There is typically a fine for parking your car on the street facing the wrong direction, i.e. against traffic. What is the harm in that?
Economic theory suggests that penalties should be attached to behaviors that are correlated with crime and not necessarily to criminal behavior itself. For example, price fixing may be impossible to detect, but conspiracy to fix prices may be much easier. It makes sense to make cheap talk a crime even though the talk itself causes no harm.
When you car is parked facing the wrong way its a sure sign that A) you previously committed the crime of driving the wrong way and B) you will soon do it again.
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June 2, 2011 at 12:14 am
Nigel
The rule originates from safe parking at night; the rear of a car is required to have red reflectors to alert drivers to the presence of a parked car. Facing the wrong way, without lights, poses a greater hazard.
June 2, 2011 at 7:18 am
jeff
The rule applies even during the day. Even when the time limit will expire (and so the car must be moved) before nightfall.
June 2, 2011 at 5:12 am
Anonymous
This is only a local phenomenon in the US. It does not apply in the UK or many other countries.
June 2, 2011 at 5:29 am
Inigo
Anonymous, it is illegal to park against the traffic at night in the UK – see http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069860 section 248.
It is not because it is a sign that you are driving the wrong way – parallel parking even with the flow of traffic requires reversing in the opposite direction to the traffic. It is because of the danger to other drivers at night, as Nigel says.
June 2, 2011 at 7:19 am
jeff
Backing up is not illegal. Crossing over the center line without turning is.
June 2, 2011 at 5:35 am
Tyler Cowen
Isn’t this fully legal in Texas? Is it more dangerous than turning across a few lanes of traffic?
June 2, 2011 at 7:29 am
Anonymous
You can get a ticket for this even on some narrow residential side streets.
June 2, 2011 at 7:35 am
Camilla
Also, on a permit-required street, having each car facing the same direction makes it easier for parking enforcement staff to scan all the permits on their walk past.
It also helps the municipality generate ticket revenue. (It’s sufficiently local here to often catch visitors.)
June 2, 2011 at 9:25 am
Should it be illegal to park facing the wrong way? — Marginal Revolution
[...] writes: Economic theory suggests that penalties should be attached to behaviors that are correlated with [...]
June 2, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Rahul
A part of the danger (on country roads especially and at night) is other drivers being confused into trying to pass you on the wrong side thinking that’s where the road is.
August 8, 2012 at 2:49 am
Anonymous
True, and that’s the reason the law is intact in the UK. At night the reflectors of the headlight units are more visible at distance than the road, leadingdrivers to suspect the road passese to the left of the oncoming vehicle. We assume the red reflection from rear lights will be on our own side and expect to pass them to the right. During the day this risk is mitigated as we can see he road easily so the law does not apply. It kicks in at official lighting up time.
June 3, 2011 at 7:53 am
Trinity River
Speaking as a Texan, it is illegal to facing the wrong way here, as several visitors to my house can attest. But, I really don’t see the harm in it.
June 3, 2011 at 8:36 am
inkisntenough
forget all of this. i hate the whole ticket for backing into a space rule. why not? who does it harm? plus, when it comes time to leave, i’ll get out quicker, marginally decreasing the traffic jam of parking lot vultures waiting to swipe my space because they see i still have 15 minutes on the meter.
June 3, 2011 at 8:57 am
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[...] – Why is it a crime to park facing the wrong way? [...]
November 26, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Anonymous
I don’t think it makes a lot of sense. Just today the city sent someone into our neighborhood and ticketed all of the drivers who were parked the “wrong way”. I think it is just another way for the city to get money from the people who live here.
July 25, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Bothered
If you don’t know the rules of the road…you shouldn’t operate a vehicle. Do you think speed limit laws make any sense either? When driving, it’s ALL about safety! Quite frankly most of the comments on here show a HUGE lack of of driving intellect.
December 3, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Anonymous
Bothered, I couldn’t agree more. Driving is an extremely dangerous activity, especially without proper maintenance of the vehicle. People do NOT take it as seriously as they should. That means understanding the rules of the road as much as knowing how to operate and maintain your vehicle. Don’t be lazy, you really aren’t saving that much time, and the risks (ticket, wreck, etc) exceed the reward (saving a few seconds).
February 6, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Shanie
I think it makes perfect sense for it to be illegal to park the wrong way on the street, as i have seen many people drive towards me to park that way, and I’ve seen accidents which have happened due to this.
February 13, 2012 at 6:31 pm
Jake
I only did it so my car would catch the morning sun and melt all the ice off my windshield by the time I needed to leave.
August 15, 2012 at 11:13 pm
Matt
I’ve always assumed the reason is so that other motorists won’t think it’s a one-way street.
September 16, 2012 at 9:50 pm
Kevin
Of course is a “US” thing, to be able to fine a driver for such a stupid fault, when we all know that in the United Sates, as long as it makes money to the system and seems do-able, the system WILL include it to make even more money….I bet the city does not have the rule that if a car hits a hole or crack (unmarked) on the road, the individual has the right to sue the system?….Why, because that would result on the system loosing and not gaining!
October 10, 2012 at 11:37 am
Stphen
When you park facing the wrong way on a street with 2 way traffic you are going to be vulnerable to two dangerous situations when you leave. 1. if there are acrs parked in front of you (behind you if your car was parked in the correct direction) you will have a poor line of site as the steering weel is next to the curb. You will also have to cross two potential lanes of opposite moving traffic. Finally as you pull out if there is oncoming traffic your esacpe requires you to speed up toward the potential accident not away from it when you are parked in the proper direction.
January 19, 2013 at 10:52 am
nop0001
All of you dumbasses who park the wrong way, stay out of my state. What entitles you to put my life or the life of my friends and family at risk because you’re too lazy to make the block and park correctly? It is not about money. If you break the law, the fine is to try to knock some sense into your thick skull to not do it again. What a bunch of retards.
March 4, 2013 at 9:55 pm
dumblawprotester
Who are you to call people retards?! you’re clearly to inconsiderate to even have so called friends Have you thought that maybe. just maybe the person never realized parking the wrong way on a street that is virtually deserted didnt seem malicious on their part? It is about money in this situation so dont even go there on that. All it knocked sense into is that there are some dumbass laws out there involving parking. im not arguing that driving the wrong way should be legal or parking the wrong way on a busy street is either, but on a very quiet street in a smal city or town shouldnt be because then its just to make money clearly. Now if you’re in NY, SF, Chicago, all different story again, its all busy, but not cities like Louisville, KY for example. Stupid, stupid, stupid.. ill be sure to call you a retard when you break a law that you werent aware of.
January 20, 2013 at 9:05 am
Maylee
Well, I accept those explanations for this by-law, as it states on the ticket of city of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. But then is it the law makers and / or executors’ responsibility to inform citizens there is such a minute by-law lurking somewhere? Has anyone received a thorough traffic rules when you get your driver’s lessons or license? Or at least refer to to a website, or even urge you to go to a local library to read all those rules time by time? Does a local library even hold this so-closely-relate-to-our-daily-life-and-safety law or by-law? If not, how would we access these law? I suggest a one-time warning.
March 12, 2013 at 3:53 am
Anonymous
Everyone knows it is illegal to park facing the wrong direction unless they never really took the test to get a drivers license. Its always been considered a hazard. I could care less if anyone thinks it’s about making money. It’s wrong and people are just simply too lazy to do it the right way, not to mention those that park the wrong way and in front of a fire hydrant simultaneously. Sorry Charlie, that’s the truth. Warning? I don’t think so. Common sense? Yes!
March 31, 2013 at 2:07 pm
Robert
Got a ticket last night…. Passenger had to get out on the road side due to no sidewalks with a walker that is unsafe to use on the lawns due to the moister and softness the page road was the only safe way. Had we used the lawn and fallen the Ontario Ohio would have had to cove a much larger ill for medical aid perhaps
March 31, 2013 at 2:09 pm
Robert
Ps. We displayed the handicap permit in window so felt should have been exempt
April 26, 2013 at 11:41 am
Anonymous
Section 248 of the UK Highway Code:
“You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space. Laws CUR reg 101 & RVLR reg 24″
…so parking on the ‘wrong side of the road’ facing traffic is OK as long as it is in a marked parking bay.
April 26, 2013 at 11:43 am
Anonymous
…in the UK, that is…