What unusual items are used to save parking spots after snowstorms?

Residents use a variety of items, including life-sized cutouts, statues, furniture, and even kitchen tables, to reserve parking spots they have shoveled.

Do cities have rules about saving parking spots?

Some cities like Baltimore and Chicago prohibit saving spots, while Boston allows it for 48 hours after a snow emergency, and Pittsburgh considers it a longstanding tradition.

Why do people insist on saving shoveled parking spots?

Saving spots is often due to the significant effort and time spent shoveling them out, with residents wanting to reserve the spot they worked to clear.

Home / Lifestyle / Snowstorm parking wars: Saving spots with strange items

Snowstorm parking wars: Saving spots with strange items

30 Jan

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Summary

Residents use unusual items like statues and furniture to save parking spots.
Some cities have official rules, while others consider it a tradition.
The debate over parking spot saving causes significant community friction.

Snowstorm parking wars: Saving spots with strange items

Following recent snowstorms blanketing parts of the country, a contentious debate is underway regarding the practice of saving publicly shoveled parking spots. Residents resort to using various objects, from statues to household furniture, to reserve spots they have cleared. Maureen Dahill from Boston shared instances of people using a life-sized cutout of Rob Gronkowski or a statue of the Blessed Mother.

While some municipalities have established regulations, others view "space savers" as a longstanding tradition. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott declared that any chairs used for saving spots would be discarded, as obstructing streets is prohibited. Chicago also deems this "dibs" process illegal, with its sanitation department receiving numerous complaints. Boston, however, permits space savers for up to 48 hours after a snow emergency.