Tpp-2013-04-Save Me a Parking Space

THE BUSINESS OF PARKING FINANCELEGAL SAVE ME A PARKING SPACE By Leonard T. Bier, JD, CAPP e often ask our friends and family to save us a place in line to purchase tickets at a concert venue, to get into a theatre, or for in-store promotions. Not as common Wbut certainly a practice that occurs on a daily basis is a similar attempt to save parking spaces for friends or relatives. One of the most com- Using Objects mon ways to do this is to Another common space-sav- have a person physically ing scenario occurs in areas stand in an on- or off-street that are subject to significant municipal or commer- snowfalls. In these cases, a cial public parking space chair, garbage can, traffic to block a vehicle from cone, or other object is placed parking in the space un- in an on-street parking space til their friend’s or family that has been cleared of snow member’s vehicle arrives. by a local resident. In Boston, The practice of trying to it is a time-honored practice save a parking space is not for residents to shovel out without peril. None of the parking spaces and claim state or local jurisdictions them, sometimes for the surveyed has a law or ordi- entire winter. City of Bos- nance prohibiting a person ton ordinances do allow an from attempting to save or reserve a parking space individual who has cleared an on-street parking space of by standing it. snow during a snow emergency to reserve the parking Recently, in separate incidents at a university park- space for up to 48 hours. ing lot in Ann Arbor, Mich., and a Wal-Mart parking The tradition of saving a parking space after a snowfall lot in Cartersville, Ga., women stood in parking spaces is sufficiently common in Pittsburgh that the term “Pitts- to reserve them for drivers who were circling the burgh Parking Chair” has entered the lexicon and been parking lot. In both incidents, drivers of third-party shortened to “Parking Chair;” it can be found documented vehicles wanted to park in the available spaces. Both on Wikipedia. Although the city officially does not support women refused to vacate the spaces and were struck. the practice and states that anyone has a right to claim The drivers of both vehicles were charged with either any available space, it also does not sanction persons assault with a weapon (the car) or aggravated assault. who attempt to reserve parking spaces with barricades. The Wal-Mart case is significant because the entire Other cities, such as Washington, D.C., and New York, episode was captured by a parking lot security camera. expressly prohibit the practice of reserving on-street parking The driver in this case was operating a Lexus SUV and spaces using barricades or other objects or devices. In these drove into the 17-year-old woman attempting to save cities, the reserving object is removed and the responsible the space for her friend who had recently given birth. parties are ticketed. In New York City, the penalty for The operator of the SUV was a Cartersville, Ga., School barricading a municipal parking space is up to $2,000. Board member, who resigned after the video was aired IPI members who provide on- and off-street public LEONARD T. BIER, and was charged. parking spaces should examine state laws and local S JD, CAPP, is the These cases are not isolated. Two reported cases ordinances to determine if reserving parking spaces ERN principal of Bier K in New York, both involving women as the victims, is prohibited or allowed under certain circumstances. C Associates. He can be S VIA reached at lenbier@ included one being hit in the shins by a vehicle and one Members should also determine if there is a need to ER optonline.net or having her foot run over and being punched in the face promulgate their own rules and regulations regarding K 732.828.8864. hard enough to induce a coma. the practice. FLIC 10 INTERNATIONAL PARKING INSTITUTE | APRIL 2013.

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