From Snow Shovels to City Hall: the Evolution of the Chair Rule Controversy
By James H. Sterling
Q1: Is it legally permissible to reserve a shoveled street parking spot with a chair?
A: On almost all public roads in the United States, placing an object to hold a spot is illegal under municipal obstruction and public right-of-way ordinances. The single major exception is Boston, which officially allows space savers for 48 hours after an emergency ends, except in neighborhoods like the South End that have explicitly outlawed them.
Q2: What happens if I move someone else's space saver and park there?
A: Legally, you are within your rights to park on any open public street where parking is permitted. In practice, moving someone's chair invites high risk of retaliation, ranging from verbal altercations to slashed tires, broken wipers, or your vehicle being deliberately plowed back in with wet snow.
Q3: Can the city confiscate my space saver if I leave it in the street?
A: Yes. City sanitation and public works crews can and do impound items left in the street as abandoned trash. In cities with zero-tolerance rules like Philadelphia and Minneapolis, crews will collect items immediately. In Chicago, sanitation crews pick up objects when aldermanic 311 clean-up operations begin.
Q4: How long does the informal dibs courtesy traditionally last?
A: In regions where community customs tolerate the practice, informal etiquette permits holding the space for 24 to 48 hours following the end of snowfall. Once streets are fully plowed curb-to-curb and ice melts back down to bare pavement, leaving a saver is universally viewed as an improper land-grab.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
