The New York Police Department’s introduction of the ‘Barnacle Device’ to curb illegal parking has sparked significant criticism online.
While you might not typically park in a ‘designated parent-child’ space, if you ever find yourself urgently needing to use the restroom and decide to park somewhere you’re not allowed, the NYPD’s new device for vehicles that breach regulations might make you reconsider.
Philip Rivera, Chief of Transportation, first introduced the device on Twitter earlier this year, stating: “Tonight was the NYPD’s 1st deployment of a windshield boot aka the ‘Barnacle Device.’ It’s used to immobilize vehicles violating parking regulations.
“This allows us to hold those accountable, reduce parking congestion & address cars that are a nuisance & hazard to the community.”
Colin J. Heffron Sr, Executive Chairman of Edison, New Jersey-based Barnacle Parking, described the device to CBS News: “It’s a device that unfolds. It adheres to the windshield of your car.
“There’s two giant suction cups that are engaged in a self-contained pump within the Barnacle. Basically, it makes it impossible for you to drive because you can’t see through your window.”
The Barnacle also sets off an alarm if tampered with.
Now that the device has been implemented and caught on camera in New York City, it didn’t take long for people to highlight a significant flaw.
One Twitter user pointed out: “The NYPD is using ‘Barnacles’ to combat illegal parking. They are commercial-grade suction cups that latch onto the glass with 1,000 pounds of force, making forcible removal next to impossible.”
Another user questioned: “Ummm, so then they are stuck being parked in that illegal parking space?? Can someone explain how this makes any sense?”
Another person commented: “That’s cool but it doesn’t resolve the fact that the car is going to remain illegally parked until…”
Someone else added: “This is what you get when government is more interested in collecting the fines than solving the problem. This device makes it impossible for the individual to move their vehicle.”
And another concluded: “That’s just going to make people drive like Ace Ventura.”
To have the Barnacle removed, drivers must follow the instructions on the device and pay a $185 fine to get a traffic agent to remove it.