Road Rules: Parking in the center turn lane

Question: I often see trucks parked in the center turn lane and unloading cargo. I also see truck trailers parked in the center turn lane in rural areas after unloading heavy equipment. What are the rules? Can just anyone park in a center turn lane and conduct business or unload items?

Answer: A thought popped into my head when I read the last part of your question. Imagine if this went beyond deliveries, and guerrilla food trucks started conducting business in center turn lanes, with pedestrians darting across the road for their burger or burrito. Or maybe the cook tosses your food to you from across the lane, like the Pike Place Market fishmongers.

But that’s not what you’re asking about. And the law is clear: “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 righthand curb or as close as practicable to the right edge of the righthand shoulder.” If you’re parked more than a foot away from the curb, you’ve violated the law.

The trickier question is, “What should we do about it?”

It’s not just the big semis. I live on a street that has angle parking down both sides. Any delivery vehicle bigger than the mail carrier truck stops in the road to deliver packages. It’s a violation of