# 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:** 14\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/61 "2017-09-20T23:36:21Z")
I see UBER drivers do this. Sometimes they are on the other side of a huge road. That would not make me happy if I was the passenger. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2017, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/62 "2017-09-20T23:42:51Z")
I love this old thread. “Why is X illegal?” 45 people give excellent reasons why X is and should be illegal. "But WHY IS X illegal? ---
**Author:** ![Mavic\_Chen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mavic\_Chen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mavic_Chen)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/63 "2017-09-21T09:21:37Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I don’t buy that is \*the \*reason or even \*a \*reason. On any road where I have ever seen parallel parking available, it would be no more blinding an annoying to see headlights from a car parked to your right as it would to see them from oncoming traffic to your left. > > _The_ reason is that to park that way you have to drive on the wrong side of the street to get there and again to get back out. In the UK at least, headlights are aimed down and left such that they do not shine into oncoming traffic. This is checked annually during the MOT test. Parking into oncoming traffic defeats this and results in blinding dazzle. Highway Code Rule 248: You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space. (eta: typo) ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/64 "2017-09-21T10:24:32Z")
> [@Mavic\_Chen](#): > > In the UK at least, headlights are aimed down and left such that they do not shine into oncoming traffic. This is checked annually during the MOT test. Parking into oncoming traffic defeats this and results in blinding dazzle. Highway Code Rule 248: You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space. In practice though I very much doubt this is an issue. In 30 years of driving and parking (and often against the traffic) I’ve never been ticketed for it and don’t know anyone who has. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/65 "2017-09-21T11:06:05Z")
I parked the wrong way on a dead-end street in Oregon and got cited for it. I had done it in many jurisdictions throughout the country without sanction, so I was surprised when I saw it. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/66 "2017-09-21T11:09:59Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Because the only nearby parking space is on the other side of the street. You could drive to the next intersection, do a U-turn, and come back, or you could just parallel into that spot on the left side of the street. > > On a 25 mph residential street, if there’s no traffic at the moment, it’s easy enough to do. If there’s no traffic, isn’t a U-turn pretty easy, too? I’d rather allow those than allow people to park facing the wrong way. It seems safer all around. ---
**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:** [September 21, 2017, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/67 "2017-09-21T12:06:37Z")
I just had a flashback to “_Planes, Trains, and Automobiles._” ‘They’re saying we’re going the wrong way.’ “_How do they know which way we’re going?_” Tripler ::rimshot:: I’m here all week. Try the veal. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/68 "2017-09-21T13:33:30Z")
> [@Mavic\_Chen](#): > > In the UK at least, headlights are aimed down and left such that they do not shine into oncoming traffic. Most (all?) states in the U.S. do have safety standards for aiming headlights, but they are not skewed to the right (=left in UK). ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/69 "2017-09-21T13:49:52Z")
If I parked the wrong way, my father would (somehow) show up at my house (although he lives several hundred miles away, and is in his 90s) to tell me that I should turn it around. Rather than take that risk, I park the right way… ---
**Author:** ![Bones\_Daley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Bones\_Daley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bones_Daley)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/70 "2017-09-21T17:30:35Z")
Just to note that ( in the UK at least) contrary to some assumptions above, there is no such statutory offence as “driving on the wrong side of the road”. If driving in the oncoming lane caused an incident, you would be charged with careless or reckless driving, but driving on the “wrong” side is not and never has been an offense in and of itself. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2017, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/71 "2017-09-21T23:55:45Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > Just to note that ( in the UK at least) contrary to some assumptions above, there is no such statutory offence as “driving on the wrong side of the road”. > > If driving in the oncoming lane caused an incident, you would be charged with careless or reckless driving, but driving on the “wrong” side is not and never has been an offense in and of itself. In Maryland in 1975 I received a ticket for “Failing to stay right of center line.” ---
**Author:** ![Bones\_Daley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Bones\_Daley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bones_Daley)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/72 "2017-09-22T11:04:22Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > In Maryland in 1975 I received a ticket for “Failing to stay right of center line.” Interesting. As mentioned, there is no such offense in the UK. What is the situation in Maryland regarding overtaking on a two lane highway ? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/73 "2017-09-22T13:42:58Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > Interesting. As mentioned, there is no such offense in the UK. > > What is the situation in Maryland regarding overtaking on a two lane highway ? Presumably, exceptions are written into the law. Here are the relevant statutes from Illinois. Scroll down to 625 ILCS 5/11-701 for the relevant wording. It seems absolutely bonkers to me that driving on the wrong side of the road would not be illegal unless it involves an accident. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922/74 "2017-09-22T17:03:40Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > Interesting. As mentioned, there is no such offense in the UK. > > What is the situation in Maryland regarding overtaking on a two lane highway ? You may overtake if the center line is dashed (not solid). You may not simply drive on the other side at will; you must be overtaking and return to your lane as soon as it is safe to do so. Although each state has its own traffic laws this point is fairly standard. I should also mention that the ticket was written because my car hit an oil patch and skidded off the road, causing property damage. I was in a residential section doing about 25-30 MPH and rounded a curve to the right, sliding over the line to the left and onto somebody’s lawn. As the policeman did not witness the event, that was the only violation he could be certain of. But my point is that such a violation exists. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-park-facing-the-wrong-way-why/316922.md?page=3)