Rostocker struggles with traffic tickets: This is how he can park cheaper than in the parking garage

Rostocker struggles with traffic tickets: This is how he can park cheaper than in the parking garage

A strange case from Rostock's old town is causing a stir. 55-year-old Steffen Hille has been fighting for his resident parking permit for ten months now, which he has so far been denied. He has lived on the same street for 25 years and has always received an ID card. But now Hille is faced with the dilemma of regularly receiving fines for illegal parking - an average of two per month, which cost him between 20 and 30 euros. If parking in a paid parking lot were an option, it would be three to four times more expensive than the collected tickets. Therefore, Hille has decided to park strategically and treat the tickets as a lesser evil, at least until the parking permit application is finally approved. According to Ostsee-Zeitung, he adapted his parking behavior because he is dependent on his company car, which he uses both professionally and privately.

The problem with that? The city refused Hille a resident parking permit because he does not own a private car. A logbook that he has already submitted to the city is not sufficient to provide the necessary evidence. These require, among other things, that it can be proven that he can also use the company car privately and that he has an employment relationship with the owner of the vehicle. Hille has now paid over 350 euros for traffic tickets, without taking into account the fines that accrued during his working hours. In his job as a service technician, he often has to park close to his jobs so that he doesn't have to walk far with his tools.

The formalities surrounding a resident parking permit

There are three different ways to apply for a resident parking permit in Rostock: via the OLAV online system, by email or directly at the local office. In order to submit the application in the online system, the owner or user of a vehicle with their main residence must submit various documents, including the vehicle registration document and the declaration of transfer of use. The parking permit will then be sent by post, as the Rostock city administration explains. An application by email is possible for residents with a secondary residence, although specific evidence is also required here.

A few things are interesting to note: For applications that cannot be processed via the OLAV online system, such as reports of loss or applications from people with a secondary residence, the Civil Engineering Office is the right point of contact. It is also important that the vehicle documents and registration address match. The processing time is at least 21 working days after all documents have been received. A subsequent request can prolong the process. Additionally, only one parking permit can be issued per applicant, no matter how many vehicles someone has.

A low price for parking?

Steffen Hille's situation provides a deep insight into the challenges that many Rostock residents experience when applying for a parking permit. Despite the resistance and ongoing costs in the form of parking tickets, Hille circumvented the system in his own way. He realizes that issuing these parking tickets is still cheaper for him than parking in a parking garage, as he explains in an interview with Ostsee-Zeitung. His story may be unusual, but it reveals the hardships faced by many citizens.

While the city administration makes the processes for applying for parking permits transparent, the question for many remains whether the requirements are really justified or whether a rethink is necessary. For now, Steffen Hille is still looking for a practical solution to Rostock's tricky parking situation.