Double parking

Double parking

Double parking can refer to one of three practices:

Parking parallel to a car already parked at the curb

The car on the right is double parked. Since it has Diplomatic License Plates, the driver would not be obliged to pay any citation issued.

"Double parking" can refer to the usually illegal practice of parking a vehicle to the side of a row of vehicles that is already parked next to the curb. This often prevents some of the vehicles in the first row from departing and always obstructs a traffic lane or bike lane (to the extent of often making the street impassable in one-way single-lane situations). Even though it is illegal, double parking is quite common in large urban areas. In some areas, people double parking their cars leave the hand brake off, allowing the drivers of the cars next to the curb to push the double parked car a little forward or backward, in order to allow departing from the parking spot. Double parking in this fashion, where illegal, is often punished by ticketing or towing the offending vehicle.

Double parking in attended lots and garages

Attended lots and garages frequently use double parking to maximize vehicle storage density. A driver who double-parks in an attended lot leaves the vehicle's keys with the attendant. If the driver of the blocked car returns first, then the attendant can move the blocking car so that the blocked car can leave. This practice is especially common for valet lots, in which attendants have the keys to all vehicles.

Multi-space parking

A GT illegally occupying two spaces at Vaughan Mills mall, Ontario.

The term "double parking" is sometimes used to describe parking over the lines separating two designated parking spaces in a parking lot and is derived from situations where cars take more spaces than necessary. Though this practice is most commonly a result of the driver disregarding the separating lines, it may also occur when the driver avoids parking too close to a large vehicle (such as a truck or SUV) in a narrow space, or to a vehicle which is poorly centered in the adjacent space. Sometimes parking in this fashion, if the vehicle is large, is an attempt by the driver of the vehicle to avoid damage to the vehicle or to nearby vehicles when the doors are opened, or to ensure enough space for loading and unloading various content. The egregiousness of double parking in this fashion is usually judged depending on parking space availability. If a lot is mostly empty, parking in such fashion will most likely provoke only a chuckle from the passers-by, but it can provoke anger and even vandalism towards the offending vehicle when parking is scarce.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • double parking — illegally parking one s vehicle alongside another car which is already parked (thereby blocking its exit and obstructing traffic) …   English contemporary dictionary

  • double parking — The parking of a vehicle on the roadway side of any vehicle parked or standing at the edge or curb of a street. 7 Am J2d Auto § 236 …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Parking violation — Parking tickets on a vehicle in Durham, North Carolina A parking violation is the act of parking a motor vehicle in a restricted place or for parking in an unauthorized manner. It is against the law virtually everywhere to park a vehicle in the… …   Wikipedia

  • double-park — double parks, double parking, double parked V ERG If someone double parks their car or their car double parks, they park in a road by the side of another parked car. [V n] Murray double parked his car... The car pulled in and double parked in… …   English dictionary

  • Parking — [ Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.] Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. It is against the law virtually everywhere to park a vehicle in the middle of a highway or… …   Wikipedia

  • Parking (disambiguation) — Telecommunications= *Call parking, moving an ongoing telephone conversation from one phone to another *Domain parking, advertising content posted on an undeveloped domain on the World Wide Web, often used during construction of a… …   Wikipedia

  • double — adj., adv., n., & v. adj. 1 a consisting of two usu. equal parts or things; twofold. b consisting of two identical parts. 2 twice as much or many (double the amount; double the number; double thickness). 3 having twice the usual size, quantity,… …   Useful english dictionary

  • double-park — UK / US verb [intransitive/transitive] Word forms double park : present tense I/you/we/they double park he/she/it double parks present participle double parking past tense double parked past participle double parked to park your car parallel to… …   English dictionary

  • double-banking — doubˈle banking noun Double parking • • • Main Entry: ↑double …   Useful english dictionary

  • Double Date (The Office) — Double Date The Office episode Helene, Jim, Pam and Michael on their way to the double date. Episode …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”