[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUjjFETMTxE[/youtube]

I noticed today, as we were taking our kids from Kita, that they installed parking meters in PBerg. I must say that parking meters in Berlin are one of the most peculiar cases I ran into in the city. And I really need an explanation for this. It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

I mean, it is a great idea. The public transportation in Berlin is great and anyone who opts to drive in with a car should pay for it. And the city is so poor, it really needs any kind of income. But this is how it works: the meters are chargeable from Monday to Saturday. Eight in the morning until ten in the evening. It is two Euros for two hours. expensive, even more than New York, but hey, someone must support all these people sitting in the cafes doing nothing.

Here is the catch: the fine for not paying for the parking is five Euros. So if you intend to park more than two and half hours in the most congested parts of Berlin, getting a parking ticket is your best option.