This browser does not support the Video element.
WASHINGTON - It seems simple: you dig out your car, so the space you cleared should be yours. Right? Not exactly.
FIND THE LATEST DC WINTER STORM FORECAST HERE
What we know:
Every winter after a big snowfall, the same scene plays out across the DMV - lawn chairs, trash cans, cones and anything else people can find appear in freshly shoveled spots as residents try to save the space they worked to clear.
But no matter how much time or elbow grease you put in, you don’t have a claim to that space once you drive away.
Stay connected with FOX LOCAL. For 24/7 winter storm coverage—Download Now.
A photo sent to FOX 5 DC on Thursday showed dining room chairs being used to hold a parking space in northwest D.C.
After the massive 2016 blizzard known as Snowzilla, then–D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier reminded residents that saving parking spaces is not allowed in the District. "As tempting as it is, once you dig your car out, when you pull out, that space can be taken by someone else," she told the Washington Post at the time.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott echoed that message earlier this week after the city saw its largest snowfall of the season. "If you put a lawn chair out there, and I see it, it's going away," Scott told CBSNews.com. "But if you're doing that, take the next step. If you have an elderly neighbor, dig their spot out too. Don't just dig yours out."
Baltimore’s Department of Transportation also posted a reminder on social media urging residents not to reserve parking spaces with chairs or other objects. "Chairs and debris make plowing dangerous, can damage our plows, and prevent crews from clearing the street," the agency said. "If there’s something in the space, we can’t plow it."
Baltimore officials said residents can report items left in parking spaces to 311 as "debris in roadway."
And the trend isn’t limited to the East Coast. WTAE.com reports that Pittsburgh’s infamous "parking chairs" have returned after the city’s latest snowstorm.
If you spot chairs or other objects saving parking spaces, snap a photo and share it with us on X.
Stay ahead of the snow with FOX 5’s expert meteorologists, streaming LIVE on FOX LOCAL. We’re streaming nonstop coverage with the newest forecasts, snow potential, and preparation tips—before the storm and all weekend long. Download FOX LOCAL for 24/7 weather coverage on your smart TV and mobile devices.
The Source: Information in this article comes from FOX 5 reporting, the Washington Post, CBSNews.com, Baltimore’s Department of Transportation and WTAE.com.