Can you park there? Cluster of signs perplexes Vancouver drivers

Parking in Vancouver sometimes feels like the world’s most stressful game of music chairs, and with the winter season approaching, snagging a spot becomes even more crucial.

Reddit user dontgiveahuh uploaded a picture that perfectly sums up Vancouver’s confusing parking instructions downtown between the corner of Smithe and Seymour streets.

My brain is exploding… when can you park here?
byu/dontgiveahuh invancouver

Some users responded, attempting to decipher what the five signs intend to communicate.

One user, south3y, responded that the sign was intended for taxis.

“It’s a taxi stand from 7 pm to 5 am; only taxis are allowed to stop there. You can’t park there during the day. You can’t even stop there during rush hour,” they wrote.

The Reddit user who posted the photo suggested in the comments that one sign could easily replace the other four with more explicit instructions on who can park there at what time.

We reached out to the City’s parking enforcement hotline, but “due to high call volumes,” it went straight to voicemail.

The City’s media department said, “No Parking means you can stop for up to five minutes to load/unload passengers or goods, so generally, the signage is saying that you can stop for up to five minutes between 5 am and 7 pm, except during the rush periods. It turns into a Taxi Zone in the evenings, and then no stopping is permitted during the late night hours on the weekends.”

According to the City, the regulations can be broken down as follows:

• To the left of the post: no stopping anytime
• To the right of the post:
  • Monday to Thursday: no parking from 5 to 7 am and 10 am to 3 pm; no stopping from 7 to 10 am and 3 to 7 pm; Taxi Zone from 7 pm to 5 am
  • Friday: no parking from 5 to 7 am and 10 am to 3 pm; no stopping from 7 to 10 am and 10 pm to 5 am; Taxi Zone from 7 to 10 pm
  • Saturday, Sunday & Holidays: No parking from 5 am to 7 pm; no stopping from 10 pm to 5 am; Taxi Zone from 7 to 10 pm

Be sure to keep your eyes out for more classic Vancouver parking signs.

Can you read this sign? Let us know in the comments.

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