Caravans parked along the street Why camper vans on Kennedyallee usually don’t get fined
Plittersdorf · Camper vans parked at the side of the road are a source of irritation for some in Plittersdorf. In some of the camper vans, people are actually staying in them, but others are simply parked there. How long are the vehicles allowed to stay there and when are they fined or towed away?
If you drive along Kennedyallee towards the Rhine, you will often see caravans parked in the car parks between the intersections with Martin-Luther-King-Strasse and Europaallee. Sometimes five, sometimes ten or even more campers are parked there, sometimes for a night, sometimes for a few days, and sometimes even longer. This is an annoyance for some residents and passers-by. But a camper van owner is also irritated. Yet others don't understand why the camper vans being parked there should bother people.
Thilo Heuser from Plittersdorf said that if he lived there, the camper vans would bother him. He has lived in an apartment south of Kennedyallee for three and a half years. "I've even thought about contacting the public order office." From time to time, articulated trucks also use the area of Martin-Luther-King-Strasse near the intersection with Kennedyallee to park their trailers on the weekend, he reports. He also owns a caravan, but it is parked in a permanent spot at a campsite. In Heuser's opinion, the caravan owners should look for a paid parking space. According to the Plittersdorf resident, there is the possibility of doing this on city property in Pützchen, for example.
A woman who lives directly in the area concerned is annoyed by the question of whether the caravans bother her. "Why should they bother me? There's enough space here!" she replies. She doesn't want to see her name in the newspaper, however. The Plittersdorf resident has lived in the neighborhood for six years. “It has never bothered me," she says somewhat perplexed because she doesn’t understand why it’s an issue for some. Two passers-by, who walk down this road to get home after their sports activities, shake their heads because they also don’t get it. "Who complains about that?” they want to know. To avoid being in the firing line of unhappy neighbors, however, they also prefer not to see their names in print. Nevertheless, they can't understand the uproar. "People should think about why they are so unhappy with their lives that they are bothered by a few caravans that aren't even in the way," says one of the two young men indignantly.
A caravan is bustling with activity on a cold pre-Christmas evening. "I'm here in Bonn visiting friends," says the man in his mid-forties from inside the camper. He uses the home on wheels both professionally and privately. That evening, he organizes a few documents before setting off to visit his friends. His camper van will be here for another two days. "After that, I'm going on holiday with it," he says.
Camper vans on Kennedyallee: What is allowed?
The parking of caravans is permitted for several days without any problems, according to the city of Bonn. The number of complaints this year (eight) is "not particularly high", says Lea Hoffmann from the press office. No data is available from previous years. As far as staffing levels allow, the traffic control authorities keep an eye on caravans throughout the city. "Warnings are regularly issued and sometimes towing of the vehicle takes place," says Hoffmann.
Without a vehicle hitched, trailers, which include caravans, may not be parked unmoved for longer than two weeks, provided that there are no special parking regulations such as parking discs or tickets, the city informs. After that, they must be moved. A trip "once around the block" is enough. Motorhomes may park for an unlimited period as registered vehicles.
According to the city, however, overnight stays in motorhomes or caravans are only permitted "in designated parking spaces or to rest so one can go on driving". In special cases, the road traffic authorities may grant exemptions. The city has not answered several questions about which cases these might include.
With regard to the parked articulated truck trailers, the city has provided information on the regulations. Regular parking between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and on Sundays and public holidays is not permitted for motor vehicles with a permissible total mass of more than 7.5 tons within built-up areas in residential areas, in recreational, spa and hospital areas. Exceptions to this are appropriately marked car parks and public buses parked at terminal stops.
The possibility to park on the municipal site in Pützchen for a monthly fee of 23 to 29.50 euros is currently unavailable. The city's website indicates that there is a waiting time of around three years for an open parking space. Incidentally, this is also not available all year round. At Pützchens Markt, the trailers and vehicles have to make way for the hustle and bustle of the fair every September.
Public spaces in Bonn
Public parking spaces for caravans in Bonn have long been fully booked. Alternatively, there are permanent camping places at campsites. If you want to visit Bonn for a few days with your motorhome or caravan, you can usually find space in Bad Godesberg at the Genienaue campsite, Im Frankenkeller 49 in Mehlem or at the Rheinaue motorhome site on Carlo-Schmid-Strasse in Hochkreuz.
(Original text: Petra Reuter / Translation: Carol Kloeppel)
