33.3.18. Which of the cars is parked in violation of the Traffic Rules in the depicted situation within a populated area?
UAЯкий з автомобілів поставлено на стоянку в населеному пункті з порушенням Правил дорожнього руху в зображеній ситуації?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine tests the driver's attention to the rules of stopping and parking in a populated area, since improper parking directly affects road safety, visibility, and the possibility of oncoming traffic passing. In such situations, it is important to consider not only "where it is convenient," but also whether the traffic rules allow leaving the car on this side and in this section of the road.
In essence, this task relates to Section 33 "Road Signs" (in particular, the prohibitory sign 3.34 "No stopping" and the supplementary plates to signs that specify the area of effect) and clause 15.3 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine regarding the conditions for parking on the left in populated areas. The key logic is as follows: sign 3.34 prohibits not only short stops but also parking, and applies only to the side of the road where it is installed; plate 7.2.4 directly indicates that vehicles are located within the area of prohibition. Therefore, cars parked on the "prohibited" side within this area violate the requirements of the sign, even if the road itself, according to clause 15.3, allows parking on the left.
If we analyze the answer options, the correct one is the one that names both cars located within the area of effect of sign 3.34 on the relevant side of the road: the option "only one of them" does not take into account that the prohibition applies to the section, not just the point near the post. The option about a violation by the black and red cars is not suitable, because the sign does not apply to the opposite side of the road, and the conditions of clause 15.3 regarding the possibility of parking in a populated area are met here. The statement "all cars" is also incorrect for the same reason: not every parking on the left is a violation if there is no prohibition on this side. Such tasks often appear on the theoretical exam and teach you to read signs together with plates, correctly determining the boundaries of their effect.
Clause 1.10 (term "Stop")
Stop — cessation of movement of a vehicle for up to 5 minutes or longer if necessary for boarding (alighting) passengers or loading (unloading) cargo, fulfilling the requirements of these Rules, or the requirements of a traffic controller.
This definition is needed because sign 3.34 specifically prohibits "stopping" (and therefore also "parking" as a longer cessation of movement).
Clause 1.10 (term "Parking")
Parking — cessation of movement of a vehicle for more than 5 minutes for reasons not related to the need to fulfill the requirements of these Rules, boarding (alighting) passengers, or loading (unloading) cargo.
This definition directly corresponds to the wording of the question ("parked").
Clause 33.3 — 33 "Road Signs", 3 "Prohibitory Signs", sign 3.34 "Stopping Prohibited"
Sign 3.34 "Stopping Prohibited" prohibits stopping and parking of vehicles, except for taxis that are picking up or dropping off passengers (loading or unloading cargo).
In this task, it is precisely this rule that makes stopping/parking in the sign's area of effect a violation for the relevant vehicles.
Clause 33.7 — 33 "Road Signs", 7 "Plates to Road Signs", plate 7.2.4 "Area of Effect"
Plate 7.2.4 "Area of Effect" indicates that the vehicle is located within the area of effect of signs 3.34 "Stopping Prohibited", 3.35, 3.36, 3.37.
That is, on the side of the road where sign 3.34 with this plate is installed, parking within the designated "area of effect" is a violation (in the situation shown, this concerns the yellow and green vehicles).
Clause 15.3
In populated areas, stopping and parking of vehicles are allowed on the left side of the road that has one lane in each direction (without tram tracks in the middle) and is not divided by marking 1.1, as well as on the left side of a one-way road. If the road has a boulevard or a dividing strip, stopping and parking of vehicles near them are prohibited.
This clause checks that in a populated area, under certain conditions, parking on the left is allowed, but only in the absence of prohibitions (in particular, sign 3.34 on the relevant side of the road).
Thus, the correct answer is "Yellow and green.", considering that according to the definition in the Traffic Rules, sign 3.34 "Stopping Prohibited" in combination with plate 7.2.4 designates a prohibited zone, within which stopping and parking are prohibited, and the yellow and green vehicles are located precisely in this zone.
In this situation, we are in a populated area. This is important because, according to point 15.3 of the Traffic Rules, stopping and parking are allowed not only on the right but also on the left side of the road in populated areas, provided there is only one lane in each direction, there are no tram tracks in the middle, and there is no solid line 1.1 separating the traffic flows. Therefore, the mere fact of parking on the left side here is not a violation.
Next, it is necessary to assess the effect of the road signs. On the side where the yellow and green cars are parked, sign 3.34 "No stopping" is installed. This sign prohibits not only stopping but also parking vehicles on the side of the road where it is placed.
There is a plate under the sign indicating that vehicles are within the area of effect of this sign (i.e., the prohibition applies to the corresponding section of the road, not just the spot near the pole). Therefore, if a car is parked within this area on the "prohibited" side, it violates the requirement of sign 3.34.
Therefore, the yellow and green cars, which are parked on the side of the road where stopping and parking are prohibited, are placed in violation of the Traffic Rules. In contrast, the red and black cars are parked on the opposite side, to which the effect of sign 3.34 does not apply, and the conditions of point 15.3 regarding the possibility of parking in a populated area are met.
Thus, the correct answer is "Yellow and green," because they are parked within the area of effect of sign 3.34 "No stopping" on the side of the road where stopping and parking are prohibited.