When driving, especially if we do it in city, we have to face numerous situations that may require our attention. One of the most common scenarios is to find vehicles double-parking which, depending on the street and the traffic situation, can be a serious inconvenience for other road users. The General Directorate of Traffic itself is aware of this, although in the General Traffic Regulations is distinguished between “stop” Y “parking lot“, a slight nuance that can mean the difference between receiving or not receiving a traffic ticket.
Like is logic, all drivers have to abide by a series of rules and regulations so that driving is as safe and friendly as possible. In recent years we have seen how various changes have come to our daily citizen life, with each time greater presence of other types of personal mobility vehiclesa more evident prominence of transport and a progressive withdrawal -or rationalization- of the private vehicle in urban centers.
Despite this, it is still common to encounter some traffic problems derived from the attitude of some drivers who, for whatever reason, decide to stop their car at a certain time even if it is not correctly parked. The reality is that all drivers have the “right” to stop their vehicle at any time if necessary.but it is possible to distinguish between different situations in which such detention is not a reason for a sanction, as well as others that may be a reason for a fine. The key to knowing which is which? Stops and parking lots.
Stop or parking, the nuance that can save you a fine
In the General Traffic Code distinguishes between “stop” or “parking”so that the first can save you from a fine while the second is almost certainly a violation if detected.
Go ahead with the fact that, Unless there is a specific sign or rule that prohibits stopping, any driver can stop his vehicle for a certain time if you deem it appropriate. In the case of stops, the stops have a limited duration of 2 minutes, and in no case does the driver leave the vehicle. It is, for example, an arrest carried out to care for a minor or a dependent person who is traveling with us or, even, to answer a phone call if we do not have the tools to do so legally with the vehicle running.
If we meet In a situation like this, the regulation protects us and as long as we are not definitively hindering circulation, we cannot be fined for stopping our vehicle.
Otherwise it is the case of parking lots: By concept, when parking is carried out, it means that the vehicle will stop for more than 2 minutes and, in addition, we are going to abandon our car. In these cases we will not be able to stop our car in double parking, since we will be committing an infraction (double parking) that is sanctioned with €200. There is no use arguing that the arrest was brief or that we have not even lost sight of the vehicle, since the regulation specifies that the driver must remain inside the vehicle at all times. It is also useless for a companion to stay inside the car: the driver is solely responsible for remaining in the car, since he must be in charge of acting if necessary.