August 2007, Mobile parking ticket
In Darmstadt and Günzburg you never have to worry about having change in your pocket for parking meters since both of these German cities have introduced mobile parking tickets. All you have to do to take advantage of this service is to register on one of the dedicated websites (each city has its own). After having registered you have to follow the below steps:
Arriving at the parking
- Call the toll free number shown on the parking meter
- Receive a confirmation SMS including the parking tariff
Leaving the parking
- Call the same toll free number
- Receive a confirmation SMS, including the duration and total cost of your parking
- The total cost will be debited to your account directly
As you can see above, there is no ticket to place in the windscreen; so how can the traffic warden know that I have paid for my parking? The traffic warden can access the registration number from the car that is authorised to park in a specific spot through a hand held mini-computer.
The process is relatively easy to understand, and all you need in order to use the service is a mobile phone. According to the service providers the main advantages of using your mobile for parking are:
- No need to carry change with you
- Parking takes less time
- You only pay for the exact time you have your car parked
- Easy payment through direct debit once a month
If you do not trust the system and would prefer not to register your personal data, you can still pay for the parking the old fashion way – with pocket change.
Sources:
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