Is It Illegal To ‘Pull-Through’ A Parking Space In Maine?

We've all been there. You're driving along in the busy parking lot of your favorite big box store or supermarket and notice a vacant parking spot. You pull your car into that spot and notice something else; the spot adjoining it is also free. So you decide it's a lot easier to leave this busy park lot driving forward instead of in-reverse, so you pull-through the parking space. The question is, did you just do something illegal here in Maine?

Believe it or not, the answer is actually no. It's completely legal to pull-through parking spaces in Maine. But it might not be for the reason that you're thinking. The reason why pulling-through parking spaces in Maine is legal is because there's no laws on the books that prohibit it. There's a laundry list of different state laws involving parking and parking lots, but nothing that prohibits pulling-through individual spaces.

So while you're not breaking the law, there are plenty of reasons why you shouldn't be pulling-through a space in a busy parking lot. The obvious reason (and something that you may have experienced yourself) is that by pulling-through a spot, you can cause a collision with another vehicle that has no idea you plan on doing that. A second key reason is pedestrian traffic. Pedestrians also cannot read your mind and have zero idea when you've decided that pulling-through a space is a matter of convenience. It can end up being even more dangerous than simply backing out of the spot.

In conclusion, it's not illegal but do think twice about pulling-through spaces, especially in the busiest of lots.