A brutal winter has turned snow parking disputes into flashpoints across major U.S. cities, with police warning that confrontations over shoveled parking spaces are escalating into violence. What began as a long-standing winter ritual is now drawing crackdowns from city officials and serious concern from law enforcement.
After major snowstorms, residents across the Northeast spend hours clearing street parking spaces buried under heavy snowbanks. Many then attempt to reserve those spaces by placing chairs, cones, trash cans, or furniture in the street. The practice, common from Boston to Philadelphia, has sparked anger among neighbors and led to dangerous confrontations.
In Philadelphia, a fight over a space saver last week left a man in critical condition. Police said one man had a knife and another carried a legally owned handgun. Both “placed their weapons down and continued fighting,” according to authorities. Philadelphia Police Sgt. Eric Gripp called the incident “very disturbing,” adding, “Even though it seems like it’s not that serious of an issue, unfortunately, over the years we’ve seen some really tragic results.”
Reports of vandalism, retaliation, and physical fights tied to snow parking disputes have surged this winter. WBUR in Boston described the conflicts as involving “retaliation, fights and vandalism,” while residents report rising tensions on crowded streets where snowbanks severely limit available parking.
The tradition dates back decades. Chicago residents began calling “dibs” after the 1967 blizzard dumped 23 inches of snow. In Pittsburgh, the custom is famously known as the “Pittsburgh Parking Chair.” Items used to save spaces have ranged from lawn chairs and cones to vacuum cleaners and even a toilet in Boston.
City leaders are now pushing back. Philadelphia police have declared space savers illegal. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott warned residents, “If you put a lawn chair out there, and I see it, it’s going away.” Baltimore’s transportation department added that such objects interfere with snow removal and damage vehicles.
Officials in Washington, D.C., echoed earlier warnings that no one has a legal right to reserve public parking. As winter storms continue, authorities say snow parking conflicts remain a public safety issue, not just a neighborhood nuisance.
