Is it allowed to cross the left dashed line during parallel parking?

[Reyn]

Before the vehicle is properly parked, it is permissible to cross the left dashed line, but once parked, crossing the line is no longer allowed. Below are some tips for the parallel parking test in Subject 2 of the driving exam: Starting: After getting into the car, first adjust the seat and fasten the seatbelt—this is essential for every test. Adjust both side mirrors so that about a quarter of the inner part of the mirrors shows the car body. Positioning: Start with the half-clutch method, and if confident, you can gently press the accelerator. Follow the principle of 'press clutch, shift gear, signal, honk, and check surroundings' when starting. Park the car parallel to the parking space, 30-50 cm away, with the rear of the car passing the frontmost pole. Reversing: Shift into reverse gear, start with the half-clutch method, and control the speed. Turn your body to the right and look at the lower rear corner of the right door window. When the first pole appears, quickly turn the steering wheel to the right all the way while moving slowly. Then look at the left side mirror; when the second pole (diagonal to the first pole) appears, stabilize the speed and quickly turn the wheel two turns to the left. While turning the wheel back, start watching the right side mirror for positioning. When the base of the mirror passes the first pole, quickly turn the steering wheel all the way to the left. (Note: After identifying each turning point and starting to turn, immediately look for the next one.) Watch the front of the car and stop when the car body is aligned. If required to straighten the front wheels, do so quickly when the car body is almost aligned. Exiting: Shift into first gear, signal left, honk, and start slowly using the half-clutch method. Quickly turn the wheel to the left when starting, and as the right front corner of the car passes the pole, turn the wheel two turns to the right. After the third turn, adjust the speed and amount of turning based on the distance to the right pole. Look ahead and straighten the front wheels when the car is almost aligned to drive straight.

[AmirAnn]

I often encounter this situation when commuting by car. Whether parking on the side of the road in the city and touching the dashed line is considered a violation depends on the specific city regulations. Taking our area as an example, traffic police mainly check illegal parking based on two criteria: whether the vehicle is completely within the parking space and whether the car is parked in the wrong direction. Occasionally, if the wheels touch the white dashed line, a ticket is usually not issued. However, traffic regulations clearly state that after parking, the vehicle must not affect the passage of other vehicles or pedestrians. For example, if your rear wheel touches the line, forcing an electric bike to detour into the motor vehicle lane, it is considered illegal. The safest way is, of course, to park within the marked lines. If the space is really tight, it's better to have the front of the car slightly protruding by a dozen centimeters than to affect the safety of side passage.

[DelCharlotte]

We veteran taxi drivers with over 20 years of experience all know that whether to park with wheels on the line depends on the location. In old residential areas or narrow roadside temporary stops, it's common to park with wheels on the dashed line. But pay special attention to three situations where you should never park on the line: first, the yellow marked zones near school and hospital entrances; second, parking spaces with payment poles; third, locations where the markings are blurred and hard to see on rainy days. Once I saw a rookie parked on the line near a crosswalk and got ticketed for a traffic violation. For beginners, I recommend finding a reference point - when the front passenger seat aligns with the rear of the car in front, turn the steering wheel fully to the right. At this point, the rear of your car naturally forms a 45-degree angle with the sideline, making it almost impossible to park on the line.