Is it allowed to park facing the wrong way?

Apparently, parking against the flow of traffic is quite common in big cities, but is it allowed? Parking against the direction of travel can lead to financial penalties, because the General Traffic Regulation establishes that it is “prohibited to drive in the opposite direction to the flow of traffic, regardless of the distance”.

Article 90 of the General Traffic Regulation, which refers to stopping and parking, states that “when this must be done on the carriageway or the hard shoulder in urban roads, the vehicle shall be placed as close as possible to its right-hand edge, except on one-way roads, where it may also be placed on the left-hand side”.

Is it allowed to park facing against the direction of travel?

The answer is simple and it is no, if you intend to park at that very moment while invading the opposite lane. The penalties you face are significant. For parking in the wrong direction you can be fined up to 200 euros, but this can increase due to factors such as solid lines, obstructing traffic, recklessness, etc. If officers catch you parking against the flow of traffic, the fine could rise to 500 euros and the loss of six points on your driving licence. This could even be considered reckless driving.

Also, remember that even if you think no authority officer has seen you, when you return you may find a penalty notice on the windscreen or, worse still, you may receive it at your home by post. However, if you find a fine on your car you could appeal it, because the officers did not witness the manoeuvre being carried out. According to some experts, in that case the officers lose the so-called “presumption of veracity”. But be careful, do not celebrate too soon, because if they produce photographic evidence, you will not be able to appeal the loss of points.

We know how difficult it is to find a parking space in big cities, but we recommend that you summon patience before attempting a manoeuvre of this kind. Another manoeuvre often carried out to avoid these penalties is making a U-turn to park facing the direction of travel. Be very careful, because this also carries a fine for reckless driving.

It is worth mentioning that, given the current traffic situation, parking against the flow of traffic has become a common practice and officers tend to overlook it, but it is advisable not to engage in these practices, since if you are seen, you may well be fined, and rightly so.