Ticket?

[MORELLO]

Has anyone actually been booked for parking the 'wrong way' as the law sees it, on a residential road, ie facing oncoming traffic, or is it rarely enforced?

[R1Geezer]

There is no law that says you have to face the traffic direction. There is in the US though.

In fact technically all parking is "obstructing the highway"!

I'm sure the judge will be along soon to give us the full SP!

[MORELLO]

It's in the highway code, though it doesn't say MUST NOT like it does with double yellows, so maybe your right...

[R1Geezer]

most of the highway code is not law merely a set of strong recomendations and things they consider desirable, even so it is often used as an indicator in cases of due care/dangerous drving etc , as you say it's only law if it is preceded by "MUST".

[pauln90]

According to the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations section 24 parking other than with nearside against the kerb during the hours of darkness is an offence. This is so that vehicles travelling along a road can see the reflectors of the parked vehicle thus making it more visible.

As you say though it may not be an offence that is often enforced along with other provisions in these regulations.

For the full regulations see here ;_

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1989/Uksi_19891796 _en_4.htm#(Tiii)24requirementaboutusefrontrear positionlamprearregistrationplatelampsidemarke rlampendoutlinemarkerlamp

[Ethel]

It IS an offence and many people have been fined by FPN for it - it is a favourite of new police recruits on the night shift.

[Ethel]

You can only park a vehicle on the highway during the hours of darkness:

Where the speed limit is 30mph or less; AND
be parked least 10m away from any junction; AND
be close to the kerb; AND
is facing the flow of traffic; AND
the vehicle weighs less than 1525kg unladen.

[Panic Button]

Sorry Morello, the Highway Code does say must not:






Parking at night

248

You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space.


[Laws CUR reg 101 & RVLR reg 24]

[MORELLO]

Panic - with closer inspection you're right. They could meet their quota in my road then. Most of us park the wrong way round, though it's so narrow there really isn't a left or right side - you just drive down the middle regardless of in which direction. This must be recognised otherwise so many people in mine and surrounding street would be eligible for a nightly ticket!