Parking Lights

[picker]

is it legal in UK to park at night with one side front & rear lights on.savepower!!

[sir.prize]

I cannot remember the last time I saw a car parked at night showing any lights.

[Electrochem]

If it is a road where you need to have lights on when parked, for example a road with a speed limit above 30 mph - and it doesn't matter if there are street lights or not - you need to have both sides on.

[beegeebee]

Thought that only applied if the speed limit on that road was 40mph or higher? Must also be parked facing the direction of traffic i.e. passenger door is kerbside.

[Baldric]

https://www.gov.uk/waiting-and-parking/parking-at-night-248-to-252

[picker]

MY NEW CORSA CAR HAS THE POSSIBILITY TO PUT ON ONE SIDE FRONT AND REAR PARKING LIGHTS.IN THE DRIVERS MANUAL.I DID THIS TONIGHT IN A DARK 30 mph ROAD AND THE POLICE APPROACHED ME AND SAID HAVE I A PROBLEM AS ONLY ONE SIDE WAS ON. wHO IS LEGALLY CORRECT.

[Buenchico]

" . . . no person shall–
(a)use, or cause or permit to be used, on a road any vehicle which is in motion–
(i)between sunset and sunrise, or
(ii)in seriously reduced visibility between sunrise and sunset; or
(b)allow to remain at rest, or cause or permit to be allowed to remain at rest, on a road any vehicle between sunset and sunrise
unless every front position lamp, rear position lamp, rear registration plate lamp, side marker lamp and end-outline marker lamp with which the vehicle is required by these Regulations to be fitted is kept lit and unobscured"
- Section 24, the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989.

The use of the word 'every' seems to make it clear that the use of lights on just one side of the vehicle does not meet the legal requirements.

[Electrochem]

See my answer and the one from Buenichico

[picker]

Thanks.Why do Vauxhall put this system on their cars and in the manual.

[Buenchico]

Probably because the cars are made for sale and use in many countries. There may well be some countries where the use of off-side lighting at night is not only acceptable but obligatory.