxx)

A Tyrolean driver had to pay a parking fine in Innsbruck even though he had purchased a ticket. The man fell victim to a ridiculous prank—and was likely not the only one to suffer as a result of the city’s mistake.

The Tyrolean had recently parked his car at Kranewitterstraße 4 and, dutifully, purchased a ticket just a few meters away at the intersection with Lindenstraße. When he returned to his car, he was astonished to find a parking ticket behind the windshield. His bad luck: He had purchased the ticket from a parking meter that was valid for the zone across the street.

A completely confusing location
Admittedly, you’d almost have to have completed a “course of study on short-term parking zones in Innsbruck” to avoid falling into this trap set by the city. After all, the machine’s location practically led one to conclude that it was valid for Kranewitterstraße.

Same hourly rate in both zones
This is compounded by the fact that the same hourly rate applies to both zones. The only difference between the zones is that on Kranewitterstraße, you’re allowed to park for a maximum of 180 minutes, while in the zone including Amraser Straße, you can park longer. But the Tyrolean had only purchased a one-hour ticket anyway.

Instead, I was advised to look more closely and to check the parking zones in advance. It’s not about the 25 euros—it’s a matter of principle. 

Tiroler Opfer der Automatenfalle

He had hoped for some leniency. However, the relevant city department denied him that. “Instead, I was advised to look more closely and check the parking zones in advance,” says the victim, who can’t believe the city’s stubborn stance. The 25 euros for the fine were “gone.” “It’s not about the amount—it’s about the principle. This is not what citizen-friendly service looks like!”

Wrong Car Make on the Ticket
What also annoys him: The ticket listed the wrong car make! His conclusion: “The city is allowed to install a parking meter in a completely confusing location and list the wrong car make on the ticket—without any consequences. As a citizen, however, you’re not allowed to make a mistake.”

In the meantime, even the city itself has acknowledged that it made a mistake in choosing the location for the parking meter.(Bild: Peter Freiberger)

City Has Now Admitted Its Mistake, at Least Indirectly
Indirectly, however, the city has now apparently acknowledged and accepted its mistake. That’s because, in the middle of this week, an official notice was posted on the parking meter stating that the machine does not apply to Lindenstraße and Kranewitterstraße. The parking meter trap has likely snared many people