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Mr. Tom Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Wrongly parked

Hi

I read this phrase in a local newspaper. Does it make sense at all?

(Driver to the traffic constable)

A- Why should I pay any fine?
B- Can't you see this sign? You are wrongly parked.

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

"Wrongly" does make it sound like the driver had done a bad job of parking, perhaps by putting the car's wheels were on the sidewalk. But from the context of the sign, it's clear that the constable meant illegally parked.

— Deadrat

  • "Wrongly" does make it sound like the driver had done a bad job of parking, perhaps by putting the car's wheels were on the sidewalk.
  • But from the context of the sign, it's clear that the constable meant illegally parked.
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4 Answers
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"Wrongly" does make it sound like the driver had done a bad job of parking, perhaps by putting the car's wheels were on the sidewalk. But from the context of the sign, it's clear that the constable meant illegally parked.
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Thanks, deadrat.

So, you or your car in this context are the same thing?

You/your car is wrongly/illegally parked.

If so, this sentence should also be correct, I assume?

I was ticketed today because I was illegally parked.

Tom
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Yes, you're right. I believe the reason lies with the law's pig-headed insistence on transferring the blame from the vehicle to the driver.
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Mr. TomI was ticketed today because I was illegally parked.
from: ... because I had illegally parked.

Compare: They are finished. He is gone.
from: They have finished. He has gone.

There are a very few cases in English where be appears where we might expect have.

CJ
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