I have a simple question, is it legal to double-park in the right travel lane on Main Street in Danbury?

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It's a serious question and I'm asking it for a good reason, everyday there are a large number of people parking their cars in the right travel lane on Main Street and no one seems to care.

I looked up the municipal code and I think I identified the one we need to reference.

Is it legal to double-park in the right travel lane on Main Street in Danbury?

Sec. 46-118. - Obstructing streets, intersections

No vehicle shall be permitted to remain upon the traveled portion of any highway except upon the right-hand side of such highway in the direction in which such vehicle is headed; and, if such highway is curbed, such vehicle shall be so placed that its right-hand wheels, when stationary, shall, when safety will permit, be within a distance of twelve (12) inches from the curb. No vehicle shall be permitted to remain parked within twenty-five (25) feet of an intersection or a marked crosswalk thereat, or within twenty-five (25) feet of a stop sign caused to be erected by the traffic authority in accordance with the provisions of C.G.S. § 14-301. No vehicle shall be permitted to remain stationary upon the traveled portion of any highway at any curve or turn or at the top of any grade where a clear view of such vehicle may not be had from a distance of at least one hundred and fifty (150) feet in either direction. No vehicle shall be permitted to remain stationary upon the traveled portion of any highway within fifty (50) feet of the point where another vehicle, which had previously stopped, continues to remain stationary on the opposite side of the traveled portion of the same highway. No vehicle shall be permitted to remain stationary within the limits of a public highway in such a manner as to constitute a traffic hazard or obstruct the free movement of traffic thereon, provided a vehicle which has become disabled to such an extent that it is impossible or impracticable to remove it may be permitted to so remain for a reasonable time for the purpose of making repairs thereto or of obtaining sufficient assistance to remove it. Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to emergency vehicles and to maintenance vehicles displaying flashing lights or to prohibit a vehicle from stopping, or being held stationary by any officer, in an emergency to avoid accident or to give a right-of-way to any vehicle or pedestrian.(Code 1925, § 239(9); Code 1961, § 19-32)State Law reference— Similar provisions, C.G.S. § 14-251.

Lou Milano
Lou Milano
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Now, I'm no lawyer but if I'm reading this right it says you cannot park a vehicle in any travel lane unless you're operating an emergency vehicle during an emergency. So, what gives here? If I am wrong, if I'm reading it wrong please someone tell me so I can move already.

Photo: Lou Milano
Photo: Lou Milano
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Here is why I'm continually making a big deal out of this, it makes traveling down Main Street so much more dangerous than it needs to be. You have a ton of unnatural merging going on, last minute maneuvers and it creates blind spots. You have pedestrians popping up in the street from behind parked cars on a regular basis.

Some of the folks doing this are getting their kids from school and have nowhere else to park, some are delivery people who have nowhere else to park but there is so much more going on than just that. A huge number of the cars are simply parked IN THE ROAD so they don't have to walk too far.

Lou Milano
Lou Milano
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Some people don't care but I live down there, I encounter it every day and I don't want someone getting hurt. I don't want to smack up my car, I don't want anyone else to smack up their vehicle. If it were just the double-parking I probably wouldn't say anything but it is already an aggressive driving area. I don't know why people feel the need to run red lights, drive on sidewalks or drive the wrong way down one-way streets but they do.

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