Parking at night - parking lights

[jamei]

How about if you are stopped (but maybe not "parked") in a parking lay-by on an unlit dual-carriageway at night? I see people doing a variety of things including no lights at all (usually lorries), hazard lights and sidelights.

Personally I would think no lights is safer. Reflectors work well, and often when I see a stationary car with lights on ahead on an unlit dual carriageway, a bit of me thinks it might be in lane one. If you're not obstructing the road, best not to distract people with lights IMO.

[YorkshireJumbo]

Near us is an unlit, narrow country road just off a main road, where cars park on a narrow stretch of hard-standing facing the oncoming traffic: there are 2 parked like this on streetview. I've no idea why people would want to stop there, unless it's to stare out over the polo ground through the hedge (we're posh up north). At night they often leave their headlights on, so you have to approach extremely slowly on dipped lights as it is difficult to see: the extra light (which is designed to illuminate the footpath) shines straight at oncoming vehicles, so it's almost as bad as main beams. For those who don't know the road, it can be extremely confusing, as they would tend to try to pass on the "correct" side, which of course they can't see due to the lights.

When they set off, they invariably turn round in a gateway and return to the main road, so why don't they do that in the first place? And I'd love to find a way to get them to turn off their headlights...

[fungus]

How about if you are stopped (but maybe not "parked") in a parking lay-by on an unlit dual-carriageway at night? I see people doing a variety of things including no lights at all (usually lorries), hazard lights and sidelights.

Personally I would think no lights is safer. Reflectors work well, and often when I see a stationary car with lights on ahead on an unlit dual carriageway, a bit of me thinks it might be in lane one. If you're not obstructing the road, best not to distract people with lights IMO.

You must use side lights when you park on a road with a speed limit greater than 30mph whether there are street lights or not. This also applies to lay byes. You must not park with head lights on, and I would imagine this applies also if you have stopped in a lay by.