Parking in front of supermarkets in Germany may not always go smoothly. Certain nuances should be taken into account. For example, the 'left-hand rule' does not automatically apply, even if there is a sign indicating the application of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) in the parking lot.
Therefore, relying on it, in the event of an accident, the driver may face an unpleasant surprise. It can also be costly if the parking time is not respected. In Schleswig-Holstein, one woman has already suffered.
Supermarket parking in Germany: What you have to know
The woman wanted to protect herself in court from disclosing her data to a private operator but failed in the administrative court (case number: 10 B 78/23). In the discussed case, the car owner exceeded the parking time near the supermarket by 20 minutes.
The operator obtained the owner's data from the authorities and imposed a contractual fine of 20 euros on the woman. The driver was particularly irritated by the authorities' readiness to provide information.
Since the parking violation occurred on private property, not in public transport, she applied to the office with a request to issue a statement to cease illegal actions in an expedited manner. The administrative court of Schleswig-Holstein ruled against the vehicle owner.
When transferring vehicle data, it does not matter whether the parking is in private ownership. All that is required is for the parking to be open to the general public, as stated in the court ruling.
Those who receive a parking ticket at the supermarket should always take a close look at it. After all, it may happen that scammers distribute fake tickets there.
In some cases, drivers should definitely be on the alert. For example, if the ticket has spelling mistakes or strange wording, as recently happened with fake traffic violation fines that robbers were distributing in Berlin.
Therefore, it is advisable to be more vigilant in supermarket parking lots. This will help avoid getting into an unpleasant situation.
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The court ruling in Schleswig-Holstein emphasized that the transfer of vehicle data is not dependent on the parking being public or private ownership, as long as the parking is open to the general public. It's important for drivers to be vigilant in supermarket parking lots to avoid falling for fake parking tickets, which have been a issue in some cases.
