Town bans 'reserved' snow parking spots

DARBY, Pa., Jan. 13 (UPI) -- Officials in a Philadelphia suburb have voted to ban the time-honored practice of using a trash can or chair to mark a parking spot that has been shoveled out.

Residents of Darby face fines of $300 if they are caught trying to reserve spots after snowstorms, KYW-TV, Philadelphia, reported Wednesday. The practice is common in Philadelphia and its older suburbs, where driveways are rare, as well as in many cities where winter snow piles up.

Township Police Chief Robert Thompson said informally reserving spaces can lead to nasty arguments and even violence. The area is going through what is shaping up to be its second bad winter in a row.

"At some point this can get serious or even tragic. I just felt we need to try and do things differently," Thompson said.

Residents have mixed feelings. Anthony Chiaverini said one of his neighbors left a rocking chair on the street for a week marking a space after the last storm.

But Tiffany Ellison said if she digs out a space she should get the benefit.

"It is going to be ugly. I was out between (midnight) and 1 a.m. digging," she said. "Yes, my trash can is out now so when I get home I can park in front of my door."