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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Because I sometimes park on double yellow lines?

61 replies

Catsize · 07/06/2015 07:47

It happened again yesterday. I was parked on double yellow lines.
I had my hazard lights on, but it wasn't in an irresponsible double yellow line place.
I hadn't yet got out of the car.
A lady and her partner walked hand in hand towards my car, and I thought 'here we go', they were obviously talking about where I had parked and sneering at me.
I thought they clocked the blue badge and timer in the window though.
Whether they did or not, a barrage of abuse and lots of aggressive gesturing followed, swearing etc.
3yr old and 1yr old in the car. 3yr old 'Mummy, why is that lady shouting at you?
This is not the first time this sort of thing has happened.
Perhaps people don't realise that if you have a blue badge, you CAN park on a double yellow line, but have to park sensibly, eg not at the edge of a junction, and not where there are little parallel lines perpendicular to the double yellows.
However, I do think the 3hrs permitted on double yellows is probably excessive.
This is really to raise awareness, less any over zealous parking enforcers Mumsnetters feel the need to shout at people in public.
I probably wasn't bu, but it ruined a lovely day.

OP posts:

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 07/06/2015 07:50

Why put your hazards on? Blue badge guidance doesn't advise it (I don't think). I think it can be unhelpful to other drivers as in a queue of traffic it can look like you want to pull out.

lunar1 · 07/06/2015 07:54

I don't think you should be allowed to park on double yellow lines. I never did when we had a blue badge, even when it would have made things much easier. Double yellows are there because it's not safe to stop there.

eurochick · 07/06/2015 07:57

Yanbu as it is permitted but I agree with lunar. Double yellows indicate a strong safety or traffic management reason for not parking there. Those reasons don't disappear when you have a blue badge.

onedogatoddlerandababy · 07/06/2015 07:57

Well if the blue badge allows you to park sensibly on double yellows, then you are not unreasonable, why would you think you were?

Now, blue badge aside, the other couple shouting and swearing you = unreasonable. Making a remark in a non shouty sweary way would have been ok and I'm sure you would have explained exactly why you were parking there.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 07/06/2015 08:00

So a couple stopped in the street to abuse you for parking on a double yellow ?
That's observant for a country where people would step over you if you had fallen over .
If you can park , yanbu and I have learnt something today !

MythicalKings · 07/06/2015 08:03

YWNBU because it's allowed.

However, I don't think it should be. Either everyone could park, no one could park or it's BB only.

Too often I've seen congestion caused by inconsiderate people parking on double yellow lines. With or without BB.

splendide · 07/06/2015 08:04

Really? A couple stopped to give you a load of abuse for being stopped on double yellows with your hazards on? I would have assumed you'd broken down to be honest. You weren't really parked if you were still in the car and had your hazards on.

Obviously they were being very unreasonable and possibly unhinged.

Original poster

Catsize · 07/06/2015 08:05

Thank you for the replies. I very rarely use it on double yellows, and did not know that about hazard lights - I thought I was being helpful. As a driver, I wouldn't think hazards meant someone wanted to pull out - I would expect an indicator.
A non shouty sweary remark would have been fine, yes.
Felt sorry for my kids - seeing their mother shouted at.

OP posts:

Original poster

Catsize · 07/06/2015 08:06

splendide, that occurred to me too. I would assume someone had broken down.

OP posts:

Only1scoop · 07/06/2015 08:07

3 hours on a double yellow if you have blue badge
I didn't even know that.

addictedtosugar · 07/06/2015 08:09

The trouble with hazards is if there is a load of other traffic or other obstacles around, it can be hard to see both of them.

Apart from that, YANBU.

shinysparklythings · 07/06/2015 08:11

Yanbu if you parked as described however I hate the fact blue badge holders can park on double yellows as In my eyes double yellows means it is dangerous to park there (and it usually is- either blocking view or causing restriction).

My dad has a blue badge and when I drive him I never park on double yellows even though technically it is allowed. I think it is irresponsible!

I wish that if it isn't dangerous to park on double yellows they were blue lines, or single yellows with disabled restrictions.

lottiegarbanzo · 07/06/2015 08:14

I don't think most people do know you can do this. Presumably it's explained in the Highway Code? Not something I remember learning. I only found out after DP contacted the council to ask why traffic wardens never seemed to act on cars regularly parked on double yellows outside the front of a local shop. (The shop has a car park with disabled spaces at the back, no further to walk in).

I can see there's a case for it but, if there is any alternative I think it's pretty bad form, as double yellows are there for a reason.

Lweji · 07/06/2015 08:15

I presume that in double yellow lines there won't be many other parked cars obstructing the view of your hazard lights. But if you feel you need hazard lights, then you are not parking responsibly.

Did you really need to park there?

They were very unreasonable to shout abuse at you.

Hoppityhippityhop · 07/06/2015 08:15

As you are allowed to park on double yellow lines YANBU and the other couple behaved badly.

However, I also don't understand why BB are allowed to park on double yellow lines. They are there to prohibit parking due to safety, congestion or similar, none of those reasons change ibecause there is a BB in a car windscreen.

Then again that's not your fault or responsibility op so just keep doing what you need to do.

goodasitgets · 07/06/2015 08:16

I sat broken down for about 2hrs. Because I was partially blocking a road (on a retail park, not an actual road), let's just say c**t was the nicest thing I was called
No offers of help, just hand gestures and head shaking

OstentatiousBreastfeeder · 07/06/2015 08:17

My dad has a blue badge and loves this rule. Parks anywhere, anytime, any reason for up to three hours. Even when he has absolutely no need to

museumum · 07/06/2015 08:18

I know blue badge holders can park on double yellows cause there's one parks loads of re time on the main road just to the left of my side road (after the legal parking) and I hate hate hate trying to pull out and turn right. It's lethal :( I feel terribly for the owner, I'd guess it's the furthest they can walk. I don't know why they don't have a dedicated space and I really eish they did as one day I'm sure I'm going to get hit pulling out - I've had a few close calls. People on the main road are going at 30 and probBly gave no idea why I'm having to creep creep right out into the road to see :(

AuntieStella · 07/06/2015 08:18

I know that blue badge holders can (usually) park anywhere they do not cause an obstraction.

But as double yellows mean danger, or serious need to manage traffic flow, so I don't think it's right to park on them.

Legal doesn't = OK.

fedupnorthernmum · 07/06/2015 08:22

I too am a Blue Badge holder and the same happend to me. My daughters school has a road opposite and I was parked on the double yellow lines for 5 minutes while I picked her up, safely I would add. The reason I had to do this was that a commercial garage on the same street would purposefully park all their cars on the road higher up where there were no double yellows and prevent parents from parking safely, and many without car tax! I reported the issue several times to local police and DVLA but it took repeated contact and over 6 months for anything to be done about it.
When I returned to my car an older guy in a car pulled along side me and verbally abused me. I am afraid to say that I followed him to his home around the corner and confronted him showing my blue badge and pointing out that I had been legally parked. Perhaps I WBU but to be honest I am fed up of people assuming that because I am relatively young that I do not deserve a badge, I have half my foot missing due to amputation required due to MRSA. You were YWNBU and were parked legally the people who remonstrated with you WBU.

Lweji · 07/06/2015 08:23

museumum

I'd actually talk to the council or the police, because that's not responsible parking, if it endangers other road users (you and anyone coming the other way).

If that person need to park there, then they should arrange proper parking, or the council should install a roadside mirror so that you can see incoming traffic.

Also as a tip for people in broken down cars. Lift the bonnet.

Lookatmyredtrousers · 07/06/2015 08:23

How can you park with your hazards on? That's just stopping. Sure we all stop on double yellows from time to time

Drquin · 07/06/2015 08:25

YWNBU to do something that's legally allowed.
I would presume the other folks' outburst might have stemmed from them not knowing it was allowed. Not an excuse but so explanation probably.

I'll be honest I thought the same - but didn't scream and shout obviously - when I saw an elderly gent parked on double-yellows outside local hotel which is right on the corner of a roundabout. He's walking a very infirm lady across the pavement to the car, so has clearly parked at the closest point to allow her the shortest walk. Fair enough. But really not the "best" place from a traffic management / road safety perspective. But he'd appear not to be "wrong" (assuming he had BB).

CaptainAnkles · 07/06/2015 08:27

I actually thought people with blue badges could park on single yellow lines during restricted times but that nobody could park on double yellows.

Only1scoop · 07/06/2015 08:28

To be honest I would say where I live most double yellow lined areas would not be great for parking up in and getting 2 young dc out of the car.

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