A recent incident in Little India has drawn criticism online after a woman used her body to block a vehicle to save a parking space.
The woman was captured on video standing in the middle of the road to prevent an approaching car from taking a parking spot.
Business owners in the area say this is a common occurrence, with some drivers using traffic cones or garbage bins to reserve parking spaces in the congested area.
Video Shows Woman Blocking Traffic
A driver posted footage to Facebook page SGRV showing a woman physically obstructing a car to hold a parking spot. The incident happened at approximately 5:00 PM last weekend on Mayo Street in Little India.
In the video, the woman is seen already positioned on the road as a car was leaving its parking space. She repeatedly gestured for the approaching vehicle to stop.
She only moved aside after signaling to a red car about 100 meters away, which then reversed into the vacant spot. The video received significant backlash online.
Various Parking Spot Reservation Tactics
When Shin Min Daily News visited Mayo Street, local shop owners confirmed that parking is scarce, resulting in fierce competition.
A 73-year-old guitar shop owner, Mr. Huang, told reporters that street parking is typically full. He has observed drivers bringing traffic cones to claim empty spaces beforehand.
“This kind of spot-hogging ‘culture’ is so widespread that nobody is surprised by it. I haven’t seen any conflicts arise from it though,” he said.
Another merchant mentioned that besides traffic cones, some people move roadside garbage bins to reserve spots before bringing their vehicles.
Businesses Express Frustration
Local merchants have voiced their annoyance with these parking tactics, with some taking steps to counter such behavior.
Mr. Xie, a 34-year-old Chinese restaurant manager, stated, “Since these are public parking spaces, we should follow a first-come, first-served basis. People shouldn’t reserve spots in advance.”
“Whenever I see someone using objects to reserve a spot, I simply move them away and park my car there,” he added.
Other locals noted that while spot-hogging happens often, many people avoid confrontation, allowing the practice to continue.
