The British Columbia Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) defines parking in section 119 as, “when prohibited, the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when standing temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading.” The MVA then defines where parking is prohibited in section 187 as “on the roadway”…”[obstructing] the free passage of traffic on the highway.” This broad prohibition is qualified: when a vehicle is “ so disabled that it is not practicable to avoid stopping and temporarily leaving it on a highway.” The safest assumption to make about the “law of parking” is that unless parking is expressly, by signage, permitted, it is prohibited. Usually, however, whether public or private, “No Parking” signage is easy to find.

 

The MVA provides more detail on prohibited parking in section 189. It is illegal to park: on a sidewalk or boulevard; in front of a public or private driveway; in an intersection; within 5 metres of a fire hydrant (measured form the point at the curb beside the hydrant); within 6 metres on the approach side of a crosswalk, intersection; stop sign or traffic light; within 15 metres of a railway crossing; alongside or opposite a street excavation or obstruction; and on a bridge or in a highway tunnel. It is illegal to double-park and to park obstructing the visibility of traffic signage. These province-wide laws do not require signage. But where there is signage prohibiting parking, not surprisingly, it is illegal to park in contravention of the signage. 

 

Regulations under the MVA and municipal by-laws further detail where parking is prohibited. It is illegal to park where the curb is painted yellow (or red), in designated bicycle lanes, and in designated (blue and white) parking spaces for the disabled without displaying the required permit and without using the vehicle to drive a person with a

disability.

 

The law of prohibited parking is designed to keep the roads open for the “free passage of traffic,” to protect visibility and thereby minimize traffic hazards, and to protect access to emergency services. Parking rules are vigorously enforced. Illegal parkers may receive fines or have their vehicle towed or both.

 

Where and when parking is permitted is indicated by signage. Parking signs are white rectangles. A black letter “P” inside a green circle with a time limit notice permits parking during the posted times. By-law officers enforce the time limits by chalk-marking wheels and checking back when the time limit is up. A black letter “P” inside a red circle with a red slash plus black arrows indicates no parking. A black letter “P” inside a red circle with a red slash with a time-limit notice and black arrows indicates no parking during posted times. A black letter “P” inside a red circle combined with a disabled person’s icon inside a green circle indicates parking only for a vehicle displaying a disabled parking sign and carrying a person with disabilities. Parking meters implicitly permit curbside parking. They may have time restrictions posted on the meter or on adjacent signage.      

 

On-road or curbside parking, where permitted, must be in accordance with section 190 of the MVA: “on the right side of the roadway and with the right hand wheels parallel to that side, and where there is a curb, within 30 cm of the curb.” If the motor vehicle is parked on a grade, section 191 requires that the front wheels be turned to the curb or side of the highway. If the brake doesn’t hold, turning the wheels to the right on a downhill slope with no curb or on an uphill slope with a curb will help keep the vehicle from rolling into the road. Set the parking brake and leave the vehicle in gear: automatic transmission vehicles should be left in “park,” whatever the slope direction; standard transmission vehicles should be left in “reverse” if facing downhill, “first gear” if facing uphill. The MVA specifies in section 191 that unattended parked cars must be locked or “made secure in a manner that prevents…unauthorized use.”

 

The driving skill needed to move into a space in a line of cars parked on a busy road is a basic requirement for a driver’s licence in British Columbia. Inept parallel parking strains the patience of other drivers forced into an overly long wait in the driving lanes. Inept parallel parking creates a hazard if the vehicle obstructs the driving lanes. The MVA empowers the police to move a vehicle parked in contravention of section 190 or in a position that causes it to interfere with snow removal, fire fighting, road construction or the normal traffic flow. “I can walk to the curb from here” was funny in Annie Hall, not quite so in real life.