Parking

Parking at Colored Curbs

-Painted colored curbs have special parking rules • White: Stop only long enough to pick up or drop off passengers. • Green: Park for a limited time. The time limit may be posted on signs or painted on the curb. • Yellow: Load and unload passengers and freight. Do not stop longer than the time posted. If you drive a noncommercial vehicle, you are usually required to stay with your vehicle. • Red: No stopping, standing, or parking. Buses may stop at a red zone marked for buses. • Blue: Parking for a disabled person or someone driving a disabled person. — To park here, you must display a placard or license plate for disabled persons or disabled veterans. Misuse of a disabled person parking placard or license plate will result in losing special parking privileges. It is punishable by a fine of up to $1000, imprisonment in county jail for up to 6 months, or both. — Disabled people with a placard or license plates may park in a parking zone with a time limit for any amount of time, regardless of posted time limits.

Here are the steps to parallel parking

1. Find a space. Look for a space at least three feet longer than your vehicle. When you find a space, turn on your signal to show that you plan on parking. 2. Pull up alongside the vehicle in front of the space you are parking in. Leave about two feet between your vehicle and the vehicle next to you. Stop once your rear bumper is aligned with the front of your parking space. Keep your signal on. 3. Check your rearview mirror. Look over your shoulder for approaching vehicles. Keep your foot on the brake and put the vehicle in reverse. 4. Begin backing up. Turn your wheel to back into the space at about a 45 degree angle. 5. Straighten out. Begin turning the steering wheel away from the curb when your rear wheel is within 18 inches of the curb. You may need to pull forward and backward to straighten out. Your vehicle should now be parallel and within 18 inches of the curb. 6. Center your vehicle in the parking space. Turn off your vehicle and set the parking brake. Before you exit your vehicle, look carefully for passing vehicles, bicycles, and motorcycles. Exit when safe.

Green Driving

Driving green is maximizing your fuel efficiency to help lower emissions. Here are a few things you can do to drive green: G66-21B (CA) • Driving habits: Speed up and slow down smoothly. Drive at a steady average speed. • Maintenance: Keep your vehicle in good shape. Regularly inflate your tires, get oil changes, and check filters. • Weight: Get rid of extra weight in your vehicle. Clear out the trunk. Remove luggage racks from the roof. You might also consider a zero-emission vehicle powered by electricity or hydrogen. This will help lower emissions even more. • Plug-in electric cars: Charge overnight at home or at public or workplace charging stations. • Hydrogen fuel cell electric cars: Refuel at public hydrogen stations. These types of vehicles do not produce tailpipe emissions or need oil changes. They have excellent fuel economy and need minimal maintenance.

Illegal Parking

Never park or leave your vehicle: • Where a "No Parking" sign is posted. • On a marked or unmarked crosswalk. • On a sidewalk, partially blocking a sidewalk, or in front of a driveway. • Within 3 feet of a sidewalk ramp for disabled persons. • In front of or on a curb that provides wheelchair access to a sidewalk. • In a disabled person parking space, unless displaying a disabled person placard or license plates. • In the crosshatched (diagonal lines) area next to a designated disabled parking space. • In a space designated for parking or fueling zero-emission vehicles, unless you are driving a zero-emission vehicle. • In a tunnel or on a bridge, except where permitted by signs. • Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant or fire station driveway. • Between a safety zone and curb. • On the wrong side of the street or on a freeway, except: — In an emergency. — When a law enforcement officer or device requires a stop. — Where a stop is specifically permitted. If you must stop on a freeway, park completely off the pavement and stay in your vehicle with the doors locked until help arrives. Leave enough space for other vehicles to safely pass your vehicle. Your vehicle should be visible for at least 200 feet in each direction. A vehicle that is stopped, parked, or left standing on a freeway for more than 4 hours may be removed

Parking on a Hill

When you park on a hill, remember that your vehicle could roll if your brakes fail. When you park: • On a sloping driveway: Turn the wheels so the vehicle will not roll into the street if the brakes fail. • Headed downhill: Turn your front wheels into the curb or toward the side of the road. Set the parking brake. • Headed uphill: Turn your front wheels away from the curb and let your vehicle roll back a few inches. The wheel should gently touch the curb. Set the parking brake. • Headed either uphill or downhill when there is no curb: Turn the wheels so the vehicle will roll away from the center of the road if the brakes fail. Always set your parking brake and leave the vehicle in gear or in the "park" position.