Parking in Laybys on main roads. (1 Viewer)

[GWAYGWAY]

There has been an accident on the A2 at Boughton, when 3 men died and another was seriously injured when the BMW car they were in collided with the rear of an HGV parked in a layby. The driver of the truck was in the cab asleep when it happened but was arrested at the scene, for causing , Death by dangerous driving, later released on Police bail, under investigation. I do not know the complete details yet but it does not look good for him.. The authorities are having a real crackdown on the parked trucks in Kent and it looks like he will be the scapegoat for this. Quite how a car drives into the rear of a trailer at 04.30 in morning whilst parked in a layby I am nor sure. Just though that it might be because there was no kerb between the lorry and the carriageway, he is on the highway.
Those of us who have had to stop in places similar might care to think about that one.

 

[Lenny HB]

Probably got due to lighting laws, laybys are considered part of the highway. Outside a 30mph limit all vehicles must display parking lights inside 30mph limits all vehicles over 2.5t must display parking lights.

That means you can not park a Motorhome anywhere on the highway at night without lights.

 

[Two on Tour]

By law if you park in a layby at night you have to have a minimum of sidelights on all the time during the hour of darkness and travelling a lot down the A14 there are many car and lorry drivers that do not do this.

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[lindyloot]

Surely the laybys are there for emergencies/ breakdowns. HGV drives have to by law only drive for so long before they have to stop for a break/rest. If they have been held up on a delivery what do they do, stop in the middle of the road? no they use the layby if there is no service station or industrial estate . I would have thought the driver of the BMW would be at fault for undue care and attention. I hope the company who employ the lorry driver get behind him with a good solicitor

 

[Mr Chrysalis]

If a lay-by has a kerb between it and the highway, is it still classed as the highway? I try to only use lay-bys that have this separation but only really to protect me when I get out of the Hab door on right hand side.

 

[Two on Tour]

@Lenny HB is more accurate in his description than my loose try.

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[EX51SSS]

Probably got due to lighting laws laybys are considered part of the highway. Outside a 30mph limit all vehicles must display parking lights inside 30mph limits all vehicles over 2.5t must display parking lights.
That means you can not parkk a Motorhome anywhere on the highway at night without lights.

Doesn't mention weight on this one

 

[Two on Tour]

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[Dilbert]

There was a similar accident on the Newbury bypass a few years ago, they reckoned the car driver was following the kerb in the fog and the lay by was just short of a junction that he was due to turn off.pro drivers are arrested and bailed on the scene as a matter of course nowadays after a coach driver that rolled one over on the a36 into Bath causing a death flew back to Germany . If he had been arrested and bailed he would've had to stay in the UK.

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[EX51SSS]

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Yes, apologies as I misread. Looking outside 30 mph

 

[swanseajack13]

I would think unless there is a by law in that layby the lorry drive is ok like tosee where this one go's ray

 

[Two on Tour]

Yes, apologies as I misread. Looking outside 30 mph

No apology required or expected.

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[Barclaybasher]

I know we would all like more places to 'overnight' but we do it out of choice...

Lorry drivers need to stop, should have facilities but have to park where they can - scandalous and potentially dangerous - if the 'authorities' can't provide for the professionals we'll never get many 'aires'

 

[Lenny HB]

If a lay-by has a kerb between it and the highway, is it still classed as the highway?

Unless it is on private land, yes.

 

[Howard H]

Many years ago while asleep in a truck in a lay-by in the early hours of the morning I was awoken by the police banging on the door they demanded I switched my side lights on . I think they must have been having a quite night that was at least thirty years ago so I guess it’s always been the law .

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[Barclaybasher]

Remember when all parked cars used to have parking lights?

- a red/white light hung from the drivers window............every night, side street or anywhere

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Must say , I would never want to park up in a lay-by next to a road , to sleep. Couldn’t think of anything worse.
Though I’ve seen many lorries do it so I thought it was allowed.

 

[Derbyshire wanderer]

On a slightly different note. It never ceases to amaze me how many people drive about using parking lights/sidelights in low light or fog! Then again there are loads driving in these conditions with no lights.
It’s only when events like the OP happen that the authorities have an opportunity to attach blame to someone as there are no resources to address these offenders day to day.

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[GWAYGWAY]

Remember when all parked cars used to have parking lights?

- a red/white light hung from the divers window............every night, side street or anywhere

And a flat battery in the morning, every morning. LEDs would have been good then.

 

[EX51SSS]

Must say , I would never want to park up in a lay-by next to a road , to sleep. Couldn’t think of anything worse.
Though I’ve seen many lorries do it so I thought it was allowed.

It really is horrible. Strangely enough, it's white van man that has the worst effect on the wagon. Usually the speed they can rock the cab whereas a car usually doesn't (Chelsea tractors excepted) and wagons don't have the speed to do it.
However, I can understand why they park in laybys especially when some service areas (Cambridge) charges £32.00 for parking over 3 hours for ALL vehicles

 

[Silver-Fox]

Probably got due to lighting laws, laybys are considered part of the highway. Outside a 30mph limit all vehicles must display parking lights inside 30mph limits all vehicles over 2.5t must display parking lights.

That means you can not park a Motorhome anywhere on the highway at night without lights.

Heres an oddity I was told by a police officer some years ago, Clarification would be good if any one knows.

If you are stationary on the public highway and the engine is running you arnt parked.
Any ideas?

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[chaser]

Does this include lay-bys where it says parking where lorrys stop, with a double kerb.

 

[John Mee]

Does this apply to lay-bys that are separated from the road by grass/trees, often out of sight of the road. These are what I'd use and did when I fetched my MH from Scotland.

 

[Two on Tour]

Strangely enough, it's white van man that has the worst effect on the wagon.

Yup, we have found that as well that Tranny vans seem to have a hell of a bow wave and give us a shake as they go by.

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[Ivory55]

Does this apply to lay-bys that are separated from the road by grass/trees, often out of sight of the road. These are what I'd use and did when I fetched my MH from Scotland.

No

 

[Lenny HB]

Heres an oddity I was told by a police officer some years ago, Clarification would be good if any one knows.

If you are stationary on the public highway and the engine is running you arnt parked.
Any ideas?

Sounds right as you can be done for using a mobile phone with the engine runing.

 

[Glandwr]

Laybys that are identified by the blue "P" sign and that have notice of them given yards ahead surely can't be consided part of the highway, especially on those roads that used to be called clearways can they?

Dick

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

@EX51SSS I’d feel safer in a big wagon doing it . With all that at the back of you and so high up.
But why motorhomes choose to is beyond me. A lot sleep in the crumple zone as it is. Plus imagine a lorry veering to the side and hitting it ! You’d stand no chance.
No thanks.

 

[EX51SSS]

I’d feel safer in a big wagon doing it . With all that at the back of you and so high up.
But why motorhomes choose to is beyond me. A lot sleep in the crumple zone as it is. Plus imagine a lorry veering to the side and hitting it ! You’d stand no chance.
No thanks.

Don't forget, that's if it's a rear shunt. The fronts of most wagons are pretty flimsy.

 

[gus-lopez]

Probably got due to lighting laws, laybys are considered part of the highway. Outside a 30mph limit all vehicles must display parking lights inside 30mph limits all vehicles over 2.5t must display parking lights.

That means you can not park a Motorhome anywhere on the highway at night without lights.

Apart from mine

Heres an oddity I was told by a police officer some years ago, Clarification would be good if any one knows.

If you are stationary on the public highway and the engine is running you arnt parked.
Any ideas?

No you aren't. But also you cannot remain stationary for long without falling foul of the " cannot remain stationary with engine running " rules.

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