Parking Spaces a Convenience to Motorists.

—The figures above show several methods for parking. Spaces in front of fire hydrants and certain building entrances, at crossings, and street car stops are usually marked with no-parking signs and the curb painted a distinctive color. There may be other places where general parking and unlimited time may be allowed. If these spaces happen to be paved it would be well to have the parking stalls marked, as more machines will park when this is done. Such general parking places may be alongside public parks, vacant lots, in wide streets, and elsewhere where parking will not interfere with the flow of traffic. Special and limited parking spaces, such as those set aside for buses, cabs, and trucks, or those on which the parking is limited as to time should be marked by the city with a standard sign.

Space required for backing out.

The angle of parking depends upon the width of street and other local conditions. On narrow streets it may have to be zero degrees, that is, ranking; on others 30°, 45°, 60° or 90°. Since it is best to have machines head in, the 90° angle is difficult unless there is ample turning space. Likewise in backing out the same difficulty occurs.

The following widths are suggested[225] for parking spaces if in the middle of the street, and parking is at an angle of:

90°,the space should be at least 15 feet wide
45°,15
371⁄2°,14
30°,13

When the parking space is next to the curb the widths can be reduced 1 foot each. For any angle of stalls between 90° and 45° the parking space width must be greater than 15 feet; for 60° about 16 feet. There are streets where this could be allowed and more machines accommodated than at 45°. Ranking spaces should be marked off 9 feet wide. Some cities have special rules that ranked cars shall stand 6 feet apart to allow any one to get out. The stalls, whether the parking is to be on one side, both sides, or in the middle, should be slanted toward the approach of traffic.

Rotary scheme for traffic around a danger zone where streets meet at right angles.

There is an advantage to parking in the center of the street in that other vehicles may drive up to the sidewalk for loading or unloading passengers. It is objected to, however, on the theory that more space is required for mid-street parking. Where possible parking spaces should be paved with hard surfaces, like concrete or brick. Vehicles parked upon asphalt for a considerable time sink in, and as there is no ironing out by traffic of these depressions the pavement soon becomes rough, retains rain and sprinkling water and rots.

An asphalt strip for driving and a concrete strip for parking is ideal, for this separates distinctly by color the two spaces. On fairgrounds and picnic grounds where many cars are to be taken care of two rows of parked cars are headed together, then a lane and two more rows, another, lane, etc. Parking should usually be at 90° to the lane.