33.3.20. In which of the indicated places are you allowed to stop your vehicle?
UAУ якому із зазначених місць Ви можете зупинити свій транспортний засіб?
This exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine tests the ability to safely and legally stop within a populated area, focusing on road signs and the area of their effect. Correct understanding of where stopping is allowed directly affects road safety: stopping in a prohibited place creates obstacles, worsens visibility, and increases the risk of accidents, which is why such situations often appear on the theoretical exam.
In content, this question is from section 33 of the Traffic Rules (road signs): the prohibitory sign 3.34 "Stopping prohibited" combined with plate 7.2.2 "Area of effect" restricts stopping only within a specified distance after the sign's installation and only on the side of the road where the sign is placed. Additionally, point 15.3 of the Traffic Rules of Ukraine is checked: in a populated area on a two-way road with one lane in each direction, in the absence of tram tracks in the middle and a solid lane marking, stopping is also allowed on the left side of the road.
In this situation, the permitted stopping places are those not covered by the effect of 3.34 with 7.2.2: the place before the sign is not subject to the prohibition, the place after the distance specified by the plate is also outside the prohibition, and on the opposite (left) side the sign does not apply. That is why the correct answer is the one that takes into account all three permitted points, and any answer that includes a place within 10 meters after the sign on the right side is incorrect, because stopping is prohibited there regardless of duration. This is a typical trap on the theoretical exam: it is important not to confuse "distance to the sign" with "area of effect of the sign" and always determine from exactly which place the restriction begins.
Clause 33.3 — 33 "Road signs", 3 "Prohibitory signs", sign 3.34 "No stopping"
Sign 3.34 "No stopping" prohibits stopping and parking of vehicles within its area of effect.
Explanation of application: in a place that falls within the area of effect of this sign (on the side of the road where it is installed), stopping is prohibited regardless of duration (that is, both "stopping" and "parking" as its time-based variety are prohibited).
Clause 33.7 — 33 "Road signs", 7 "Plates to road signs", plate 7.2.2 "Area of effect"
Plate 7.2.2 "Area of effect" indicates the length (distance) of the road section to which the effect of the road sign it accompanies applies (in the direction of travel).
Explanation of application: if plate 7.2.2 with a specified distance (for example, 10 m) is installed under sign 3.34, then the stopping prohibition applies only to this section (after the sign, for the indicated length), and outside of it — does not apply.
Clause 15.3
In populated areas, stopping and parking are allowed on the left side of a two-way road that has one lane in each direction, provided there are no tram tracks in the middle and no solid line road marking.
Explanation of application: under the shown conditions (populated area, two-way traffic, one lane in each direction, no tram tracks in the middle, and no solid line), stopping is possible both on the left and right — but taking into account the prohibition of sign 3.34 within its area of effect.
That is, the correct answer is "At place A, B, or D.", considering that according to the Traffic Rules, sign 3.34 with plate 7.2.2 prohibits stopping only within the designated length (place B), and outside this zone (places A, B, D) stopping is allowed; also, in a populated area under the conditions of clause 15.3, stopping on the left side of the road is permitted.
Let’s consider the situation step by step. On a road within a populated area, stopping is allowed both on the right and left sides if there is one lane for each direction and there are no tram tracks in the middle. In the given diagram, these exact conditions are met, so simply choosing the left or right side for stopping is not a violation.
Next, we assess the effect of the road signs. Sign 3.34 prohibits both stopping and parking, and its effect applies only to the side of the road where it is installed. Under the sign, there is a plate 7.2.2, which indicates the length of the section where the prohibition applies, that is, after the sign’s location for the distance specified on the plate. This means the restriction starts from the sign and continues in the direction of travel for the specified length, not “up to the sign.”
Now let’s relate this to the marked locations. Location A is before the sign, so the prohibition does not apply there yet, and stopping is allowed. Location B is on the right side within the segment indicated by plate 7.2.2, so stopping there is prohibited. Location V is outside the area of the prohibition (after the end of the specified segment), so stopping is allowed. Location H is on the left side of the road, and sign 3.34 restricts stopping only on the side where it is installed (the right side), so stopping there is also allowed.
Therefore, the correct answer is “At location A, V, or H,” since sign 3.34 with plate 7.2.2 prohibits stopping only on the right side and only within the specified length after the sign, while locations A, V, and H are not within this zone.