Depending on the research, it is estimated that cars with gas installations in Poland constitute 15% of all registered cars. Their constantly growing popularity is the result of relatively cheap gas installations combined with more than two times lower price than in the case of classic 95-octane petrol. Since the gas installation is so popular, it could be assumed that the regulations governing their daily use have been thoroughly elaborated. However, nothing could be more wrong. Today we will discuss the rules for parking in underground garages. How is it regulated by Polish law and what is everyday practice? A question that is often repeated among LPG users in Poland.
Regulations regarding the entry of a car with an LPG system to the underground garage
We will surprise everyone, there is no regulation in Poland regarding the ban on entering the underground garage with LPG cars! This would be an illogical move, given the number of vehicles on the road. Since cars with a roadworthiness, with a valid technical inspection, which is more expensive for autogas owners, can move on the road without any restrictions, where do the signs in garages that are below the ground line come from? Are they the evil parking managers who choose LPG drivers as their enemies? Of course, that's not the point!
We are told about the order to place such information at the entrance to the building:
Regulation of the Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration of 7 June 2010 on fire protection of buildings, other construction facilities and areas
"In addition, the owners, managers or users of buildings are required to place at the entrances to closed garages with the floor below the ground level, clear information about the approval or prohibition of parking in these garages of cars powered by LPG, referred to in the technical regulations. construction. "
However, on what basis does the manager of the parking lot decide whether it can let such vehicles onto its premises? The regulations clearly state that cars equipped with LPG installations can enter only if underground garages are equipped with mechanical ventilation and have appropriate sensors. Developers looking for savings at every step in most cases believe that such additional costs are unnecessary. Is it discrimination against people using one of the most ecological fuels? Let us not answer this question.
Underground car park
Penalties for entering the underground car park with an LPG car despite the ban
In the case of penalties for entering the underground car park, despite a visible sign prohibiting such activity, we will not find in the provisions of the Highway Code. Failure to specify them means that many drivers regularly decide to break such bans. This problem is most visible in large cities, especially in new housing estates, where there is always a shortage of parking spaces and the current market situation is not getting any better. Since there are no specific penalties in the code, are we really not facing any fines? This is where things get complicated. Because most managers of underground car parks, condominiums, multi-family buildings or public car parks have their own regulations, in which they can define their regulations and possible penalties for non-compliance. Most often, however, cases are conducted in the form of civil lawsuits, which is why many people consider this ban a dead regulation.
Drivers of cars running on a propane-butane mixture often have a filler hidden in an invisible place, which makes this regulation even more difficult to enforce. In addition, in most housing communities, they know about this problem, but in the vast majority of cases they do not control driving in, sweeping the problem under the carpet. Is this a good solution? Definitely not! It is all about fire safety! A much better solution would be to adapt its facilities to accept autogas cars. So, as we can see, our regulations, however, life verifies them quickly!
CNG and Hydrogen Vehicle Regulations
Cars powered by hydrogen fuel and compressed natural gas do not apply to the above-mentioned regulations! As hydrogen is a very light fuel (lighter than air), according to the legislator, it does not pose a threat such as a gas installation. In the case of CNG, it is argued for its very high combustion temperature. In the event of unsealing of such installations, the gas escapes in the air, posing no fire risk. Of course, safety issues should always be a priority for every driver, but isn't it better to solve the problem with underground garages and LPG in a different way than by using bans? Various types of non-governmental organizations have been demanding it for years, but, as you can see, so far without any visible effect!
Summary
Unfortunately, underdeveloped regulations for underground garages and cars with and
