Can You Cross the Dotted Line During Parallel Parking?
4 Answers
Parallel parking should not involve crossing the dotted line. Here are some additional details: 1. Key points for parallel parking: The parking space boundaries are now marked solely by ground lines instead of poles. For those obtaining a C1 driver's license, the length of the parallel parking space is 1.5 times the vehicle length plus 1 meter. Drive the vehicle parallel to the parking space, then reverse into the space without any pauses. As long as the vehicle is parked within the boundary lines, it is considered a pass. 2. Grading criteria: If the vehicle body crosses the line after stopping, 100 points are deducted. If the wheels touch the lane boundary lines during movement, 10 points are deducted. Failure to park within the space results in a 100-point deduction. Not using the left turn signal when starting incurs a 10-point deduction. Pausing during the maneuver leads to a 100-point deduction. The new regulation's challenge: No poles for reference and no pauses allowed.
I think whether it's acceptable to park over the dashed line during parallel parking depends on the situation. During driving tests, you absolutely cannot touch the line—even the slightest contact with the dashed line can result in immediate failure. Just last week, two students at our driving school failed because of this. However, in daily parking situations, like squeezing into tight spots in old residential areas, slightly overlapping the wheel with the edge of the dashed line usually isn't a big deal, as long as you don't block others' lanes. But be warned: parking over the line increases the risk of side mirrors getting clipped by passing cars—that's exactly how my Ford Focus' mirror got scratched. The best solution is to master one-try parking techniques. My method of aligning the side mirror with the taillight of the front car works like a charm.
Bro, let me be honest with you, I've been driving a taxi for ten years and have crossed countless dashed lines. During the morning rush, who has time to worry about these things? But it depends on the location: in strictly enforced areas, those electronic eyes are specifically set up to capture line crossings. A colleague of mine got caught once—3 points and a 200-yuan fine. In regular residential areas, as long as you're not blocking fire lanes, it's usually not a big deal. The key is to make sure your rear end doesn't swing out of the line and affect the main road. Keeping your front wheels within 20 centimeters of the curb is the safest bet. If you're a new driver and not confident, I suggest getting out to take a look and make slight adjustments. Don't be like that Mercedes last week that stubbornly crossed the line and scraped a delivery tricycle.
From a traffic safety perspective, long-term parking with tires on the dashed line poses significant risks. Having your tires on the line causes part of the vehicle body to protrude, making it particularly vulnerable to side-swiping accidents at night – I've personally witnessed three such incidents. In driving tests, any tire contact with lane markings results in automatic failure, and in actual law enforcement, parking with tires on dashed lines is sometimes penalized as illegal parking in certain areas. Even worse is curb rash damaging your alloy wheels – my newly replaced rims were ruined this way. It's advisable to develop the habit of checking 360-degree cameras when reversing. If you do end up on the line, don't panic – just pull forward half a meter and readjust your position.
