Cars in these situations will often have their emergency lights on and be parked alongside others, but in most cases, this is not actually allowed and you could incur a significant fine.
In Spain, in most cases, you cannot double park for even a minute and if you do you could be fined up to €200.
What does the law say about double parking?
According to Article 40 of the traffic law, "It is prohibited to double park”. In article 91 it further establishes that cars that are double parked without a driver "seriously hinder circulation".
Article 76 of the traffic law again states that this is a serious offense.
How much will I be fined?
As stated above, €200 is the standard amount you can be fined for being double parked, but it will depend on how much you hindered traffic. If it’s a minor offence, the penalty could even go down to €80 or €100.
Is double parking ever allowed?
Yes, there is one specific circumstance where the law allows for double parking. This is Annex I, section 81 which states that double parking is permitted “for a period of less than two minutes, without the driver being able to leave the vehicle.”
However, it must be done in such a way that the vehicle "does not hinder circulation or constitute a risk for the rest of the road users, including traffic, other pedestrians or animals".
This means that even if you park for the allotted two minutes and stay inside your car, you could still incur a fine if your car is considered to be blocking others or is causing a problem.
Therefore, it is only permitted to double park if you do not get out of the car, stop for less than 120 seconds and it is done in an appropriate place.
According to the law, almost any type of double parking can be considered a serious infraction, so everything depends on the common sense of the driver and the specific traffic situation.
If you must double park for less than two minutes and stay in your car, the correct action is to turn on your indicator as well as your lights, so that other cars can see you easily.
You should not in fact turn on your hazard lights, since it indicates danger for other road users too.
While these may not get you out of receiving a fine for incorrectly double parking, they will make sure you’re following the road rules so that you don’t incur any more charges.
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