At what distance from the railway crossing is the parking of vehicles prohibited?

Explanation

15 m — the only distance in this list that is inside the prohibited zone.

The rule is: parking on a level crossing and closer than 50 metres to it is prohibited. The question does not ask for the rule's figure but asks at which of these four distances parking is prohibited. 150 and 100 metres are obviously outside the band. 50 metres is the boundary itself, and a prohibition on "less than 50 metres" does not include it. That leaves 15 metres, which is entirely inside the prohibited band.

The safety reason is keeping the area around the rails clear. A driver approaching the crossing must see the rails in both directions and the crossing's signs and lights; an abandoned car blocks that very view. More importantly, if a car stalls on the rails or the queue behind the barrier grows, there must be free space left for reversing and clearing the crossing. A train can neither deviate nor stop within a short distance.

Keep two points separate: this figure is specific to **parking**; **stopping** on the crossing itself is prohibited in all circumstances, even for a few seconds. And this same question sometimes comes with the list 300/150/100/50/25, where the answer is 25 metres — the rule is still the same 50 metres, only the single figure inside the band has changed. If you memorise the rule rather than the list, you will get both forms of the question right.

• 50 metres is the rule's own figure and is therefore the most attractive option; but the text of the law is "less than 50 metres", so at exactly 50 metres parking is not prohibited. • 100 metres is twice the prohibited band and parking there is free. • 150 metres is effectively the length of a city block; there is no prohibition on parking at that distance from a crossing.

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