Forget Car Boots… Car ‘Barnacles’ Are Coming to New York

Parking violators in New York have a new nemesis to face: meet the "barnacle".

A pilot program was recently launched to test the new technology, which is aimed to provide a better alternative to traditional "boots" that are put on vehicles with outstanding parking tickets. Here's how the barnacles work.

"Barnacle" Parking Enforcement in New York

The name of the new technology derives from sea barnacles that tenaciously cling to the sides of New York boats. The "car barnacles", which have begun to see testing in boroughs of New York City, use massive suction cups to attach a large yellow obstacle on a windshield, making it virtually impossible for the offending car or truck to be driven (below).

Is the Car Barnacle Coming to New York?

The idea sprung from the idea that car boots could not only be ineffective, but a major inconvenience as well. New Yorkers who fall victim to the boot often have to wait hours for them to be removed, whereas the new barnacles can be detached remotely. See how it works in the video below.

Parking Barnacles Across the Country

The technology has already been put into place in other states all across the country. The manufacturer, Barnacle Parking, reports that so far over 50,000 "barnacles" have been deployed... Will New York City be next?

Barnacle Parking Pilot Program in New York

The pilot program, which started in Queens, NY, began with a focus on illegally parked trucks. It costs the city $250 per-month for each leased barnacle, and the first round were deployed on windshields of "commercial vehicles parked in residential areas" (above).

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Barnacle Parking also touts the safety their product can provide, citing the absence of necessary interactions between parking officials and offending drivers. While it may not do anything to affect the way New Yorkers drive, it might help the way they park. Check out some of upstate New York's worst offenders below.