Is it legal drive on the other side of the road and park?
Discussion
two questions here and a whinge.
a) Is it actually legal to drive even a short distance on the other side of the road to park on the other side. im presuming the answer is yeas as its similar to an overtake as long as the lines arent unbroken.
b) is it illegal to park on the wrong side of the road facing towards the traffic, which could mean pulling out into oncoming traffic, and at night this would mean lights going into oncoming drivers eyes.
whinge) for people who do this, especially minicabs, taxis and anyone parking for a short time, please dim your lights even if you are parked legally
a) Is it actually legal to drive even a short distance on the other side of the road to park on the other side. im presuming the answer is yeas as its similar to an overtake as long as the lines arent unbroken.
b) is it illegal to park on the wrong side of the road facing towards the traffic, which could mean pulling out into oncoming traffic, and at night this would mean lights going into oncoming drivers eyes.
whinge) for people who do this, especially minicabs, taxis and anyone parking for a short time, please dim your lights even if you are parked legally
Corpulent Tosser said:
StottyZr said:
I thought it was illegal to park on the opposite side of the road, as tailights are designed to work as reflectors and headlights are not.
IIRC you can be fined for it
My understanding also, but I see it often, and don't recall the police doing anything about it.IIRC you can be fined for it
Many years ago I was ticketed for parking 'facing the wrong way' during the day - visiting a car boot sale.
The ticket was from a policeman stuck on the windscreen (the ticket not the policeman!), and the reason on the ticket said something along the lines of that he had reason to believe we would have to drive on the wrong side of the road when leaving the parking space.
I thought at the time it was a bit of a pi55 take as it was a wide road, and the parking was fine (plenty worse around!) and it was during the day, but took it on the chin and paid.
It did sow the seeds of "don't they have better things to do" thoughts though, it seemed an arbitrary money-making scheme.
Totally unrelated - where I work had 5k worth of scrap aluminium stolen in the early hours, the thieves let in by an ex-security guard. Have them all on cctv (several hours worth of van loading!), and the police weren't even interested in coming out to see it or investigate. The director went mental telling them it was ridiculous as they're always banging on about how serious metal theft is, but they weren't interested...
The ticket was from a policeman stuck on the windscreen (the ticket not the policeman!), and the reason on the ticket said something along the lines of that he had reason to believe we would have to drive on the wrong side of the road when leaving the parking space.
I thought at the time it was a bit of a pi55 take as it was a wide road, and the parking was fine (plenty worse around!) and it was during the day, but took it on the chin and paid.
It did sow the seeds of "don't they have better things to do" thoughts though, it seemed an arbitrary money-making scheme.
Totally unrelated - where I work had 5k worth of scrap aluminium stolen in the early hours, the thieves let in by an ex-security guard. Have them all on cctv (several hours worth of van loading!), and the police weren't even interested in coming out to see it or investigate. The director went mental telling them it was ridiculous as they're always banging on about how serious metal theft is, but they weren't interested...
shandyboy said:
Totally unrelated - where I work had 5k worth of scrap aluminium stolen in the early hours, the thieves let in by an ex-security guard. Have them all on cctv (several hours worth of van loading!), and the police weren't even interested in coming out to see it or investigate. The director went mental telling them it was ridiculous as they're always banging on about how serious metal theft is, but they weren't interested...
Even before the recent 20%+ cut in police funding there was a 'tick box' arrangement as to which crimes to investigate. There's only so much they can do of course. I was told a few months ago that even with reduced staffing levels CID have unfilled vacancies. On first viewing we have unidentifiable property being stolen. That's a big problem. The CCTV is all but useless for evidential identification. Knowing who committed a crime is but the first step. If the index number was known then that is a distinct positive but it is not as if the metal, which is almost certainly unidentifiable, will be still in it.
Tell the director to get used to it. It is the coming form of policing in this country. The will probably be private security you can pay for, rather like BUPA, in future. If you want the basics then don't bother.
prt b ,second part of the OP'S post
"HC 239
you MUST switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights" .Depends on the definition of parking as to whether or not headlamps must be off ( as in the case of Taxi drivers ) . But, annoying as it is -I suspect only when we get "headlight cam" will it be enforced .
"HC 239
you MUST switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights" .Depends on the definition of parking as to whether or not headlamps must be off ( as in the case of Taxi drivers ) . But, annoying as it is -I suspect only when we get "headlight cam" will it be enforced .
Snowboy said:
I think it's illegal to park facing the wrong way on unlit roads, but legal on lit roads.
So, it's ok in a housing estate, not ok in country lane.
It is illegal at all times in Canada btw.
And the U.S., as I recall. The reason is you necessarily pull out of the parking spot into head-on traffic which is very difficult, if not altogether unlikely, to see given that your head is located closest to the curb and not the road. So, it's ok in a housing estate, not ok in country lane.
It is illegal at all times in Canada btw.
I've almost been killed twice in the UK by people doing exactly this.
14-7 said:
Night one only applies in zones above 30mph.
Not according to:The Road Vehicles Construction and Use Regulations 1986 said:
101.—(1) Save as provided in paragraph (2) no person shall, except with the except with the permission of a police officer in a uniform, cause or permit any motor vehicle to stand on a road at any time between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise unless the near side of the vehicle is as close as may be to the edge of the carriageway.
(my emphasis)14-7 said:
Night one only applies in zones above 30mph.
You're not allowed to park at night at all on roads over 30 mph unless you leave parking lights on, I'm guess that's where the confusion stems from.Doesn't stop some tool on my way to/from work parking on the wrong side of the road in an unlit 40 mph zone with no lights. How he's not had his car ploughed into I don't know.
dafeller said:
I've almost been killed twice in the UK by people doing exactly this.
Just how fast were you driving by them then?! If somebody maneuvering out of a parking spot almost killed you, suggest you 1) slow down, 2) leave more space when overtaking parked cars, or 3) get up off the floor so they can't drive over your head.
Obviously a lot more sympathy if you were on a bike at the time as you're a lot more vulnerable, but should still leave more space.
Interested to hear more details, as it sounds dramatic.
Going off at a tangent but what about drivers of Smart cars and others that could be described as shorter than average finding a nice gap between two sensibly parked vehicles and parking nose in to the kerb (not in a designated parking space). I was always under the impression that unless otherwise specified close and parallel to the kerb ( and for safeties sake nearside) was the rule of thumb.
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