A parking slot reserver?
A foreigner was spotted standing in a parking slot at a shopping mall in Clark, Pampanga despite a vehicle waiting to pull over in the space.
Facebook page “Parkeserye,” which posts reader-submitted content on improper parking habits, uploaded a video of a male foreigner with a mobile phone who was seen standing in a parking slot.
The page claimed that the incident happened in a mall in Clark, Pampanga.
It posted a video taken from inside the vehicle which wanted to park in the slot where the foreigner was standing.
“Hindi naman ‘yan pwede ‘yang ginagawa niya boss eh,” a woman could be heard saying.
“Hindi pwede ‘yan! Kahit saan mo dalhin, hindi pwede yan,” she repeated as the foreigner remained standing in the spot.
“Patawag na lang ng pulis kung gusto niya,” the woman continued.
Throughout this time, the foreigner continued to use his phone, holding it in front of him while blocking the slot.
“Reserve parking si foreigner,” the title of the clip reads.
A bill has already been filed in the House of Representatives that aims to penalize individuals who reserve parking slots by standing on them.
Called the “Mindful Parking Bill,” it prohibits any person from physically occupying a parking space intending to obstruct a vehicle from parking within it.
“This practice not only violates common courtesy and the basic principle that parking should be on a first-come, first-served basis, but it also endangers individuals who occupy spaces meant for motor vehicles,” Rep. Perci Cendaña (Akbayan party-list) said before.
The proposed measure seeks to fine individuals P2,000 for the first offense, P5,000 for the second offense with a suspension of the driver’s license for six months, and P10,000 for the third offense with a revocation of the driver’s license.
It would apply to parking spaces in public and private properties.
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Parking slots are generally on a first-come, first-served basis unless there are known rules or guidelines about parking reservations in the area.
It is common courtesy to give the parking slot to the car nearest to the slot and was the first to stop in front of or near it.
Such a bill was filed following the sudden prevalence of parking slot reservers late last year.
ALSO READ: Why it’s wrong to stand at a parking slot to reserve it | ‘Common courtesy is not so common’: Bill filed to penalize holding parking slots
