Stopped on a double yellow

[PuncturedBicyclette]

DS usually walks to school. Today it was chucking it down, so I drove him. Stopped briefly on double yellows outside the school. NOT on the zigzags. No kerb markings or other signs. As far as I know it's fine to stop (not park) on a double yellow, to let passengers out.

Was there 30 seconds. Stopped, DS got out, I left.

As I was pulling back out, man on bike shouts through my window "Do you know it's f*ing double yellows?". I reply "Yes thank you, I was letting a passenger out". He swears at me again and cycles off.

I'm not doing any thing wrong, am I?

You are not supposed to stop on double yellow lines!

Hence the double lines for emphasis!

I'm not doing any thing wrong, am I?

Nobody is quite so stupid.

"Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, unless there are signs that specifically indicate seasonal restrictions."

Brush up on your highway code https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/waiting-and-parking-238-to-252

People ignoring double yellow lines is a particular bugbear of mine! "I was only stopped for thirty seconds" - if everyone thought like that, and stopped wherever they liked just for a minute, just to pop in and get a coffee, to make a delivery, whatever, roads would be even more chaotic than they already are.

My initial thought was yes you are but after googling it seems you can stop to let passengers out or unload goods if there are no signs prohibiting this - maybe, like me, the man wasn't aware of this rule.

I assume you're on the wind up? You can't stop on yellows. Imagine if every school parent did that? (Not a stretch at our local school)

Another point, how close were you to a bike that he could yell through your window?

Well thanks everyone for your insults. Have you actually read the highway code?

Waiting restrictions indicated by yellow lines apply to the carriageway, pavement and verge. You may stop to load or unload (unless there are also loading restrictions as described below) or while passengers board or alight

Yeah you are in the wrong but I think you know by now 😂

I initially thought double yellows meant no stopping but after googling it seems you can pick up/drop off passengers on double yellows.

Highlighted the wrong bit:

Waiting restrictions indicated by yellow lines apply to the carriageway, pavement and verge. You may stop to load or unload (unless there are also loading restrictions as described below) or while passengers board or alight

If you are that convinced, why are you asking if you have done something wrong?

You are right, you are allowed to stop to drop passengers off on double yellow lines (unless there are also kerb markings.)

From the highway code:
Waiting restrictions indicated by yellow lines apply to the carriageway, pavement and verge. You may stop to load or unload (unless there are also loading restrictions as described below) or while passengers board or alight. Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time, unless there are signs that specifically indicate seasonal restrictions.

You can stop on double yellows to let a passenger out. You can also load/unload a commercial vehicle. You just can’t park or “wait”. But most people don’t know this and will get stroppy with you for not following their erroneous interpretation of the rules.

Maybe you need to brush up?

Is it safe to be dropping off in the rain right outside of school? I'd probably think not because it's likely to obstruct the view of people crossing to get to the school.

You can wait on single yellows, subject to restrictions.

You must not wait at any point on double yellows.

Yeah you are in the wrong but I think you know by now

Other than the fact that she’s in the right!

Because, even though I have done something I think is OK, everyone things it's not, which includes swearing at me through my car window in front of other other DS.

"thinks"

When you say "I wasn't doing anything wrong", do you mean "well it's not illegal so therefore it must be fine"? It's possible for something to be both legal, and inconvenient, annoying, or dangerous for other road users, for example cyclists whose path is blocked and who now have to pull out into traffic to go round you. Putting other road users in danger is, indeed, perfectly legal, so well done you.

If there’s no other restriction signs yes you can stop to let a passenger out. Hopefully most of the posters on here don’t have a driving licence (and cyclists don’t need to pass any test!)

Unfortunately she's not. Double yellows mean no waiting at any time. Single yellows mean you can drop people off / load or unload etc subject to restrictions.

The link posted means you can unload for single yellows. It says no stopping at any time on double yellows.

YANBU, as long as you didn't cause a significant obstruction when you stopped. Some other posters need to take their own advice and read the Highway Code.

Here's a summary from the AA (not the highway code, but a pretty respectable source):

"A 'no waiting' or 'no parking' sign lets a driver stop temporarily, maybe to let out a passenger or unload some goods, but you can't linger there.

• A 'no waiting' sign with a single yellow line means you can't wait there during the times shown on the sign.
• 'No waiting' with double yellow lines means no waiting or parking at any time, unless there are exceptions listed on nearby signs."

Source: https://www.theaa.com/driving-advice/legal/parking-guide-yellow-lines

I just looked it up, and turns out you can stop to let passengers in/out on double yellows... So you are right OP! From what I've read the only exception is if there are restriction signs or kerb markings:

"These exceptions won't always apply though, so check for local signs or kerb edge markings. If there are pairs of short yellow lines over the kerb edge you're not allowed to load at any time."

www.theaa.com/driving-advice/legal/parking-guide-yellow-lines

So worth checking if there are these markings on the kerbs outside the school, otherwise its fine!

You can stop on double yellows briefly to pick up/drop off a passenger or if continuously loading/unloading.
You can’t wait on double yellows.