On May 25, 9:05 am, Michael <mkog...@rcn.com> wrote:
> I live in USA, Massachusetts.
> Which law(s) describe(s) where a road sign is effective?
>
> Until recently I assumed that the sign is valid from where the sign is
> placed until next intersection.
> Today I was told by a cop who ticketed me that the "No parking" sign
> is valid as long as it may be seen (I'e I cannot park if I see the
> sign ahead of me, even if there are none behind me). Is it bunch of
> baloney?
Doesn't make sense to me, the way you stated it, so I assume something is missing from your story. What if you had eagle vision? You couldn't park anywhere in town that was within a straight line view of the sign. Or if you had poor, nearsighted vision, you could park right up to a couple of feet away from the sign. And a sign without arrows, facing in the direction of oncoming traffic so it can be seen, generally applies to traffic moving in that direction from the point where the sign is planted, onwards; it doesn't apply _before_ you reach the sign.
That is true of speed limits, stop signs, etc. as well as "no parking" signs. Of course, to comply with a speed limit sign that reduces the limit from the previous section of road, you will have to begin slowing down to the new limit _before_ you reach the sign, otherwise you WILL be going over the limit _after_ you reach the sign. Many, but not all, jurisdictions require a helpful "reduced speed ahead" sign to warn you of an upcoming lower limit so you can begin slowing down in advance.
I dunno about your neighborhood, but everywhere I have lived, the "no parking" signs either (1) face oncoming traffic, so that they apply to an entire lot or street _ahead_ of the sign (e.g. a "no parking without permit" sign at the entrance to a parking lot reserved for those with the proper stickers, or a cul-de-sac reserved for residents) or, (2) for streetside parallel parking, the signs face 90 degrees to the direction of traffic and have ARROWS on them, indicating their effective direction, whether forward in your direction of travel, back the way you came from, or both ways (with a double-headed arrow). If it's one of those kind, maybe that's what the cop meant, i.e. if the sign says "no parking" anywhere to the east of that sign (indicated by an arrow on the sign, not in words), then you can't park anywhere east of that sign, on that side of the road, until you get to the sign that says "no parking west of this sign" which indicates the end of the no-parking zone, even if you can't see the sign at the far east end when you enter from the west. Or if the sign said "no parking" with a double-headed arrow, that means "no parking" as far as you can see in each direction, at least until you come to a single-arrow sign that marks one end or another of the no-parking zone, thus:
NO PARKING NO PARKING NO PARKING
--------> <---------> <--------
If you were parked anywhere near the middle sign, that is in fact one correct interpretation of what you quote the cop as saying. Maybe you could clarify what you meant, what the cop actually said, and what the signs actually show.. By all means, if you do decide to contest this ticket in court, you will want to bring photos of the actual signs to show the judge, if they don't do what you think the cop meant they do and if they reasonably led you to think that it was OK to park where you parked.
--
This posting is for discussion purposes, not professional advice.
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Mike Jacobs
LAW OFFICE OF W. MICHAEL JACOBS
10440 Little Patuxent Pkwy #300
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