Parking in front of stop signs/lights (Portland: apartment, neighborhoods)

[davemess10]

I've noticed since I move here, that there don't really seem to be any laws regarding parking on the corner under stop signs or stop lights. In most places there are pretty specific laws like "you must park more than 30 feet from a stop sign" or "you cannot park within 40 feet of a stoplight coming into the intersection". It has always made sense to me. Keeps the intersection clear, gives bikes/right turners more space. It keeps you from getting confused waiting at a 4 way stop for the car to go that has no one in it.

So why does OR (or maybe it's Portland) not have these laws? People park all the way to the corners around me, and it's really annoying, and frankly kind of dangerous (this space should also be there to allow more space for emergency vehicles to get through).

[Nell Plotts]

There is a state law but it doesn't apply in Portland unless marked by a yellow stripe. Our blocks are short, to enforce the law would remove a huge % of parking places. Never park so that your car extends into the sidewalk area or a drive way, stay clear of fire hydrants... that they do enforce with vengeance.

If a stop sign is obscured by a tree call it in. We want to be able to see those puppies.

[EnricoV]

Portland blocks are 200 feet long.

[Minervah]

From a pedestrion's point of view, it has always bugged me that people park right in front of a crosswalk so pedestrians have to walk around the parked car and into the street running perpendicular to the one they are trying to cross. Or walk behind the car parked in the crosswalk and risk any oncoming traffic not seeing them.

This happens more and more in my nieghborhood as it becomes more and more crowded.

[EnricoV]

Well now, that's illegal. You can't park blocking the crosswalk (whether it's marked or not).

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Well now, that's illegal. You can't park blocking the crosswalk (whether it's marked or not).

Yeah, you are right but they do it my neighborhood all the time.

[davemess10]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

Our blocks are short, to enforce the law would remove a huge % of parking places.

But would be significantly safer and less confusing. Free street parking on public property for your private car is not a right.

But thanks for the answers, I guess that makes a little more sense, though I don't agree with it.

[Nell Plotts]

There is no right to park in front of you home, or on your street (however some neighborhoods have parking permits .. for a fee of course). In general in the older parts of the city there is garage space for only one car. On the street it is every guy/gal for himherself.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

There is no right to park in front of you home, or on your street (however some neighborhoods have parking permits .. for a fee of course). In general in the older parts of the city there is garage space for only one car. On the street it is every guy/gal for himherself.

Yeah, that's what is making my neighborhood so dang crowded. They keep squeezing in new apartment buildings any where there is a little space. The buildings have parking spaces for the tenants but only one to a customer and when they have visitors parking can become impossible.

I do not own a car but neighbors complain they often have to park blocks away from our building due to the crowded streets. That I think is why you will find cars parked blocking crosswalks because people abandon their cars anywhere they can.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Yeah, you are right but they do it my neighborhood all the time.

Tell me about it. I get people parking IN FRONT of my garage door all the time. Many a day, I've not been able to get my car out of the garage to go to work, and had to sit there waiting. When someone would show up (not sure how they always managed to beat the cops there), and I would mentioned the fact that they were parked in front of the door, they'd say ... "well, I've never seen anyone use it." Like they'd been watching my garage door 24 hours a day, not seen anyone, and so were justified in blocking it.

Idjits.