Perpendicular parking in Seattle: Legal?

[akiranakayama]

Does anyone know if we can park perpendicularly against the curb here in Seattle without violating the law and getting a ticket? Has anyone tried doing this? I've seen some smarts around town but none of them parking perpendicularly... Just curious....

[dennyrex]

I think the laws tend to be statewide, and the enforcement, discretionary. There's a thread here about CA, and at least one scofflaw in NY:
http://suzannahbtroy.blogspot.com/20...ars-vegan.html

[Benedikt]

The real problem with doing this is when the other cars leave, new cars arrive, and park so close to your doors that you can't get in. And if they bump you they won't be hitting your bumpers.

[akiranakayama]

True, true. I'd just climb in through the trunk, though. But the bumper argument would deter me, yes.

[smartcenterSeattle]

Originally Posted by akiranakayama

Does anyone know if we can park perpendicularly against the curb here in Seattle without violating the law and getting a ticket? Has anyone tried doing this? I've seen some smarts around town but none of them parking perpendicularly... Just curious....

RCW 46.61.575
Additional parking regulations.

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a two-way roadway shall be so stopped or parked with the right-hand wheels parallel to and within twelve inches of the right-hand curb or as close as practicable to the right edge of the right-hand shoulder.

(2) Except when otherwise provided by local ordinance, every vehicle stopped or parked upon a one-way roadway shall be so stopped or parked parallel to the curb or edge of the roadway, in the direction of authorized traffic movement, with its right-hand wheels within twelve inches of the right-hand curb or as close as practicable to the right edge of the right-hand shoulder, or with its left-hand wheels within twelve inches of the left-hand curb or as close as practicable to the left edge of the left-hand shoulder.

(3) Local authorities may by ordinance or resolution permit angle parking on any roadway, except that angle parking shall not be permitted on any federal-aid or state highway unless the secretary of transportation has determined by order that the roadway is of sufficient width to permit angle parking without interfering with the free movement of traffic.

(4) The secretary with respect to highways under his or her jurisdiction may place official traffic control devices prohibiting, limiting, or restricting the stopping, standing, or parking of vehicles on any highway where the secretary has determined by order, such stopping, standing, or parking is dangerous to those using the highway or where the stopping, standing, or parking of vehicles would unduly interfere with the free movement of traffic thereon. No person shall stop, stand, or park any vehicle in violation of the restrictions indicated by such devices.


[1977 ex.s. c 151 § 41; 1975 c 62 § 36; 1965 ex.s. c 155 § 67.]

[Benedikt]

Well there you have it.

[danip]

One morning as I was walking to work I stopped and spoke with a parking enforcement officer. He was about to give a car a parking ticket when I interrupted him. I asked him about perpendicular parking. He said pretty much what smart center seattle quoted but he also said it would be discretionary ... he might not give you a ticket but others would. But if you got one, there'd be no way to fight it. He asked me a lot of questions about the smarts and said that with smarts and other "green" vehicles, Seattle would have to re-evaluate their current parking regulations, especially since they were moving away from the pay per space system to the "pay and display" system. I spent enough time talking to him that the driver who was about to get ticketed showed up, got in their car and drove away; they never got their ticket. I'm sure if they knew, they'd thank me.

[SMART]

I'm begging for a ticket.

[akiranakayama]

Originally Posted by danip

He said pretty much what smart center seattle quoted but he also said it would be discretionary ... he might not give you a ticket but others would.

That's pretty much what I expected. Some parking enforcers would probably look at the offending smart and go, "Oh what's this? F*cker wants to bend the rules, huh? Not on my watch! Ka-ching for the city!" Whereas, another officer might look at it and say something along the lines of, "Ha! Nice one! Points for creativity and eco-conscience."

I know, long shot with the eco-conscious thought. But I still have faith in humanity sometimes. (In my more optimistic moods, anyway.)

[bigcritter]

Originally Posted by SMART

I'm begging for a ticket.

How and where do we get one of those SCOA decals like you have in your rear window in the photo?? I've already ordered my license plate frames, but the decal would be really cool, too!!!