Driving tests and car parks

[Mjolinor]

First born is taking her test next week and I found out from her that she can be asked to reverse into a parking space at Morrisons car park.

Is there some agreement with supermarkets and other places with car parks that the DVLA can use them for this?

Seems to me that as you are only supposed to use the car park for the intended purpose of shopping then you could be hit with a fine for not doing so.

Anyone know?

[FROSTYBALLS]

No, DVSA test centres don't have an agreement with car park owners.

[Mojo1010]

Afaik no agreement with any. Only the car parks that have a minimum spend requirement to park would one get a 'fine'. They don't go in them. 

[Mjolinor]

It just seems dogly to me that the driver of the vehicle is to blame and if instructed by the examiner to break the law then where would they stand.

A car park is not under the road traffic act even though there are some changes in recent years that do place some legal responsibilities on the vehicles that use them. For example you are legally bound to have insurance, MOT and tax for a car to be there now whereas in the past you did not need those.

 

[Mojo1010]

It's not a law matter, it's a civil matter. If the learner driver gets a 'fine' then take it up with the DSA. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

4 hours ago, Mjolinor said:

It just seems dogly to me that the driver of the vehicle is to blame and if instructed by the examiner to break the law then where would they stand.

It is a civil matter between the car park management company and the owner of the vehicle - no law broken. Any parking charge would be sent to the vehicle's owner, not the driver, and unless there is some type of agreement between the owner and the driver, the owner would be responsible.

4 hours ago, Mjolinor said:

A car park is not under the road traffic act even though there are some changes in recent years that do place some legal responsibilities on the vehicles that use them. For example you are legally bound to have insurance, MOT and tax for a car to be there now whereas in the past you did not need those.

This legal requirement has been in place for years and years. Nothing to do with parking.

[Cyker]

Don't worry about it, you can't be fined for *not* parking in a car park   Just driving in and out of a car park without actually parking (And reversing into a bay and then leaving again is NOT considered parking) would not be something anyone could realistically be fined for.

Even in chargeable carparks, there is a grace period, so you could easily drive in, perform the manoeuvre, then leave without being culpable for anything.

 

[Haliotis]

Car parks open to the public do come under Road Traffic Regulations.  A few years ago our daughter was parked on Twyford Zoo car park when a woman drove on and hit a nearby car.  She immediately moved to another space well away from the collision. So our daughter placed a note under the wipers of the damaged car, giving details of the offending car, and her own phone number.  The police became involved and they visited our daughter and took a statement from her.  The woman was later prosecuted for failing to report an accident.

[Mjolinor]

6 hours ago, Haliotis said:

Car parks open to the public do come under Road Traffic Regulations.  A few years ago our daughter was parked on Twyford Zoo car park when a woman drove on and hit a nearby car.  She immediately moved to another space well away from the collision. So our daughter placed a note under the wipers of the damaged car, giving details of the offending car, and her own phone number.  The police became involved and they visited our daughter and took a statement from her.  The woman was later prosecuted for failing to report an accident.

Hmm, you clearly have better plod than round here. Exactly the same happened to my wife's car. There was someone else with Dashcam and two witnesses that did not know each other. When my wife challenged the driver they drove off. Reported it to the police and they actually came to the house and politely told my wife that was the reason she had insurance and they left.

[Haliotis]

13 hours ago, Mjolinor said:

Hmm, you clearly have better plod than round here. Exactly the same happened to my wife's car. There was someone else with dashcam and two witnesses that did not know each other. When my wife challenged the driver they drove off. Reported it to the police and they actually came to the house and politely told my wife that was the reason she had insurance and they left.

You don’t say if it was a private car park, which would possibly make it a civil matter.  There is a grey area here - what happens if a person is injured by being struck by a car on a private car park.  Some plods can also misconstrue to finer parts of vehicle law.

On occasion, police visit our local Tesco car park and check the legality of the parked cars, and question drivers returning to their cars.  Certainly, on public car parks, Traffic Law has to apply for the safety of other users of the car park, including people on foot.