It can be, especially in the winter in areas that are prone to snow. Also a lot of "suburbs" don't consist of developments but are just houses along roads. In many cases, those roads don't have anywhere for cars to park.
The roads that you can parallel park at in the Southwest are the vast exception in my experience. If you did that just about anywhere in my town you’d be towed, as a nicer option for the authorities to choose.
We do have problems with inner city parking reducing roads to single lane in London. But in more rural areas, you can just leave your car anywhere. The concern is thef, vandalism, collision, not enforcement action.
Which is nullified for the most part with a crappy old car. :P
