Is it legal to double park when picking up/dropping off?
Is it legal to double park when picking up/dropping off?
Author
Discussion

montecristo

Original Poster:

1,081 posts

206 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
Are there any rules against dropping off or picking up someone by stopping in the road next to parked cars i.e. as if you were double parked but without really parking? It seems like there might be, but black cabs, Ubers and mothers at the school gate do it as a matter of course so I assume there are no rules against it.

If it is allowed, what about when the space they've double parked alongside wouldn't be usable by them e.g. a resident's parking space?

Wooda80

1,743 posts

104 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
Parking is parking, even if its only for a minute or so. You are supposed to find somewhere safe and legal and double parking is not that.

When you and I do it it's harmless and expedient, when other people do it it's arrogant and inconsiderate. smile

herewego

8,814 posts

242 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
If they are causing an obstruction then the police can deal with them. If it's a regular thing such as outside a school then I'd ask the police to attend at the appropriate time.
Obviously dropping off and picking up are not the same thing as waiting/parking since it takes only a few seconds for someone to get in or out. Hanging around for 5 or 10 mins for someone to come out of school is not picking up it's waiting.

jamei303

3,084 posts

185 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
Stoppng to pick up or set down passengers is not parking, and is treated differently in law. There is no law preventing drivers from doing the former in a place immediately adjacent to parked vehicles.

Drumroll

4,521 posts

149 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
jamei303 said:
Stoppng to pick up or set down passengers is not parking, and is treated differently in law. There is no law preventing drivers from doing the former in a place immediately adjacent to parked vehicles.
Please quote the law that says it is OK to do this?

Meoricin

2,880 posts

198 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
Drumroll said:
jamei303 said:
Stoppng to pick up or set down passengers is not parking, and is treated differently in law. There is no law preventing drivers from doing the former in a place immediately adjacent to parked vehicles.
Please quote the law that says it is OK to do this?
Laws don't say when it is acceptable to do a thing, they say when it is unacceptable.

giantdefy

700 posts

142 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
Meoricin said:
Drumroll said:
jamei303 said:
Stoppng to pick up or set down passengers is not parking, and is treated differently in law. There is no law preventing drivers from doing the former in a place immediately adjacent to parked vehicles.
Please quote the law that says it is OK to do this?
Laws don't say when it is acceptable to do a thing, they say when it is unacceptable.
So I assume you could quote the law that says double parking is illegal with attendant exceptions for picking up/dropping off then

the tribester

2,931 posts

115 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
I would have thought that in alot of circumstances Reg 103 The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 would do it.

jamei303

3,084 posts

185 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
the tribester said:
I would have thought that in alot of circumstances Reg 103 The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 would do it.
Has anyone picking up or setting down passengers ever been convicted of unreasonable obstruction, let alone through that particular clause of that act?

XCP

17,704 posts

257 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
If you can do it without causing an obstruction, fine.

jondude

2,441 posts

246 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
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This is one where simple decent, basic manners would end it. If someone stops me and everyone to let someone out but does so very quickly and then immediately drives off, adding a thank you flash of lights. I am not bothered at all.

When they stop, talk to the passenger who then (finally) gets out and carries on talking to the driver from the pavement - it is time for a fight.

meatballs

1,140 posts

89 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
Ugh people who block the road for a chat. Or people who block you in because it's only for a quick drop off and then stay and have a chat.

(People could potentially be replaced with a specific gender based on certain unstatistical observations)

Derek Smith

49,799 posts

277 months

Sunday 30th June 2019
quotequote all
Meoricin said:
Laws don't say when it is acceptable to do a thing, they say when it is unacceptable.
On the other hand, just because there's no law against something does not mean it is legal.


davek_964

11,268 posts

204 months

Monday 1st July 2019
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Years ago, somebody was sitting in a double parked car - didn't seem to be any particular reason. It was just possible to get past - although tight - and I admit I used my horn to communicate my opinion of their parking.

Cue being followed by an angry bloke in a car - repeatedly waving a tennis racquet at me as he followed me. On the plus side, I suppose it would be a knife these days......

LeoSayer

7,828 posts

273 months

Monday 1st July 2019
quotequote all
Derek Smith said:
Meoricin said:
Laws don't say when it is acceptable to do a thing, they say when it is unacceptable.
On the other hand, just because there's no law against something does not mean it is legal.
Can you give an example please Derek.

I'm struggling to get my head around that.

bladebloke

396 posts

224 months

Monday 1st July 2019
quotequote all
Derek Smith said:
On the other hand, just because there's no law against something does not mean it is legal.
Err, it does actually. Referred to as "residual freedom" - a citizen can do as they wish unless the law prohibits it.

konark

1,238 posts

148 months

Monday 1st July 2019
quotequote all
Derek Smith said:
On the other hand, just because there's no law against something does not mean it is legal.
Are you serious? I can't think of any examples of something that's illegal but doesn't break the law..

XCP

17,704 posts

257 months

Monday 1st July 2019
quotequote all
LeoSayer said:
Can you give an example please Derek.

I'm struggling to get my head around that.
You are not the only one. I await enlightenment.

Spurry

205 posts

119 months

Monday 1st July 2019
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I'm wondering if any Travellers are members of this site, to pick up tips.
It seems they have invaded a school site in Blackpool, because there was not a sign saying they couldn't.

hutchst

3,727 posts

125 months

Tuesday 2nd July 2019
quotequote all
Was upskirting legal before the Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019 came into force earlier this year?