Can I park in front of someone’s bins?
What’s more frustrating than your bin being missed on collection day? The car parked right in front of them.
But here’s why where you park on bin day might not matter as much as you think.
Where have you ‘bin’?
If you’re wondering why the garbo hasn’t stopped to empty your bins, chances are it has nothing to do with the vehicle parked in front of them.
According to the City of Adelaide, bins are still collected regardless of where a vehicle is parked. The same rule typically applies across all council areas but best to check with your local council.
Collection trucks have an arm to lift bins, and if they can’t reach the bin due to a parked car, they will still attempt to collect it manually.
POLL: Does it annoy you when someone parks in front of your bin?
RAA Senior Manager of Safety and Infrastructure Charles Mountain advises, where possible, to park off the road on bin day to ensure the bins can be collected properly, plus it’s courteous to the garbage truck driver.
“You can imagine how much longer it would take when the driver has to get out of the truck and move the bin so it can be emptied and then place it back on the kerb at each location where access is restricted,” Charles says.
If you do need to park in front of a bin…
Keeping your distance on bin day is good practice, so try to park at least a metre from bins, Charles suggests. Even though it’s not a legal requirement to do so, it will make the collection much easier and quicker for the driver.
“[Keeping your distance] enables the arm of the waste collection vehicle to safely reach the bins without risking damage to your vehicle,” he says.
Of course, there are road rules you must abide by when parking kerbside.
According to the Australian Road Rules, there must be a three-metre gap between your vehicle and any solid white line in the middle of the road, as well as any vehicle parked on the opposite side of the road. Break this rule and you could be fined $84 plus a $105 Victims of Crime Levy.
“Adhering to the three-metre rule means the garbage truck can then safely drive through and everyone can have their bins emptied,” Charles says.
Remember, these rules apply whether it’s bin day or not.
Where to park your bin
You’re wheeling your bin out the front and see a car already parked along the kerb outside of your house. Thanks, Baz (read our story on parking in front of your neighbour’s house to find out why this isn’t always the best idea). In this instance, strategic bin placement is key.
The City of Adelaide’s guidelines suggest keeping, where practical, 50cm between bins and one metre between bins and parked cars, trees, Stobie poles and letter boxes.