Automobile transport and residential areas in Russia are a topic for many hours of discussions and documentaries, of which many have already been filmed. In the courtyards, motorists seem to find themselves in a parallel reality, where pedestrians dominate the entire width of the sidewalk and the roadway, and the drivers do their best not to receive a fine or, even worse, liability - administrative or even criminal!
General rules when driving in a residential area
Yes, in the residential area and in the courtyards the pedestrian is always right, and the driver will have to put up with this, no matter what. However, in addition to rights, pedestrians also have obligations - to look around and not interfere with the passage of vehicles if there is an alternative for movement, for example, a sidewalk.
Only those road users who live within this residential area, plan to visit friends, pick up or drop off passengers are allowed to enter the territory of the residential zone.
Driving around the yard, drivers are required to adhere to the speed limit in accordance with paragraph 10.2 of the SDA, which states that the speed of road transport in the residential area and in the territory of the yards should not exceed 20 km / h. But remember that this is a very high speed, therefore, in case of any doubts, as well as in conditions of limited visibility, it is recommended to drop it to the speed of pedestrians.
In courtyards, drivers are subject to the "Right hand disturbance" rule. Therefore, any vehicle driving on the right side should be allowed through. Please note that if it is impossible to part ways in this way, in the case of a narrow yard, it is recommended to go first in order to free up passage for the car on the right. This will not be considered a traffic violation.
It is forbidden to stand in the yard with the engine running for more than five minutes. And it is better to turn off the engine immediately if your plans include helping passengers carry things to the apartment. It is important to think not only about the environment, but also about the health of citizens, which can be undermined by the intense emissions of gases from your car.
In courtyards, it is more important than ever to use turn signals. This attracts the attention of pedestrians and disciplines drivers. In addition, it will save you from misleading the oncoming driver - one of the common causes of accidents.
You cannot be distracted by mobile gadgets, navigators, conversations with passengers. Despite the fact that this rule applies anywhere else on highways, in a residential area it is especially relevant due to the unpredictability and increased variability of the road situation.
Drivers are required to give way to pedestrians wherever they cross. This rule especially applies to children, who often do not look around at all. The driver is obliged to press the brake in advance, while the horn signals can be regarded as a violation of order in the local area during the day or at night.
It is forbidden to stop in the immediate vicinity of ramps, as well as entrances, interfering with the free passage of residents of the house there and back. Firstly, in this way you will greatly complicate the life of wheelchair users and families with children in wheelchairs, and secondly, you can become a serious obstacle in the way of rescue teams.
Courts are called parallel universes for a reason. Here, if there is such a possibility, you should always give in, even if it goes against the rules. Otherwise, you should try to politely explain to your “colleague” that it is easier to give in to him or her. But in no case enter into conflicts, restrain emotions, always try to find a compromise.
What else you need to pay attention to when driving in the yard
If we talk about politeness, then sometimes it is easier to give in to yourself, so as not to waste your and others' time, as well as nerves - a resource that does not renew. In the courtyards, observe elementary good manners, do not swear, do not signal left and right, because this, in addition to disrespect, is prohibited by article 6.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation.
Learn to disperse with other road users in residential areas on narrow roads. But if you want to part with an oncoming car on a narrow road in a courtyard full of cars, use your right "pockets" to give way to passing vehicles, or stop a few meters in front of an empty seat on the left and wait until the car driving in front takes it, giving way to you.
However, you should not, showing politeness, miss oncoming cars, driving into the left "pockets". First, in this way you deprive the road user of the natural parking maneuver. Secondly, if another car follows you, it will be more difficult to part ways in this situation. Leaving on the vacant carriageway, you automatically lose a good 50 percent of your view and risk creating a potential emergency situation, dangerous for both drivers and pedestrians.
Don't rush pedestrians with annoying beeps! If a person walking along the roadway has no other way to get to their destination due to the sidewalk cluttered with cars, they will legally move in front of you, and there is nothing you can do about it.
Don't forget about people with disabilities, the elderly, women with children, and pregnant women. It is difficult for such people to quickly clear the roadway, so be patient and wait. In an exceptional case, it will not be shameful to go out and help a person with limited movements to go to the entrance or the next turn. Respect is an essential part of traffic in courtyards.
If you are the owner of a truck weighing more than 3.5 tons, you are legally prohibited from parking in a residential area. The rule is based on safety considerations. Being in the yard of large vehicles is dangerous for others both when making parking maneuvers and during parking, when the car can suddenly lose the brakes or cause a serious jam.
By the way, movement in the courtyard on educational vehicles is also prohibited. Although this phenomenon has a lot of controversy and discussion, it is impossible to study in the courtyards for the sake of preserving the life and health of citizens.
For which the driver in the yard can receive a fine
A fine, while in a residential area, can be received, for example, for a through passage. Trying to shorten the path, bypassing the traffic jam through the residential area, you are unlikely to follow the rules established for traffic in the courtyard. In a hurry to get out on the other side of the yard as soon as possible, you will not be as attentive as if you were looking for a parking spot at the end of a working day. Thus, you risk becoming a participant in an accident or, even worse, hitting a person.
Another fine may “arrive” for warming up the engine in the yard for more than five minutes. It would seem how the regulatory authorities will be able to keep at gunpoint everyone who is going to drive out of the yard in the winter season? But do not forget about the cameras at the entrances and about the neighbors, who may well draw up a statement by attaching the relevant video materials to it.
The fine for parking on the lawn, though small, is quite unpleasant - you will have to meet with the city administration face to face and explain yourself. Sometimes the driver's adequate behavior can force the commission to issue a warning or set a minimum fine, so show respect, and better not break the rules.
Another fine is closely related to criminal liability. So, if your car parked in the yard does not allow special vehicles to pass - emergency gas services, fire department, ambulance, and an accident happens through your fault, the amount of punishment will depend on the scale of the disaster.
Fire, explosion, death of a person threaten with a real prison term, so do not park the car along the roadway without making sure that special equipment can pass nearby. Keep in mind that firefighters can issue fines on their own and even require the evacuation of an improperly parked vehicle.
However, the penalties for improper driving in courtyards are not as ruinous as some others. fines for violations of Russian traffic rules.