For some time now, residents have been recording an unusual sight: drivers cross the sidewalk and park their cars in an unusual "parking lot." True, the parking lot at Tuskulėnų g. 33C is illegal, although there are marked parking lines there. Parking in this location is punishable by a fine.
A typical day in Vilnius: a car leaves this parking lot and crosses the sidewalk to reach the roadway. It's simply impossible to leave the parking lot otherwise. Although there is no sign in the parking lot indicating that cars can be left there, some drivers don't mind.
"The possibility of parking cars near the building on the Tuskulėnų Street side was abolished in 2021, when a bicycle path was installed and sidewalks were maintained. The marking of parking spaces remained within the boundaries of the plot, so the municipality cannot abolish it. However, this does not justify driving on sidewalks - driving like this is prohibited by the Road Traffic Rules, and the safety of pedestrians and cyclists is at risk," comments Gabrielius Grubinskas, Vilnius city municipalities Media relations specialist.
It is true that the municipality has dealt with similar violators before. This is not the first case of people driving on sidewalks, which is why flower beds were installed closer to M. Katkus Street. However, if further violations are recorded, the municipality promises to continue to fight against drivers who do not follow the rules.
"Since the problem persists, it is planned to extend the flowerbed along the entire building," adds a municipal representative.
The municipality also urges not to share videos of violations on social media, but to immediately report any recorded violation to the police.
