Car Washing and Double Yellow Lines

[MR_Punk]

So we've recently moved house and now no longer have a drive that I can wash my car on adequatly. I still have a garage to do all the post wash stuff but my actual house has double yellow lines outside. The question is am I going to get any issues by washing my car on the street. It's probably only going to be 30 mins max as once rinsed and dried I can finish off in the garage. Its a very quiet street and I am a permit holder for where you can park at the other side of the street.

 

[sparton_SPA]

Officially yes. Same rules apply for parking on double yellows and washing your car on double yellows.

 

[Nasher]

Figure out when the traffic wardens do their checks and what days they work

 

[Haggisman]

Technically not allowed, but you could always "accidentally" use the jetwash to ensure they can't get near enough the car to stick the PCN on and take the photo?

 

[MR_Punk]

The wardens have been spot on to be fair since we moved in. You can park outside overnight and one morning they got a neighbour to knock on my door to let me know my car needed moving as they are not allowed to tell me themselves. Nice touch I thought. The restrictions dont include Sunday which is usually my car washing day but during winter you want to get out when you get the right weather.

 

[radderfire]

Double yellows mean no waiting at any time, so that's going to include car washing unfortunately. The double yellows have been put there for a reason, so you should not be leaving a car on them in my opinion. Is there not anywhere else you could (legally) wash your car?

 

[pepp77]

Chop a leg off, beg for a blue badge and then use that to park there whilst washing the car? This assumes no kerb dashes to indicate restrictions to this.

 

[MR_Punk]

Double yellows mean no waiting at any time, so that's going to include car washing unfortunately. The double yellows have been put there for a reason, so you should not be leaving a car on them in my opinion. Is there not anywhere else you could (legally) wash your car?

Sadly not I'm afraid.

 

[radderfire]

Sadly not I'm afraid.

Why do you need to do it outside your house? Is it because you want to use a pressure washer?

 

[MR_Punk]

Why do you need to do it outside your house? Is it because you want to use a pressure washer?

Yes, also I dont think the wife would appriciate me doing it in the kitchen

On a more serious not I've got much more kit that going to use one at the garage.

 

[radderfire]

Well, my view would be if a traffic warden saw you washing your car whilst parked on double yellows, they would be doing their job properly by giving you a ticket.

So, my solution would be to park somewhere else and just wash the car by hand, it's just as good, just a bit more effort!

 

[Fr0dders]

take it to one of the self service jet wash stations at a petrol station. Take a bucket, take your own wash mitts and drying towels and just don't let their brush touch the paint work. If it's one of these with a foaming brush, you put the foaming brush in the bucket and just let the bucket fill with hot soapy water. Stick the minimum ammount in the machine and use the pressure washer for a pre-rinse and just don't use the machine while scrubbing your car. Then put another £1 in to rinse it off then move out of the way to a parking spot to dry.

Simple and at £2/ £3 a lot cheaper than a parking ticket !

 

[Diddums]

take it to one of the self service jet wash stations at a petrol station. Take a bucket, take your own wash mitts and drying towels and just don't let their brush touch the paint work. If it's one of these with a foaming brush, you put the foaming brush in the bucket and just let the bucket fill with hot soapy water. Stick the minimum ammount in the machine and use the pressure washer for a pre-rinse and just don't use the machine while scrubbing your car. Then put another £1 in to rinse it off then move out of the way to a parking spot to dry.

Simple and at £2/ £3 a lot cheaper than a parking ticket !

Make sure you do it at one of those places with only one booth, and on a glorious day. Nothing gets people chatting like someone hogging a booth for an hour.

 

[jpaul]

why is the yellow line there ?, presumably not to avoid double parking, and inadequate space for the dustmans lorry say ?

can get one of the wireless pressure washers at least one exponent of them in detailing , although don't remember seeing what volume of water container he uses;
personally the karcher k7 takes too much hassle/workout to setup, unrolling hose, heavy duty extension, lifting it .... then putting it away.
A wireless one would also enable me to do bicycles quickly too.

 

[MR_Punk]

why is the yellow line there ?, presumably not to avoid double parking, and inadequate space for the dustmans lorry say ?

can get one of the wireless pressure washers at least one exponent of them in detailing , although don't remember seeing what volume of water container he uses;
personally the karcher k7 takes too much hassle/workout to setup, unrolling hose, heavy duty extension, lifting it .... then putting it away.
A wireless one would also enable me to do bicycles quickly too.

Yeah its tight enough with 2 cars parked either side I suppose.

The hole take a bucket etc to a petrol station seems a step too far. I'll stick to Sundays when the parking attendants are off I think.

 

[Martynt74]

Obviously tough without knowing your street, but if you have a garage, is there not somewhere in front of the garage? Unless that also faces onto the main road with double yellows?

A cordless pressure washer would be perfectly adequate. I've got the Ryobi one, just make sure to buy the more powerful option (45bar) rather than the 22bar one. Can be fed from a bucket too.

 

[jpaul]

I've got the Ryobi one, just make sure to buy the more powerful option (45bar) rather than the 22bar one

Do you use it with any foam attachment , which I guess don't need too much pressure, like car washing generally , compared to household uses.

 

[Martynt74]

Do you use it with any foam attachment , which I guess don't need too much pressure, like car washing generally , compared to household uses.

Yeah, i bought the official Ryobi foam gun. Works well for the car/weeds.

I still plan to buy a full size pressure washer (Likely Ryobi for compatability of attachments) as there are definitely tasks it's just not up to, but for a car/light cleaning it's been excellent.

 

[MR_Punk]

Obviously tough without knowing your street, but if you have a garage, is there not somewhere in front of the garage? Unless that also faces onto the main road with double yellows?

A cordless pressure washer would be perfectly adequate. I've got the Ryobi one, just make sure to buy the more powerful option (45bar) rather than the 22bar one. Can be fed from a bucket too.

I think I'll have a look at the portable option. My drive is pretty narrow so I cant really get down the side of the car when its on there so it would be quite a pain.

 

[ShiWarrior]

Chop a leg off, beg for a blue badge and then use that to park there whilst washing the car? This assumes no kerb dashes to indicate restrictions to this.

actually , your right, but up to 3 hours


just do a rinsless wash in the garage, unless its caked in mud then you'll need to foam rinse, foam rinse, then get it back in the garage