Cologne: so many cars were towed in 2020

Cologne –

Oh dear, where is my car? Many Cologne residents had to ask themselves this question again in 2020. There are few free parking spaces in the cathedral city. But if you don’t park properly, you run the risk of high costs. Otherwise it will be towed rigorously.

The trend of recent years continues even in times of corona. The city explains how many cars were towed in Cologne in 2020 and why.

Cologne: 17,200 cars were towed away in Cologne by October 2020

“Up to October 31, 2020, 17,200 cars had been towed away in the Cologne city area,” a spokesman for the city of Cologne explains on EXPRESS request.

Extrapolated to the year, this results in a value of more than 20,000 cars that land at a collection point. Is the pandemic driving the numbers even higher?

For comparison: a total of 21,927 cars were towed in Cologne in 2019.

City of Cologne: high numbers have nothing to do with coronavirus

According to the city of Cologne, the pandemic has only limited to do with the many towed cars.

Although more cars were registered with the city on July 31, 2020 than on December 31, 2019, this probably has nothing to do with the coronavirus.

Cologne: “Many people own convertibles”

“Many people own convertibles that they register in the spring and deregister in the autumn,” explains the city spokesman.

The exact “convertible effect”, however, can only be quantified with the total numbers from 2020, which are currently not yet available.

Cologne: towed car costs up to 223 euros

Whether it’s a convertible or a closed car, a towing process in Cologne costs between 179.02 euros and 223.22 euros, depending on the towing company commissioned.

And it doesn’t stop there! An additional ticket for the violation in stationary traffic – usually between 10 and 35 euros – must be added to this amount. So the Cologne resident pays between 189.02 and 258.22 euros in total. There are also parking fees. Depending on the towing company, this is between 9.28 euros and 10.44 euros per day.

City of Cologne is taking tough action against “sidewalk parkers”

One of the reasons for the high number of towed cars is the city’s crackdown. Because for some time now it has been taking action against so-called sidewalk parking.

These are the most common reasons for towing in Cologne:

• Parking with disabilities by fire and rescue services
• Parking with disabilities for other road users (pedestrians / sidewalk, cyclists / cycle path)
• Parking in parking spaces reserved for vehicles with a disability ID

Either way. In Cologne you should definitely be careful where you park your car permanently.

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