Parking and the Law
One of many traffic offences involves ‘parking’. Travelling through our streets persons are faced with constant and unbearable traffic congestion especially in and around the town of St. George and one major reason for this is because persons fail to adhere to the laws as it relates to parking and so violation of the parking laws in turn causes problems to law abiding citizens, the police and the pedestrian. Vehicles can be seen parked on pedestrian crossings, no parking signs, on corners of the road, bus stop, side-walks, driveways, intersections, etc. for the edification of offenders of various offences as listed above a number of quotes will be given as it relates to the law.
Provisions regarding parking, no entry, one way traffic and bus stop of the 1993 Revised Laws of Grenada Volume 1 Chapter 5 section 77 (1) states and I quote “if any person parks or leaves a motor vehicle at a place or in a manner or at a time prohibited by order made by the Commissioner of Police and published in the gazette and at least one local newspaper, he commits an offence”.
Section 77 (6) Any person who violates any provision of this section or of any order made by the Commissioner of Police under this section commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine of one thousand five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
The 1990 Laws Of Grenada chapter 201 volume 9(ix) states and I quote “Parked Vehicle” mean a vehicle left stationary by the driver or person in charge thereof in any place elsewhere than in a garage,
“Standing Vehicle” Means a public service vehicle or other passenger vehicle remaining stationary for a purpose of setting down or taking up passenger;
“Stationary Vehicle” means a vehicle remaining stationary for whatever cause or purpose upon any street or public place;
“Waiting Vehicle” means a passenger vehicle waiting on any street or public place while a call of short duration is being made by the occupants or by any one of them at nearby premises;
For the purpose of persons who park their vehicle on no parking areas, pedestrian crossing and other places where there are signs, marks or any instruction against such actions and leave the vehicle there with the hope that absence will avoid a penalty or notice the following quotations will clear some doubts and so answer some unasked questions.
The 1994 Revised Laws of Grenada Volume 1 Chapter 5 section 98 1, 2, 3 and 4 Road Traffic ACT, 1993 ‘members of police force may give or affix notice’
98 (1) Where a member of the police force of or above such rank as may from time to time be prescribed by the Commissioner of Police has reason to believe that an offence in relation to road traffic offences has been or is being committed with or in respect of a motor vehicle, it shall be lawful for him to give to the driver of that vehicle a notice charging him with the commission of such offence and notifying him that a complaint will be made against him in respect thereof and requiring him either to pay the fixed penalty within the time specified in the notice or to appear at the court specified in the notice on the day and at the hour stated therein to answer the said complaint:
98 (2) Subject to this section, Where a member of the Police Force of or above such rank as may from time to time be prescribed by the commissioner of police has reason to believe that an offence in relation to road traffic offence is being or has been committed with or in respect of a motor vehicle, he may affix the notice referred to in subsection (1) to any part of the vehicle where the notice may easily be seen.
98 (3) A notice affixed under subsection (2) shall for the purpose of this act be deemed to have been given to the person liable for the offence, and notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the registered owner of a vehicle shall, for the purpose of the proceedings institute by the notice be presumed to be the person liable for the offence.
98 (7) The reference in subsection (2) to the affixing of a notice to any part of a vehicle includes putting the notice inside the vehicle wherever possible.
The misuse of the bus stop must be reiterated; drivers who park their buses on the bus stop to importune passengers and so obstruct the traffic must refrain from doing so cause not only is obstruction an offence, but importuning is also an offence so too is parking on a bus stop.
The Royal Grenada Police Force will enforce and prosecute perpetrators of the law and so take this opportunity and medium to seek to enlighten and give clarifying information and so free persons from ignorance of the law.