Contact Us  |  About Us  |  FAQ  |  Hours & Location
Visit
3955 Pacific Hwy, San Diego, CA 92110
Call
(619) 280-1718
FAQWheels and Deals

Where can I park my scooter and do I have to pay the meter?

By May 9, 2013Comments Off on Where can I park my scooter and do I have to pay the meter?

parkingscooters

 

We receive a lot of emails and telephone calls from our customers and friends regarding motorcycle parking laws in California.  Below is a summary of the dos and don’ts…

 

Street Parking for Scooters

California Vehicle Code section 22503 states that a motorcycle must be parked with one wheel touching the right-hand curb, or, on a one-way street, one wheel must be touching either curb.

Can I park a motorcycle on the sidewalk?

The short answer is no.  Under the California Vehicle Code section 22500, no motor vehicle may be parked on the sidewalk, including scooters.  However, some jurisdictions do not enforce this rule.  (San Diego, for example, seems to be very lax about this.   But some cities can be militant about enforcement, so,  in other words, park on the sidewalk at your own risk!

Is it legal to park between metered parking spots in California?

Again, the short answer is no.  However, jurisdictions vary significantly in their enforcement of this rule.  In some California towns, it is unheard of to receive a violation for parking between metered spaces.  In many others, however, cops and parking enforcement officers will quickly cite you for doing this.   In San Diego, it is a fairly common practice among scooter and motorcycle riders, and the writing of citations seems pretty rare.  However, do so at your own risk!

Is it legal to share metered parking spots in California?

While it is rare to hear of motorcyclists getting ticketed for sharing metered spaces with other motorcycles (or car), it can happen.  This seems absurd (although the words “absurd” and “law enforcement” go together far more frequently than they should).  If you aren’t familiar with parking enforcement in a particular area, we recommend asking other riders – or better yet, a meter maid, whether their policy is to ticket motorcycles for sharing a metered space.  Beware, though, that if one officer tells you it’s okay, and another cop gives you a ticket, you probably won’t have much luck fighting the ticket in court.  Keep in mind if you share a metered spot with another vehicle that is already parked, make sure there is enough time on the meter (cough up some change). If the meter expires, both vehicles will get ticketed for sure.

 

Scroll to top