Saturday Parking With a Hydrant, Yellow Curb, and Railroad Crossing
It is Saturday at 10:15 a.m. You are in a small business district and want to park for 20 minutes to pick up a prescription. You find a curb space with a sign: 'NO PARKING 8 AM–6 PM MON–FRI.' The curb is painted yellow for about 20 feet near the corner. A fire hydrant is 8 feet from the rear of the open space. A private driveway is 6 feet from the front of the space. A railroad crossing is 55 feet behind you. The space is just long enough for your 16-foot car. A bus stop sign is on the next block. You consider stopping in the space and leaving the engine running while a passenger runs in. What do you do?
1. Does the weekday no-parking sign allow you to park there on Saturday, and what other restrictions apply?
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The weekday sign does not prohibit parking on Saturday, but it is not the only rule. The yellow curb is a no-parking marking regardless of the sign; yellow means stop only briefly for loading or passengers, not leave the car. The hydrant 8 feet from the rear is inside the 10-foot fire-hydrant limit, so you cannot park there. The driveway is too close as well; blocking or crowding a driveway is illegal and unsafe. The railroad crossing 55 feet behind is outside the 50-foot crossing limit, but you should still keep clear. Because the space fails the hydrant and yellow-curb checks, you should find another space.
2. Can you stop briefly with the engine running to let a passenger run in, instead of parking?
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Stopping briefly is not a loophole for a space that is unsafe or marked no-parking. Standing or stopping is still prohibited within 10 feet of a fire hydrant in most NJ municipalities, and you cannot block a driveway. The yellow curb also restricts stopping. Even if a passenger stays with the car, the hydrant clearance is about fire access, not convenience. If you only need to drop someone off, choose a legal loading zone or curb without a hydrant, driveway, or yellow marking. Leaving the engine running does not change the restriction and invites a ticket or a rushed, unsafe departure.
3. What should you check before pulling away from any legal space near this railroad crossing?
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Before pulling out, check mirrors and blind spots, signal, and look for cyclists and pedestrians. Because the railroad crossing is 55 feet behind, do not back up toward it or stop on the tracks; if traffic is queued ahead, wait before entering the crossing so you do not get trapped. At the crossing itself, obey flashing lights, bells, and gates; never go around a lowered gate. If your car stalls on the tracks, get everyone out and move away from the tracks before calling for help. The parking decision and the crossing decision are linked by the need to keep escape space.