German tourist town allocates 'harder' parking spots to men
Stock photo, Triberg: Rex
A tiny tourist town in Germany's Black Forest has hit the headlines after its mayor introduced special parking spaces just for men - as they are harder to get into.
Gallus Strobel, the mayor of Triberg - known for its waterfalls and cuckoo clocks - said he knew the move would "challenge political correctness", and hopes it will be an "attraction" for ambitious drivers.
The 12 spaces set aside for women are wider, well-lit, and closer to the exit, while the men's spaces require the driver to pull in at an angle, and avoid hitting cement pillars.
According to TheLocal.de, Strobel told German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung: "Men are, as a rule, a little better at such challenges."
But, he admitted, "Of course, there are also great women drivers!", adding that females "are, of course, most welcome" to challenge themselves to the male parking spaces.
Standard gender symbols are used to denote which parking spaces are meant for men and women.
According to msnbc.com, Strobel told the Focus newspaper that the parking policy was, above all, a publicity stunt to help attract tourists to the pretty town.
He said: "Our city spends about 50,000 euros every year for marketing, and the parking action may have cost us 50 euros."
He added that one man had even emailed him to say he would travel to the town just to test out his parking skills.
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