Reserving parking spots

doctorima

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 10:34 am

IME the generally accepted practice is that the person standing there has it. To stand there for a long time may not be nice, but it is done, and to try to forcibly park there (how would you do that exactly? Threaten to drive over them?) is even worse. That's my general experience; specific circumstances may warrant otherwise.

chatouli

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 10:48 am

Oh I disagree. Parking spots are for cars, and it's against the "rules" to hold a spot by standing in it. I think many of us have tried it, but if the person trying to park insists, I believe the car has the right to take it. I've actually googled this and I don't believe there are specific regulations that speak to this (nor has there been a Seinfeld episode about it, like the one that decided the issue of driving past a spot you missed and reversing into it), so it's not necessarily a legal issue, but rather a question of what's right.

The way to prevent a person from standing in a spot to reserve it is not to threaten them, of course, but to simply block the spot with your car and refuse to move it. I do wonder what a policeman would do if called to mediate such a dispute. I can find out and let you know if anyone's interested!

33055

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 11:40 am

chatouli wrote:

It is not a good idea to engage in this craziness. Suppose you win, your car could get scratched or worse you could get hurt. The following is a b!tch fight over a parking space. There are lots more you can goggle.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2KL5M1zI_PA

Disclaimer: I didn't watch this.

chatouli

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 5:43 pm

precious wrote:

What was the resolution for trying to reverse into the spot you missed? Now that just happened to me. I'm having a crazy parking day:(

I believe the law of the universe (per Seinfeld) is that trying to reverse into a parking spot you missed, that the guy behind you wants, is not allowed.

chatouli

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 5:46 pm

Squishy wrote:

I'm with you, it is really not worth it to me. I'd rather pay $10 or $15 to garage the car than risk getting my car keyed or worse. But try explaining that to my DH. We had this happen about a month ago and let's just say we got the spot, and although I believe we were 100 percent right, I was still fearful that we made a chillul Hashem. The car didn't get keyed btw and all was well.

33055

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 5:49 pm

chatouli wrote:

Which party were you? The one who reserved the spot or the one who came upon a reserved spot?

chatouli

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 5:53 pm

Squishy wrote:

Which party were you? The one who reserved the spot or the one who came upon a reserved spot?

We came upon a reserved spot. My DH blocked the spot with our car, turned the engine off, and walked away to go find a traffic cop. After a few minutes (and a heated exchange) the guy standing in the spot got bored and left. We parked and enjoyed our afternoon. (After taking careful note of any marks on the car...)

FranticFrummie

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 7:07 pm

Oh great, now I have terrible flashbacks to my childhood. Sad

My mom used to make me get out and reserve a parking spot, while she circled the block to come around and angle in properly. More often than not, some jerk would come and pull in anyway, knowing that I was just a scared kid and that I'd get out of the way so I didn't get run over. Then my mom would be mad at me for not holding my ground.

Stupid. Dangerous. Rude!

Just don't do it. Think of it as Hashem's way of telling you that you need to park further away and walk more.

OOTBubby

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 7:09 pm

Gee, doesn't NY do what is minhag Chicago -- reserve your dug out parking space with all kinds of assorted stuff ranging from lawn chair to milk crates, boards or any kind of junk? It's considered rather sacrosanct here; if a space is reserved that way (it is assumed that the reserver is the one who dug it out), it belongs to that person.

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 7:13 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

No. It's unique to Chicago. Last year we were new to the city and actually got out tires slashed because we parked in someone else's spot. Sad

watergirl

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 7:15 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

Calling dibs on spots is what I miss most about chicago (besides for the Cubs, Kens, and Dairy star). People seriously hold their parking spots with milk crates and brooms until the middle of May when at that point the police are coming around and moving your stuff but not Ticketing anyone.

chatouli

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 7:16 pm

Well, I got curious and asked a cop friend. Here's what he said:

there is a NYC traffic rule that addresses this, "Unofficial Reserving of Parking Space" (4-08(n)(7)). It essentially says that you cant reserve a parking spot with a person or object. If I was to come upon this scene as the police I would give one chance for the person to move and then issue a disorderly conduct summons.

Very Happy

OOTBubby

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 7:16 pm

watergirl wrote:

It can get rough though when someone digs out and "claims" the space in front of someone else's house. I'm glad I have a driveway.

OOTBubby

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 7:17 pm

chatouli wrote:

I doubt it's legal in Chicago either, but it is accepted and I've never heard of police ticketing or interfering. Like I said it's "minhag" Chicago!

shoshanim999

Wed, Feb 11 2015, 10:25 pm

This is an absolute no brainer. Parking spots r for cars. period. Nobody has the right to stand in a spot and "hold" it for a friend. Its a complete chutzpah and makes me embarrassed to be from the same lineage as these selfish people.