The Yellow Line Effect

In the past we had a set of rules to cover parking in the Highway Code. They were generally commonsense and about safety to supplement your own commonsense. Then some Rodney thought up yellow lines to indicate where you could or could not park. Now people park where there are no yellow lines whatever the circumstances. Forget "at least 15 yards from a junction". I've seen cars parked actually on the corner, at 45 degrees to both roads, with two wheels on the pavement. But there were no yellow lines so it must be OK.
I call it the "Yellow Line Effect", a paradigm for a nanny state. Treat people like ignorant children and many will act accordingly.