To improve the comfort of travel on public transport, legislation provides benefits for buses and minibuses in some parts of the road. For example, in large cities, separate lanes are allocated for public transport, in which other drivers are prohibited from moving. In addition, at all public transport stops there are restrictions on the movement of other cars. From this article you will learn under what conditions drivers can stop and park at bus stops.
Is it possible to stop at a public transport stop?
Before examining cases when it is possible and impossible to be in a public transport stop zone, it is necessary to define the terms used:
- Stop – cessation of movement lasting less than 5 minutes, or associated with loading/unloading a vehicle, boarding/disembarking people.
- Parking/parking – stopping movement for more than 5 minutes, not suitable for other stopping conditions.
It is also necessary to establish what exactly is recognized as a public transport stop. This zone can be marked with a yellow broken line marking (in traffic regulations it is numbered 1.17) or simply with sign 5.16 - a black silhouette of a bus or tram in a white square on a blue background.
Is stopping allowed?
The entire list of circumstances that may prohibit stopping is in paragraph 12.4 of the traffic rules. Among them there are also stopping places for route vehicles. The rules say that drivers are prohibited from stopping not only directly at the public transport stop, but also within a radius of 15 m from them in both directions. The boundaries of the stop must be considered the boundaries of marking 1.17 or the location of the sign 5.16 - another 15 meters must be measured from them.
But the same paragraph of the traffic rules also provides an exception to this regulation: any driver can stop at a bus stop under 2 conditions:
- he needs to pick up or drop off a passenger;
- a stopped car does not interfere with route vehicles.
Is parking allowed?
There is no clause in the traffic rules that would specifically indicate that parking is prohibited at public transport stops. But in paragraph 12.5 of the traffic rules there is a remark that parking is prohibited in any places where stopping is prohibited. Consequently, parking at a bus stop is prohibited, since the conditions when stopping at them are permitted are an exception to the rule, and not the rule itself.
In what cases can you park a car at a public transport stop?
Is stopping at a bus stop allowed (can you stop) to drop off passengers? Although the city stop is intended for municipal transport, you can also see ordinary cars there that are not violators. The fact is that the traffic rules ( clause 12.4 ) note a nuance that in some cases allows you to stop at a specified place.
Such cases include:
- Passenger boarding or disembarking no more than 5 minutes );
- Loading or unloading something ( no more than 5 minutes ).
But provided that the stopped car does not interfere with public transport .
Exceptions to the rules also include unforeseen emergency “braking” , provoked by a car breakdown, an accident that occurred at a traffic stop, poor health of the driver or the danger of the transported cargo.
In this case, the driver must eliminate the cause as soon as possible by displaying a warning triangle . And then free up the city stop for the unhindered movement of public transport.
In other cases, the maneuver is prohibited.
REFERENCE The conditions are easy to remember if you look at the definition of the term “ stop ”, which means the forced braking of a car for the purpose of boarding or disembarking a fellow traveler , loading or unloading something, but with time limits - no more than 5 minutes .
If we are talking about such “braking” at a public stop , we must not forget about the main condition - the free movement of municipal transport and the safety of the people waiting for it .
WARNING Also, remember to pay attention to the signs. If at a stop there is a sign 3.27 and continuous markings , the maneuver in any case unacceptable (is it possible to stand under sign 6.4 with a sign 8.17 and what is the fine for stopping in such preferential parking zones?).
What if the stop is forced?
Traffic regulations provide for situations where a driver may be forced to stop against his will and the rules themselves. For example, if a car malfunction occurs that prevents safe movement on the road, if the health of the driver or passenger seriously deteriorates, if necessary, to avoid an emergency. Any of these reasons makes the stop forced, which means that it should not be punished, even if it was made in violation of traffic rules.
However, in practice, not everything is so simple: in order for a stop to be legally recognized as forced, other conditions must be met: hazard lights are turned on, an emergency stop sign is displayed. In this case, the driver will not be punished, even if his car interferes with the passage of other vehicles. If the driver decides to turn on only the emergency lights, without placing the required sign behind the car, then the stop will not be recognized as forced, which means they will issue a fine, which will be quite difficult to challenge.
Is it possible?
Clause 12.4 of the current Rules clearly states that parking of any non-route vehicles within the bus stop is prohibited. In turn, clause 12.5 prohibits parking in any place where stopping traffic is prohibited. Therefore, you cannot park at the bus stop.
At the same time, stopping movement closer than 15 meters to the parking area of minibuses is a violation of traffic rules. The distance count starts either from the corresponding marking or from the point where sign 5.16 is placed. It is necessary to pay attention to this fact. If a bus stop, even one equipped with a special canopy, lacks this sign, stopping traffic there will not be considered a violation. It is incorrect to measure the distance from any point other than a special marking or corresponding sign.
What is the fine for stopping or parking near a bus stop?
Responsibility for stopping with traffic violations is enshrined in Art. 12.19 Code of Administrative Offences.
In the described case, it is necessary to consider 3 of its points:
- clause 3.1 – stopping closer than 15m from a bus stop is punishable by a fine of 1000 rubles.
- clause 4 – stopping on the road that interferes with other road users will result in a fine of 2,000 rubles.
- clause 6 - the same violations committed in Moscow or St. Petersburg are punished a little more severely - a fine of 3,000 rubles.
In addition to a fine, drivers who leave their cars at a bus stop will face an even bigger problem - having their car towed. At the same time, if a tow truck with a loaded car has already started moving, then the violator can only resign himself and subsequently pay the fine, the services of the tow truck, and the maintenance of the car in the impound lot.
Fine
What fine is possible for stopping (parking) at a bus stop? Is there a fine for parking at a bus stop? If the driver violated the rules of “braking” at a city transport stop, then his actions fall under Article 12.19 of the Code of Administrative Offences . That is, he faces financial penalties. There can be two cases:
- parking without creating interference ( part 3.1 ) – 1 thousand rubles ;
- parking with interference ( part 4 ) – 2 thousand rubles .
Here you will find information about other fines for traffic violations.
REFERENCE
For violators in Moscow and St. Petersburg, the fine amount is greater for both cases ( part 6 ) - 3 thousand rubles . This is due to the large population of these megacities, as well as their road statistics.
In addition, the “malicious” car may be sent to the impound lot . Then the driver will have to fork out more money for transportation and storage of the carelessly abandoned iron horse.
But if you happen to be near the car , then the tow truck can be legally sent away , since you have the right to immediately eliminate the offense , but a penalty still be imposed .
What to do if a fine is issued?
A fine for stopping at a bus stop can be issued by both an inspector and an automatic camera for recording violations. If an employee of the State Traffic Inspectorate does this personally, and the driver is confident that he is right (for example, when the car is 15 meters from the stop or when the driver slowed down to pick up a passenger), then the motorist can try to convince the inspector that there is no violation on the spot. This will be the simplest solution to the problem, since appealing a fine to the traffic police or court is much more difficult.
If the driver agrees with the punishment, he must pay the fine within 60 days, 20 of which a 50% discount will apply. After 60 days, the amount of the fine may double in accordance with Article 20.25 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
What to do if the inspector issues a fine?
If you happen to stop or park in violation of the rules, a traffic police inspector may approach the driver to issue a fine. What to do in this situation? The driver has two options: pay the fine or try to appeal the inspector’s decision.
Payment of the penalty
If it is not possible to prove that the stop occurred for a good reason (and this will have to be proven; police representatives reasonably do not trust words), a fine will be issued. A representative of the traffic police will draw up a report on the offense and support the document with the testimony of witnesses. The imposed fine will need to be paid in accordance with the procedure established by law within two calendar months. The sixty-day period starts 10 days after the offender receives the official notification. If the driver has the opportunity to pay the fine within 20 days from the date of the offense, the amount will be halved (Part 1.3 of Article 32.2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation).
Please note that evading payment of an administrative fine within a certain time frame is another offense that will entail additional sanctions.
If the fine is not paid on time, the unscrupulous road user will have to (by court decision):
- pay double the fine;
- fall under administrative arrest (for up to 15 days);
- perform forced labor (within 50 hours).
Appeal against the decision
If the driver is sure that there were good reasons for stopping or parking, you can appeal the decision of the traffic police representative in court yourself or involve a car lawyer.
The possibility of appeal is provided for in Chapter 30 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation. To file a complaint with the court, a period of 10 days has been allocated from the date of registration of the offense, in accordance with Part 1 of Art. 30.3 Code of Administrative Offences.
The plaintiff needs to collect evidence of his own innocence (photos of the stop from different angles, confirmation of the presence or absence of important road signs, witness testimony). The protocol drawn up by the inspector is also carefully checked for any shortcomings.
If the driver insists that the reason for the stop was poor health, the appeal will need to be supported by a medical certificate: in such situations, an ambulance team is called to the scene of the incident, which leaves written confirmation of the assistance provided to the driver.
The application to the court is supported by a copy of the decision, examination, as well as photographs and videos from the registrar.
The law prohibits drivers from stopping and parking at bus, trolleybus and tram stops. The driver must have compelling reasons to interfere with the smooth operation of public transport. All exceptions are described in the Rules of the Road and must be supported by irrefutable evidence. Otherwise, the violator will face an administrative fine.
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