Oktoberfest guests can be fined not only for excessive consumption of the foamy beverage
People come here to have fun, and as Deutsche Welle notes, most of them celebrate well without violating the bounds of decency and the current rules of this festival, as well as German laws. But various unpleasant situations that can additionally hit the wallet or even lead to legal consequences still occur regularly – and not only due to drunkenness from the amount of beer consumed.
Ignorance of laws and rules does not exempt from responsibility, so let's pay attention to the most common minor violations and some major sins of Oktoberfest visitors. Not all violations automatically entail penalties or lead to maximum fines. Much depends on the specific circumstances and the human factor.
1. In the beer tents at Oktoberfest, you can reserve tables in advance. Due to the large number of people wanting to do so, you need to do this as early as possible. Organizers start sending confirmations of reservations as early as February. Booking a table, usually for 10 people, is free of charge, but visitors at such seats are required to make a minimum order. Usually – two liter mugs of beer and one main course, for example, half a grilled chicken.
Oktoberfest fights against attempts to illegally trade reservations – it doesn't matter if there was some force majeure due to which someone cannot attend the festival, or if someone reserves seats specifically to sell them later to tourists. Any such attempt can result in a fine of up to 1000 euros. Note that about a third of the seats at tables are not reserved at all. They are intended for those waiting in line in front of the pavilions.
2. Due to the large influx of visitors and crowds, it is generally not recommended to come to the Theresienwiese with strollers, and after 6 p.m. it is completely forbidden to be on the Oktoberfest grounds with them (on Saturdays – all day). Violating this rule can result in a fine of 35 euros. Nothing against parents with children, as the main reason is safety considerations, since strollers would hinder in the event of panic, the need to quickly evacuate visitors, and so on.
3. There are many toilets on the Oktoberfest grounds, but during peak hours, of course, queues form in front of them. Using nearby trees, bushes, or lawns instead of urinals and toilets usually costs 100 euros, but the maximum fine is ten times higher – 1000 euros.
4. Oktoberfest is a territory of flirting, but you should not move from flirtation to intimate matters right here in public at the festival, even if the generous Bavarian Cupid, a mischievous joker and prankster, has used up his entire quiver of sharp arrows at once. Such a disturbance of public peace usually costs 1000 euros for each participant in amorous activities, but can even result in a suspended sentence of up to one year.
5. The following fines await Oktoberfest visitors who decide to get behind the wheel of a car or other vehicle after visiting the festival while intoxicated. It is clear that in such places the police conduct enhanced control, so the chances of being punished are higher than usual. In total, up to two hundred traffic police officers are on additional duty on the approaches to Oktoberfest.
According to German traffic regulations, the monetary price list of penalties for drunk driving in Germany starts at 250 euros and reaches 1500 euros depending on the degree of intoxication and other circumstances. Plus one, two, or three penalty points in the file of the Federal Motor Transport Authority, as well as possible temporary suspension of driving privileges for a period of one to three months. Under the most unfavorable combination of circumstances – permanent revocation of the driver's license and imprisonment for up to five years.
6. Oktoberfest is a busy time for taxi drivers. Many trips, but also many unpleasant guests who get sick in the car. If that unpleasantness occurs during the trip, cleaning the interior usually costs 100 euros. If ordinary cleaning is not enough, then cleaning and disinfecting the taxi can cost 1500 euros.
7. The vast majority of Oktoberfest visitors still use public transport. The main thing is not to forget to buy a ticket. For a full day throughout Munich, it costs only 13 euros. The fine for fare evasion is 60 euros.
8. Smoking is prohibited in the beer pavilions and tents at Oktoberfest, meaning the same rules apply as in Bavarian cafes and restaurants. No monetary fines are provided for violations, but such visitors may be left without beer and snacks or simply thrown out.
9. The beer tents and pavilions close at 11:30 p.m., the Oktoberfest grounds at midnight. After that, visitors must slowly but surely leave the Theresienwiese. After 1:30 a.m., those who have lingered too long may be fined – from 25 to 35 euros.
10. A particular problem at Oktoberfest is the theft of liter beer mugs, although they can be bought at souvenir kiosks. Every year over two weeks, security guards at the exits prevent about 150 thousand attempts to take out mugs, in some years more than 200 thousand. For each such case, a report is drawn up and forwarded to the prosecutor's office. In the absence of prior convictions and aggravating circumstances, such as resistance, such cases are usually closed after payment of a monetary fine.
However, the maximum punishment for such thefts, according to the German Criminal Code, is a fine of 360 daily rates or imprisonment for up to one year. The amount of the daily rate depends on the average monthly income of the defendant. For example, with a monthly salary or income of 3000 euros, the daily rate is 100 euros.