A tempting gap at a yellow curb near a mosque
At 12:20 on Friday you are looking for a space near a mosque. The street has a yellow-painted curb, a sign reading No parking 7:00–13:00 with an arrow pointing both ways, a private driveway, and a fire hydrant. The only gap is 5 m from the corner and 3 m from the hydrant. A driver in a delivery van has stopped in the gap with hazard lights on and is carrying boxes. You need to drop off an elderly passenger who cannot walk far, and you plan to wait 10 minutes. A traffic warden is 40 m away. The mosque car park is full, and the next legal bay is 250 m away. It is prayer time and the street is busy.
1. Can you stop in the gap to drop off the passenger? Explain each restriction.
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No. The yellow curb and the 7:00–13:00 sign prohibit parking in the stated window, and dropping off an elderly passenger is still stopping. The 5 m gap from the corner is too close: it blocks sight lines for turning drivers and can obstruct the junction. The 3 m gap from the hydrant blocks fire access; hydrants need clear space. The private driveway must also stay clear. Hazard lights do not convert a prohibited stop into a legal one. Use the next legal bay 250 m away, or the mosque car park if a space frees up, and assist the passenger from there. The warden's presence is a warning, not the reason for the rule.
2. The delivery van is stopped with hazards. Does that make the space legal for you?
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The delivery van's hazard lights do not make the space legal. Another driver's illegal stop does not create an exemption for you, and a warden can require both vehicles to move. The van may also pull away while you are alongside, creating a conflict. Do not queue in the prohibited zone waiting for it. If you need to speak to the driver, do so from a legal position; otherwise continue to the legal bay. The safe and lawful choice is to keep the hydrant, corner and driveway clear.
3. What lawful options do you have for the elderly passenger?
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Move to the legal bay 250 m away and walk with the passenger, or ask mosque staff for assistance. If there is a lawful drop-off point at the entrance, use it only if signs and markings allow stopping, and do not leave the vehicle unattended in a prohibited zone. A short wait in the car does not change the restriction. Do not stop on the yellow curb, across the driveway, or within the hydrant clearance just because the passenger cannot walk far; the restriction protects access for emergency vehicles and visibility for everyone. Plan the extra few minutes.