There are many rules and regulations meant to protect our society from lots of dangerous things. Some of these rules come with signs attached to the top of posts: No Swimming, No Smoking, Handicapped Parking.

But one of the most common signs needs to be amended. It’s the one you see along the curbs outside many buildings that says “No Parking or Standing–Fire Lane.”

I understand the point is to keep cars away from that area in case of a fire. An emergency vehicle would need access to that space in order to address the flames and work to ensure people’s safety. But the “Standing” portion is a bit unnecessary.

Today I picked up someone for lunch, and thus had to wait outside their office building until they came out. There were far-flung parking spaces open, but the area just in front of the door was a lot more convenient for both of us. I defied the signs in the area warning me not to “Stand.” I would never park in such a location, but I don’t see the problem with standing.

If there is a fire, and people are fleeing the building, I’m going to want to get away as well. I’m not going to say: “Hey, look at those awesome flames! Let me continue sitting in my car in front of this fire hydrant.” That’s one of the wonderful things about cars–they’re meant to go places. By the time a fire engine arrived–even with amazing response time–my car would no longer be standing in that location.

Sure, there are people who would me so mesmerized by the smoke-and-flames situation that they would continue their standing. But even then, if a fire engine rolled up right behind you and beeped that incredibly loud horn, you’d probably get the picture and get out of the way. Or in any statute that removes the “No Standing” provision from the sign, we can include a line about the right of emergency vehicles to ram into cars that are in the way without fault.

Let the vehicles stand.