Poppy Bilderbeck
A car expert has revealed a widely unknown parking rule which could result in drivers receiving a whopping £1,000 fine.
Now, it's hard enough parking your car as it is without also having to stress out about the possibility of getting a fine.
While I'm a dab hand at bay parking, parallel parking is the cause of much anxiety. After a few years of having not driven, quite frankly, I'd rather drive around the block for hours loitering around so I can easily cruise into a space, opposed to having to try and twist and turn my way into a tiny spot in-between two other vehicles.
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And it only gets worse. Apparently you don't just have to focus on actually manoeuvring your car into a space, but you also have to seriously consider what direction you should be pointing in when parking.
Christian Williams, who is a presenter for car competition company BOTB, has spoken out about a common law that many drivers have never heard about before.
He told The Sun: "Many of the laws surrounding UK driving are understood by most road users and wouldn't present much of a problem.
"But what catches drivers out are the less common laws - these are the ones that you likely don't think about when behind the wheel."
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But why and in what circumstances should you park your car in a specific direction? And how do you know which direction to park in?
In the Highway Code of Conduct, the rule comes in at number 248.
It reads: "You MUST NOT park on a road at night facing against the direction of the traffic flow unless in a recognised parking space."
And the reason behind it?
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Well, a Scrap Car Comparison spokesperson explained: "Motors parked the correct way would be visible and illuminated by headlights bouncing off the rear reflectors."
So, if you don't obey the rule, it could set you back a minimum of £1,000. And if you're the owner of an eight-people passenger or goods vehicle, this sum could rise to a mega £2,500.
The Scrap Car Comparison spokesperson even noted: "We've dealt with cars that have been written-off due to a passing car crashing into them as they have partly stuck out from a parking space."
So, it's a handy rule to know.
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Rule 248 is one of many laws mentioned in the Highway Code, which have only recently been realised by some drivers.
And while you think the laws would be spoken about more in a bid to make sure more people obey them, perhaps you simply need to dust off your copy of the code and refresh your memory before you next hop behind the wheel.