# Don't park facing the wrong way - why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 14, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922 "2005-08-14T02:11:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/1 "2005-08-14T02:11:51Z")
Influenced by [this](http://www.tricities.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=TRI/MGArticle/TRI_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784414995) piece of Fark trivia, regarding bulk-ticketing of cars parked facing the ‘wrong’ way… What’s wrong with having cars facing either way on the side of the road? What harm can come of it, and what safety benefits are there to having all the stationary cars facing one way? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/2 "2005-08-14T02:15:50Z")
If you are parked the wrong way, when you pull out, you’ll be facing oncoming traffic. ---
**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/3 "2005-08-14T02:27:28Z")
And you had to drive on the wrong side to park there. If you park on the wrong side, the driver is farther away from the center of the road and has a worse field of vision. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/4 "2005-08-14T02:29:52Z")
Yes, you’d be facing oncoming traffic, and have obscured vision…but is this any different to pulling out from a side road? ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/5 "2005-08-14T02:52:31Z")
Because it raises revenue for the town, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/6 "2005-08-14T03:05:25Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > Because it raises revenue for the town, obviously. Not the right answer. It’s on the books in a lot of places (including the UK), and in the link I gave for more than fifty years, but is almost always ignored by everyone. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/7 "2005-08-14T03:34:12Z")
Because there is nothing reflective on the front of your car, at least nothing as reflective as your tail lights. On a dark, narrow residential street it can be hard to see a car parked the wrong way. ---
**Author:** ![PBear42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PBear42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PBear42)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/8 "2005-08-14T05:04:21Z")
I have always assumed it was so that people wouldn’t get the impression it was a one-way street. One car wouldn’t give that impression, of course, but several parked close to a corner could. Kinda like some of the other theories, though. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/9 "2005-08-14T05:17:35Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > but is this any different to pulling out from a side road? In the place where I got a ticket for it, yes. The parking was diagonal. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/10 "2005-08-14T06:34:51Z")
My teacher at driver school said that if you park on the wrong side of a two-way street, your ticket will likley be for parking more than 18 inches from the opposite curb. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/11 "2005-08-14T08:13:38Z")
I was once given this reason: “If there’s a nearby structural fire, and the Fire Department comes and orderes all vehicles away (so they can move in), yours would cause a logjam of traffic.” Hey, that’s what someone told me. Tripler And yes, I have fallen victim to a ticket for just such this ‘high crime and misdemeanor’. ---
**Author:** ![EvilGhandi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@EvilGhandi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilGhandi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/12 "2005-08-14T08:37:32Z")
Yep, I read that article that fark linked to. Count me in on with the guy’s who see no reason for it. None. Whatsoever. This topic belongs in GD unless someone can come up with a real reason for this law. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/13 "2005-08-14T18:27:30Z")
If you are parked the wrong way and there is a car parked in front of you, you are pulling out into traffic blind. You (the driver) is next to the curb, and cannot see what traffic is approaching. Picture a work van parked directly in front of you. Unlike driving a RHD car here in America the driver does not have any rear view mirrors to help spot traffic approaching. If there is a car parked in front of you, pulling out into traffic is a gamble at best. IMHO the law makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![Tuco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tuco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuco)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/14 "2005-08-14T18:54:48Z")
> [@Manda JO](#): > > Because there is nothing reflective on the front of your car, at least nothing as reflective as your tail lights. On a dark, narrow residential street it can be hard to see a car parked the wrong way. Here is the correct answer - the back of your car has reflectors on it, in the dark the front of the car isn’t as visible which is why in the UK if you park facing the wrong way on a street you have to put your sidelights on. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/15 "2005-08-14T20:40:55Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > If you are parked the wrong way and there is a car parked in front of you, you are pulling out into traffic blind. You (the driver) is next to the curb, and cannot see what traffic is approaching. Picture a work van parked directly in front of you. Unlike driving a RHD car here in America the driver does not have any rear view mirrors to help spot traffic approaching. > If there is a car parked in front of you, pulling out into traffic is a gamble at best. IMHO the law makes sense. In addition, consider this: If I’m parked using conventional facing, my greatest concern is an opening in the traffic moving my direction. If I’m crossing over from the opposite side, I need to merge with traffic and safely cross opposing traffic, so the odds of an accident have been increased. Not a local issue around here, it’s in the PA vehicle code. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/16 "2005-08-14T20:50:07Z")
> [@Tuco](#): > > which is why in the UK if you park facing the wrong way on a street you have to put your sidelights on. Does anyone ever actually do this? ---
**Author:** ![AZRob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/azrob/32/3003_2.png) [@AZRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AZRob)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/17 "2005-08-14T22:03:48Z")
As several posters stated, it is because you must drive the wrong way to get to the parking spot, and, more importantly, when you pull out. My two cents is that many traffic laws seem pointless in theory but make more sense in the real world. This is because, IRL, one or both drivers can be distracted by something at the wrong moment. I can’t begin to tell you how many accidents I’ve investigated where the driver who caused the collision stated, “I was changing the radio station (or, talking to my child, or, putting my drink down, or watching that kid on the bike, or …) and when I looked up, the other car had stopped.” (Yes, I am a city cop.) We all do much of our driving on auto-pilot and the last thing most drivers expect is a car coming on the wrong side of the street. Regarding enforcement, as mentioned in the original article, I believe most police agencies consider enforcement of this law on neighborhood streets to be overkill. YMMV, AZRob ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/18 "2005-08-14T22:20:24Z")
> [@AZRob](#): > > As several posters stated, it is because you must drive the wrong way to get to the parking spot, and, more importantly, when you pull out. Shouldn’t the cops have to witness you driving on the wrong side of the street? Aren’t we innocent until proven guilty? Maybe I parked on the right side of the street, and used my Shaolin kung fu skills to push my car across the street. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/19 "2005-08-14T22:23:19Z")
My objections to some of the suggestions so far… ‘Having to drive the wrong way to reach the parking space’ - no more than turning across the street involves driving the wrong way. ‘Obscured vision, as you pull away’ - no more than at certain parts of a three-point-turn. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/20 "2005-08-14T23:12:32Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Shouldn’t the cops have to witness you driving on the wrong side of the street? No. You can be fined for going too fast based on the skid marks you left when you applied your brakes to avoid an accident. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922.md?page=2)