PARKING IN FIRE LANE

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The other day, I went to pick up a pizza for my family for dinner.  The pizza place is in a strip mall with a fire lane in front.  The question is can I park in the fire lane while I run in and get the pizza.  According to NC law, cited below, I cannot leave my car unattended while I run in to pick up my pizza.  In fact, the police and fire departments are specifically authorized  to tow your vehicle.  However, I can let my son run in while I stay with the car.




20-162.  Parking in front of private driveway, fire hydrant, fire station, intersection of curb lines or fire lane.

(a)        No person shall park a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether attended or unattended, upon a highway in front of a private driveway or within 15 feet in either direction of a fire hydrant or the entrance to a fire station, nor within 25 feet from the intersection of curb lines or if none, then within 15 feet of the intersection of property lines at an intersection of highways; provided, that local authorities may by ordinance decrease the distance within which a vehicle may park in either direction of a fire hydrant.

(b)        No person shall park a vehicle or permit it to stand, whether  attended or unattended, upon any public vehicular area, street, highway or roadway in any area designated as a fire lane. This prohibition includes designated fire lanes in shopping center or mall  parking lots and all other public vehicular areas. Provided, however,  persons loading or unloading supplies or merchandise may park temporarily in a fire lane located in a shopping center or mall parking lot as long as the vehicle is not left unattended. The prima facie rule of evidence created by G.S. 20-162.1 is applicable to prosecutions for violation of this section. The owner of a vehicle parked in violation of this subsection shall be deemed to have appointed any State, county or municipal law-enforcement officer as his agent for the purpose of arranging for the transportation and safe storage of such vehicle. No law-enforcement officer removing such a vehicle shall be held criminally or civilly liable in any way for any acts or omissions arising out of or caused by carrying out or enforcing any provisions of this subsection, unless the conduct of the officer amounts to wanton misconduct or intentional wrongdoing. (1937, c. 407, s. 124; 1939, c. 111; 1979, c. 552; 1981, c. 574, s. 1.)