Parking on left side of residential street? (HOA, neighborhoods)

[Fyzbo]

I've noticed that cars will park on the left side of the street in my neighborhood. By left side I mean that if you are looking at the car from the center of the road, their headlights point right, so the driver side is next to the curb. Maybe an image will better demonstrate:



I was taught this is illegal in NY, is it also illegal in NC. I would say 50% of the cars in my subdivision are parked this way at any given time.

It's a quiet subdivision, but it can be disorienting when driving at night and you see headlights reflecting back at you.

[CHTransplant]

It also requires drivers to pull out into oncoming traffic, which could be dangerous depending on sight lines.

We've had similar problems in our neighborhood. On a few occasions, our HOA has put friendly safety reminders on windshields of cars parked incorrectly, and that seems to help lessen the practice - much preferred to calling the police to issue tickets, but that's an option too.

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

Yeah, when parking on a street your car should be facing with the flow of traffic on the side it is parked. Although rare, I have seen people get ticketed both here and in NJ for parking their cars facing the wrong way.

[Fyzbo]

So it is illegal. Is anyone a cop or know one and can find out why it's not enforced?

[CHTransplant]

I imagine it's because police have more important things to do than patrol neighborhoods for parking infractions.

[superk]

As far as I know, it's only illegal if there's an ordinance that says so. And I have yet to see one posted anywhere in the Triangle.

[lifeofJenn]

I know it's not necessarily accurate, but in my family we call it parking "North Carolina Style".

Having come from California we had never seen it- other than one time when a car did it in our old neighborhood (in CA) and got ticketed.

I see probably at least 5 cars a day parked that way & have not seen tickets (not to say it's legal, or people don't ever get tickets)

[kilroy61]

Had this issue come up in our subdivision.......depends on the street.

Sec. 11-2179. - STOPPING, STANDING OR PARKING CLOSE TO CURB.
(a)
No person shall stop, stand or park in a roadway upon which the boundaries of individual parking spaces are marked on the pavement other than parallel with the front of the curb or edge of the roadway , headed in the direction of traffic and completely within the boundaries of the delineated parking space. When no parking space boundaries are marked on the roadway the vehicle shall be parked as above except that it may not be farther than twelve (12) inches from the curb or edge of the roadway if there is no curb. On streets which have been marked or signed for angle parking vehicles shall be parked at the angle to the curb indicated by such marks or signs. The requirement that the vehicle be headed in the direction of traffic is not applicable if the parking space in question is on a street of two (2) lanes or less, without a marked center line, and located in a residentially zoned area.

[Beermat]

Originally Posted by Fyzbo

I've noticed that cars will park on the left side of the street in my neighborhood. By left side I mean that if you are looking at the car from the center of the road, their headlights point right, so the driver side is next to the curb. Maybe an image will better demonstrate:



I was taught this is illegal in NY, is it also illegal in NC. I would say 50% of the cars in my subdivision are parked this way at any given time.

It's a quiet subdivision, but it can be disorienting when driving at night and you see headlights reflecting back at you.

Interesting that the image is from UK where they drive on other side of the road

[adlnc07]

I did this once back in Virginia, and got a ticket for "driving on the wrong side of the street" left on my car!