Men's parking space

Planned as a practical joke presenting a specific challenge to unskilled drivers, they produced worldwide media interest in the combination of humour to lampoon the idea of political correctness and of successful city marketing.

Per the state garage regulations in force in Baden-Wuerttemberg, ten per cent of all stalls (numbering twelve and of the standard shape and size) had to be declared for women in any event,[7] but their misuse by men is not punishable according to the StVO (the federal Straßenverkehrsordnung, or Highway Code of Germany).

Accordingly, the only recourse available to property owners is to eject the misuser for trespassing or to tow his (or her) car; the operator of this particular garage (i.e. the government of the city of Triberg) declines to take either of these actions and instead appeals to the honour system in the case of the women's spaces and to the skill of the driver, whatsoever his or her sex, for the 'men's'.

research about risk zones in town planning, women have more to fear in personal surroundings and at home, while men are the object (and dominantly subject) of attacks in the outside world.

Herbert Glasauer doubts that women's parking spaces have a positive effect, and sees them as a sort of backlash perpetuating a damsel in distress perspective instead of addressing actual violence.

NBC News quoted Mayor Strobel's interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung to challenge political correctness, and his hope the tight spaces would be an attraction for ambitious drivers.

[21] Le Figaro quoted Strobel as stating "Une ville touristique se doit de faire parler d'elle" ("A tourist town has to make people talk about it").

[27] The Greens' youth association of Ortenau wrote an open letter against the parking spots[28] and gender equality official Anette Klaas of the neighboring Waldshut-Tiengen district criticized them as "a foolhardy provocation".

[29] Strobel, who has a legal background and holds a PhD in the history of law,[30] countered that the critics were being humourless and described the dedication as usage of a cliché for city marketing.