Using chairs to hold parking spaces

[texas_jack]

I actually saw this in Richmond last year when we got a record snow.

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by West24

ie never heard of this before in my life. lol wtf?
+WTF

 

[henrikc]

What a stupid thing go do. Don't leave the spot if you can't lose it.
I can't understand this at all, except when it's a private parking space on the street (if that even exists), but in that case I would use a private parking sign and tow them.

 

[gladhands]

Originally Posted by otc

If you don't live in one of the old-school residential neighborhoods of chicago, don't do this.

If you tried to do this on a lakeview street filled with walkups, somebody would probably just park on top of your chair.

Happens in Wicker Park.

 

[pebblegrain]

What's the logic? If there was a blizzard, everyone got their car covered, and you dug your way out and someone comes to take your spot, doesn't that mean that person also dug their way out and left it open for someone else? Cars aren't magically appearing from the sky to steal parking spaces. **** the midwest

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by pebblegrain

What's the logic? If there was a blizzard, everyone got their car covered, and you dug your way out and someone comes to take your spot, doesn't that mean that person also dug their way out and left it open for someone else? Cars aren't magically appearing from the sky to steal parking spaces. **** the midwest

Well, the reason the local governments look the other way on the dibs system is that it is basically an incentive scheme to encourage private snow removal. Digging out a spot completely is a lot different than digging it just enough to push your car out of it and if there is a tacit assumption that you don't dibs a spot without clearing your sidewalk-- the system works even better.

As to cars magically appearing from the sky...sure they do. This practice occurs in the house-lined streets of residential neighborhoods...these streets have a lot of empty spots during the day that are just filled with plowed in snow until the residents pull their car out of the downtown garages and come home to dig out a spot.

 

[Godot]

While I empathize with people that have shoveled a lot of snow, the fact remains that they don't own the street. Once you've moved your car, you have lost that parking space. IMO, using chairs or whatever to save "your" space is provocative and invites more urban violence.
People putting out chairs should be fined or imprisoned, or perhaps just have their license revoked and car confiscated. I would reserve capital punishment until their second offense.

 

[acidboy]

not chairs, but I've seen guys asking their partners/wives/gf to stand on an empty parking slot while whilst they go around so no one can get it first. stay classy, gents!

 

[CrazyJ]

Similar to OP's rant but not completely the same- outlet malls in FL on black friday are pretty bad. I drove around the parking lot for two hours looking for a spot until I finally found one. Then some spanish guy had his wife run into the spot and stand there for him, so I kinda just ran her over until she moved. flicked me off, said **** you, etc. etc. then I just threatened to call the police and they backed off like little lambs. wasn't even worth it anyway... ****** ass deals all over the place. shoulda just stuck to B&S.

To put my five cents in though... I agree with the chair thing. If you're gonna put your back into clearing an entire spot to park in, you better ******* get dibs on it.

 

[pebblegrain]

Originally Posted by CrazyJew

I agree with the chair thing. If you're gonna put your back into clearing an entire spot to park in, you better ******* get dibs on it.

nah, eff that

 

[Logan]

This is what people do? I'd toss that onto the front lawn and take the space, they don't own the road.

 

[InsBrokerTX]

) there is an open invitation to get: keyed, tires slashed, or the best I have heard is they just cover your car with snow.[/QUOTE]

...and those things are an invitation to get shot.

 

[otc]

Originally Posted by pscolari

) there is an open invitation to get: keyed, tires slashed, or the best I have heard is they just cover your car with snow.[/QUOTE]

...and those things are an invitation to get shot.

Yes, but you don't have to be present to get your car keyed....you park there overnight and they have a 12 hour window to key your car. If you want to catch them, you have a 30 second window in which to see it.

 

[BP348]

Originally Posted by pscolari

) there is an open invitation to get: keyed, tires slashed, or the best I have heard is they just cover your car with snow.[/QUOTE]

...and those things are an invitation to get shot.

I agree with the above. You going to stand there and protect your car until it's time for you to leave?

Like everyone else from the midwest I've heard of people getting shot for taking a parking space that someone else had dug out.

 

[Godot]

Just learned of a Chicago organization opposed to the use of chairs to hold "your" space. It's called appropriately enough Chair Free Chicago

http://www.chairfreechicago.org/