Residents on the banks of the Main in Offenbach have been suffering from the noise of the car posers for months. The police are planning further steps.
Offenbach – roaring engines, screeching brakes, loud music turned up to the max, horn concerts: the parking lot on the banks of the Main has been turning into a nighttime meeting place for young people with fat cars for months.
The residents of Mainpark and Mainstrasse suffer from this, and one of them describes his observations to the editors: “Almost every evening a caravan of overpowered and souped-up cars rolls in, and then they drift, pose and show what the body can do. Nobody intends to park there, it’s all about behavior and fuss, at the expense of the environment and the residents.
The police, he reports, are often present and see to it that the action ends – but the success is only short-term and it will soon start all over again. “In the summer, the parking lot was completely cleared by the police several times, five patrol cars were in use,” he recalls. “In the parade, 30 or 40 vehicles drove off the square honking their horns and the drivers showed the middle finger.”
Autoposer in Offenbach: Again and again complaints – Up to 400 euros fine
Many neighbors are now afraid of parking properly because of the ostentatious terror and are at their nerves. “It can not go on like this.”
Lothar Haack, head of the Offenbach city police, agrees. “We have had more and more complaints from residents about car posers in recent months, and they are completely justified.” That is why his employees have already been active several times – most recently with two larger nightly actions last week. “We reported three violations on Wednesday and five on Saturday.” Both the road traffic regulations and the corona rules were disregarded. “That adds up to a fine of 300 or 400 euros per driver,” says Haack. Those affected had shown themselves to be “relatively insightful”.
The problem with control actions of this kind: Simply showing up in a patrol car does not lead to the desired success. “They have people who secure the dam and give a signal as soon as they see the police.” Then the drivers stop and pretend they are just parking there – and the law enforcement officers have little control. Therefore civil patrols must be used.
Corona controls: Emergency services in Offenbach have to set priorities in night duty
“Civilian operations are more dangerous for our forces,” emphasizes the head of the city police, “and require more intensive planning”. They are more labor-intensive and complex. “In addition, the corona controls currently have priority.” Both at the same time cannot be performed in a night shift. Whereby both overlapped in the actions last week. “Groups of up to ten people came together without a mask or a space to ‘chill’, as they put it,” reports Haack.
These are loose, disorganized, heterogeneous groups of 18 to 25 year olds who pass the time in this way. “Boredom certainly plays a role.” So they let off steam in well-motorized, often rented cars as car posers. Contrary to the feelings of the local residents, however, according to Haack, they do not compete. “At least we haven’t noticed anything like that before.”
Because of the difficulties mentioned, neither the city nor the state police, who also make their forces available again and again, are unable to check several times a week. But there are other considerations as to how the hustle and bustle could be stopped – for example structurally. For example, by providing the site with bollards or speed bumps. Or by blocking one of the two entrances to the parking lot. “If you can only get in from one side, it creates the feeling of a trap,” explains Haack. For example, patrol cars could block one entrance, while the posers could no longer simply disappear through another. “That impresses a lot more then.”
The residents hope for an early solution, suggest speed cameras on Mainstrasse in both directions. “Otherwise this is a trade fair car park, flea market, fairground, none of which is a problem. But that’s no longer bearable. ”The city police chief promises:“ We’ll stay tuned. ” (By Veronika Schade)
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