You find a parking spot on campus and you're thinking about backing in or pulling straight through to make your exit easier later. Smart move, right? Not so fast! In those angled parking rows around campus, there's only ONE correct way to park: pull in forward, front-facing. That means:
❌ Don't back into the spot
❌ Don't pull through to the next space
✅ DO pull in forward so your back license plate faces the drive aisle
Why Does This Even Matter? Safety first! Angled parking spaces are designed for one-way traffic flow. When you back in or pull through, you end up facing the wrong direction. When you leave, you're driving against traffic.
Another reason to always park forward in any space (angled or not) is because UCR uses License Plate Recognition (LPR) cameras to scan permits. These cameras read plates from the drive aisle. When you park forward, they can verify your permit automatically from the back of the car.
California colleges have the right to enforce their own parking rules, which are authorized by state law, and these rules can include fines, towing, and other penalties per sections of the California Vehicle Code (CVC) 2113(a) which allows institutions to create and enforce their own regulations for traffic and parking on campus.
Bottom Line: Pull forward into angled spots. Always keep your license plate visible from the drive aisle. Avoid the citation, the hassle, and the awkward parking lot near-misses.
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Got questions about parking rules or citations? Email us at parking@ucr.edu