White-red-white marking on street lamps: what does it mean?

Created: 06/03/2022 15:03

By: Marcus Efler

Everyone has probably already seen the white-red-white marking on a street lamp.

If you park there and ignore them, you can get in trouble.

Munich – Anyone who lives without their own garage parking space (and will soon have a resident parking permit that will probably be more expensive), or who is visiting somewhere overnight and leaves their car outside, has this white-red-white marking on the street lamp, from the 24auto. de reported, probably seen it before.

But also consciously registered – and acted accordingly?

We are talking about the red marking with the white edges, which is sometimes 1.50 to 1.80 meters high between wanted posters of escaped kittens around the lamppost in built-up areas.

This so-called lantern ring is an official traffic sign, and one of the oldest at all, it was already in 1937 in the road traffic regulations.

Anyone who overlooks or ignores it can be punished - and also get into trouble and costs.

White-red-white marking on street lamps: what does it mean?

But what exactly is the meaning of the lantern ring and why is it so important?

It states that street lights will be switched off at night.

So if you park your car in daylight, you have to assume that it will be in the dark later.

Consequently, the driver is obliged to "self-light" so that his car can be seen by other road users.

In other words, he has to turn on the side or parking lights.

Even if he doesn't immediately collect a late-night speeding ticket if he forgets it or doesn't even know the meaning (like that black-and-white freeway sign), it can be expensive for him.

The so-called lantern ring indicates whether a street lamp is switched off at night.

(Assembly/symbol image) © Martin Schutt/dpa

White-red-white marking on street lights: It can get expensive

Namely, when another vehicle really crashes into the dark, stationary vehicle.

Normally, the driver is actually to blame.

Without the mandatory parking lights on the parked car, the opposing insurance company has the best chance of shifting part of the blame onto the lantern parker.

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The next time you park at night, it is better to look carefully to see whether there is a ring of lanterns (sometimes the time at which the lights were switched off is also in the red field).

And before that, take your time and see how you turn on the parking or side lights in the first place.

After all, you hardly use it otherwise.