48.17. On which side of this road within a populated area is a driver of a truck with a permitted maximum mass of over 3.5 t allowed to stop?
UAНа якому боці цієї дороги населеного пункту водієві вантажного автомобіля з дозволеною максимальною масою понад 3,5 т дозволено зупинитися?
This is an exam question from the Traffic Rules of Ukraine about safe stopping in a populated area and choosing a place on the roadway. The topic is important for road safety, as improper stopping of a truck can create obstacles, restrict visibility, and provoke accidents. The theoretical exam often includes nuances about where the general rule "stop on the right" applies and where there are exceptions for urban roads.
The question checks the section of the traffic rules regarding stopping and parking, in particular the application of clause 15.3 together with the basic requirements of 15.1 and 15.2. The logic is as follows: first, you stop in specially designated places or on the shoulder, and if this is not possible, then near the right edge. But in populated areas on a road with one lane in each direction, without tram tracks in the middle and without marking 1.1, the rules also allow stopping and parking on the left side, and this applies to vehicles in general, including trucks with a permitted maximum mass of over 3.5 t.
The analysis of the answer options comes down to the fact that the statement about "the left side only for loading/unloading" is incorrect: clause 15.3 does not have such a restriction, so the purpose of the stop does not limit the right to choose the left side if the road conditions are met. The option "only on the right" ignores the special rule for populated areas. Therefore, the correct choice is the one that takes into account both the general rules and the exception from 15.3: on such a road, stopping is allowed on both sides, provided that you do not create obstacles for other road users.
Clause 15.1
Stopping and parking of vehicles on the road must be carried out in specially designated places or on the shoulder.
Clause 15.2
If there are no specially designated places or a shoulder, or if stopping or parking there is impossible, they are allowed near the right edge of the carriageway (as far to the right as possible so as not to obstruct other road users).
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 vehicles near them is prohibited.
Clause 1.10 (term "Stopping")
Stopping — cessation of movement of a vehicle for up to 5 minutes or more if necessary for boarding (alighting) passengers or loading (unloading) cargo, or to fulfill the requirements of these Rules.
Clause 1.10 (term "Parking")
Parking — cessation of movement of a vehicle for more than 5 minutes for reasons not related to boarding (alighting) passengers or loading (unloading) cargo, or to fulfill the requirements of these Rules.
Clause 1.10 (term "Permissible maximum mass")
Permissible maximum mass — the mass of an equipped vehicle with cargo, driver, and passengers, established by the technical specifications of the vehicle as the maximum allowable.
Clause 1.10 (term "Truck")
Truck — a vehicle that, by its design and equipment, is intended for the transportation of goods.
Clause 34.1 — 34 "Road markings", 1 "Horizontal markings", marking 1.1 (narrow solid line)
Marking 1.1 — narrow solid line.
That is, the correct answer is "On the right and on the left.", given that according to the definition of the Traffic Rules in a populated area (under the conditions specified in clause 15.3: one lane in each direction, without tram tracks in the middle, and not divided by marking 1.1), stopping is allowed both near the right edge of the carriageway (clause 15.2) and on the left side of the road (clause 15.3), regardless of the fact that this is a truck over 3.5 t.
Let's start with the general rule: stopping and parking are primarily carried out in specially designated places or on the shoulder. If such places are not available, or stopping on the shoulder is not possible, then it is allowed to stop near the right edge of the carriageway, as far to the right as possible, so as not to obstruct others.
Next, we apply the special provision for populated areas from point 15.3 of the Traffic Rules. In a populated area, it is also allowed to stop and park on the left side of the road if it has one lane in each direction, there are no tram tracks in the middle, and there is no solid line marking 1.1 separating the traffic flows. This is exactly the type of road referred to in this question, so the possibility of stopping on the left is legal.
An important point: in point 15.3, there is no restriction stating that a truck with a permitted maximum mass of over 3.5 tons may stop on the left on such a road only for loading or unloading. That is, the purpose of the stop does not limit the right to choose the left side if the road conditions specified in the rule are met.
Therefore, the correct answer is "On the right and on the left," since in a populated area on a road with one lane in each direction, without tram tracks and without marking 1.1, stopping is allowed both on the right and on the left.