It's like if you are running around town looking for a parking spot. You find a place where you could park your car, it's not bothering anyone and doesn't block anyone and anything else it just isn't marked.
If you have a cheap real parking near, you probably wouldn't park in the unmarked spot. But if the first legal alternative is 5 miles away, a private parking charging you 10 bucks every hour, a maximum 5 minutes parking then you probably stop in the unmarked spot.
It's legal ? No. It's actively bothering anyone other than the policeman writing you the ticket if he finds out ? No. You hope that they won't find out, and won't write you a ticket ? of course you do.