7) Parking

Special Parking Rules

1) PARKING ALONGSIDE A CURB ON A LEVEL STREET: the front and back wheels must be parallel and within 18 inches of the curb. Park parallel to the street if there is no curb. 2) NEVER LEAVE CAR'S ENGINE OR ELECTRIC MOTOR RUNNING: stop the engine or the electric motor and set the parking brake. 3) WHEN EXITING CAR: Look for pedestrians or other cars. Do not open the door unless it is safe and no cars are near. Do not leave the door open for a long time. 4) DISABLED PEOPLE: Can park anywhere that is permitted and appropriate to them. NOTE: Pursuant to CVC §22511, a local authority, by ordinance or resolution, may designate stalls or spaces on a public street within its jurisdiction for the exclusive purpose of charging and parking a vehicle that is connected for electric charging purposes.

Parking at Colored Curbs

EACH PAINTED COLORED CURBS' PARKING RULES: WHITE: Stop only long enough to pick up or drop off passengers or mail. GREEN: Park for a limited time. Look or a posted sign next to the green zone for time limits, or locate the time limit painted on the curb. YELLOW: Stop no longer than the time posted to load or unload passengers or freight. Drivers of noncommercial vehicles are usually required to stay with the vehicle. RED: No stopping, standing, or parking (buses may stop at a red zone marked for buses). BLUE: Parking is permitted only for a disabled person or driver of a disabled person who displays a placard or special license plate for disabled persons or disabled veterans. A crosshatched (diagonal lines) area adjacent to a designated disabled parking space is a no parking area.

Illegal Parking

NEVER LEAVE OR PARK YOUR CAR: 1) Where a "No Parking" sign is posted. 2) On a marked or unmarked crosswalk, sidewalk, partially blocking a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway. 3) Within 3 feet of a sidewalk ramp for disabled persons or in front of or on a curb that provides wheelchair access to a sidewalk. 4) In a disabled person parking space, UNLESS you are disabled and display a placard or disabled person license plates. 5) In the space next to a disabled person parking space, if it is painted in a crosshatched (diagonal) pattern 6) In a space designated for parking or fueling zero emission vehicles that display an identifying decal, unless you are driving a zero emission vehicle that you will charge in the space. 7) In a tunnel or on a bridge, except where permitted by signs. 8) Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway. 9) On or within 7 and a 1⁄2 feet of a railroad track. 10) Between a safety zone and curb. 11) "Double parked" (parking in the street when all legal parking places at the curb are taken). 12) On the wrong side of the street. 13) At a red curb. 14) On a freeway, EXCEPT: In an emergency, when a peace officer or device requires a stop, or where a stop is specifically permitted. NOTE: If you must stop on a freeway, park completely off the pavement, stay in your vehicle with the doors locked until help arrives. MAKE SURE TO leave enough space for other vehicles to freely pass your vehicle. Your vehicle should be visible for at least 200 feet in each direction. A vehicle (even if disabled) that is stopped, parked, or left standing on a freeway for more than 4 hours may be removed.

Parallel Parking

Parallel Parking: a driving technique that allows you to park parallel to the road in line with other parked vehicles STEPS ON HOW TO PARALLEL PARK SAFELY: 1. FIND SPACE: space should be at least 3 feet longer than your vehicle, then signal to others you are going to park 2. PULL YOU VEHICLE ALONGSIDE THE SPACE OR VEHICLE IN FRONT OF WHERE YOU INTEND TO PARK: Leave about 2 ft between the vehicle or space next to you, then stop once your rear bumper is aligned to the front of the space where you want to park. Check your rear view mirror for anything, cars or people. Keep your foot on the brake and put the vehicle in reverse. Maintain the signal. 3. LIFT YOUR FOOT OFF THE BREAK: Once checking there are no hazards through your rear view mirror, and looking over shoulder, start to back up at a 45 degree angle. 4. STRAIGHTEN OUT: Start turning wheel away from curb when rear wheel is 18 in from the curb. You might have to pull forward and backwards to straight out your car to be parallel.

Parking on a Hill

WHEN YOU PARK: On a sloping driveway, turn car's wheels PARKING HEADING DOWNHILL: turn your front wheels INTO the curb/side of the road AND having parking brake PARKING HEADING UPHILL: turn your front wheels AWAY the curb/side of the road (let it roll back a few inches-should touch a bit of the curb) AND set parking brake PARKING HEADING UPHILL/DOWNHILL WITH NO CURB: turn the wheels so car will roll AWAY from the center of the road