When you want to grab a cup of coffee on the go, you might run into a situation where the signs along the curb are really confusing.
Have you ever been directed to do something by a sign, but you weren’t sure how to do it? Drivers who are unfamiliar with them may be confused by signs that read “No Standing Anytime,” as they frequently think that by staying in the car they can avoid getting a ticket for parking in a prohibited area. In no-standing zones, however, this is not the case.
If it says “no standing,” you can drop off or pick up passengers but not park or load or unload merchandise.
Table of Contents
Definition Of “No Standing”
In New York City’s legal codes, standing is defined as:
(1) Stopping a vehicle, whether or not it is occupied
(2) Permanently or momentarily
(3) While it is actually being used to pick up or drop off passengers
In other words, even if the driver stays inside the vehicle and the engine is running, stopping a car in a no-standing zone is illegal. You run the risk of getting a ticket if you stop in one of these areas, even to wait for someone or send a text.
No standing signs usually mean you can drop people off or pick them up, but you still can’t load or unload things from cars or trucks.
Other Signs
No Parking
The definition of “park” or “parking” is fairly straightforward: we park our cars, turn them off, and leave them there for a while. According to VTL, section 129, a park or parking is: “the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily, for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading merchandise or passengers.”
The implication of this “No Parking” sign is that while one can load and unload cargo and let people out of the car, one cannot wait or park there. “The key phrase for this sign, which urges drivers to maintain motion, is “drop-off.”
No Stopping
The most stringent definition of the three terms is now revealed. The term “stop” or “stopping” refers to stopping along a street rather than stopping for a stop sign or traffic signal in this context. Section 147 of the VTL defines stop or stopping as “any halting even momentarily of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except where necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic control sign or signal.”
A warning sign that says “No Stopping” makes it clear that stopping is not permitted for any reason. Unless a police officer stops a driver or the driver needs to obey a traffic rule, a driver cannot stop when this sign is posted.
Detailed Signs
Undoubtedly, the city is full of additional parking restriction signs, many of which are even more perplexing and conditionally restrictive. As an illustration, consider the sign that states, “No Standing Except for Commercial Vehicles, Metered Parking, 3 Hour Limit, 10 am to 4 pm, Except Sunday.” These types of signs contain a lot of information, so it may take a few readings to comprehend the limitations on a specific day and time.
When you see a sign on a street block, it typically refers to the entire block unless another sign indicates an exempt area. All five boroughs of New York have different parking fees, and parking times range from one hour to 12 hours. Before leaving your car, always carefully check the parking signs. Also, keep in mind that Sundays are meter-free days.
Conclusion
Signs that read “No Standing,” “No Parking,” and “No Stopping” all mean the same thing with a small variation. It is only possible to stop for two minutes or less due to the brief wait at No Standing or No Parking Signs. Any additional time spent parking could result in a heavy fine. In New York, disobeying a no-stopping and no standing sign will result in a $115 fine, while parking in a no-parking zone will typically cost you $100. State-by-state variations exist in these fines.
