Posted on 05/30/2015 9:43:21 PM PDT by nickcarraway
A new app lets annoyed cyclists or drivers harness the power of crowdsourcing to report illegally parked cars. “We’re not out here to ruin people’s lives or tow people endlessly,” Michael McArthur, co-founder of Toronto-based TowIt, told Fast Company.”It’s all a behavioral shift to make our societies function better. Really, we just want people to think about how their actions are impacting others.”
McArthur and his business partner came up with the idea after a new Toronto mayor had come into office along with a towing initiative for cracking down on illegally parked cars clogging up streets. The team wanted to integrate a tech component to make it more efficient for reporting and removing those cars with the help of traffic cops and towing companies.
But traffic laws vary from city to city, and since launching the startup earlier this year, it’s taken some time to coordinate with city governments. In the meantime, the app, available on Android and iOS, lets anyone post a photo and shame drivers double-parked in bike lines or in rush hour routes.
The startup is starting with Toronto where police currently have to show up in person, ticket a car and wait for a tow truck to arrive. It’s a process that requires tremendous resources and time. The goal is to bypass most of those steps by allowing a remote traffic cop to look at submitted photos of illegally parked cars and determine whether or not they should call a towing company.
The app is currently available in only a handful of cities, with it recently popping up in San Francisco.
Yes. Parking is like going to a public restroom. You never select a urinal adjacent to an occupied one.
A certain elderly black congresswoman comes to mind.
Have you seen the parking in Russia? It would explain. :)
‘___________had parked far into a second space.’
Just know you sure can count on that happening - - !
Better to walk a few yards further, IMO.
PS Driving manners - hmmm - an oxymoron. And it’s not just here in Calif.
Toronto must be boring as all hell
They could use some ex slaves up there, liven things up a bit.
Wasn’t Toronto settled by the French? That might answer why the problem exists. Now if they could only teach the cars to surrender!
Yes
LOL!
< golf clap>
Uh, wasn’t it the other guy who parked wrong? Were you confused by my post?
So, essentially, you’re sayin’ “no snitching”.
Thumbs up to that driver for avoiding use of the handicapped spots!...even though they blocked ramp access for those same drivers
The society approves snitching only in case of crimes that the society wants to stop. Bad parking is not a crime, it's an annoyance. Towing a car for it is a huge overreaction.
Please tell me you’re joking.
”It’s all a behavioral shift to make our societies function better. Really, we just want people to think about how their actions are impacting others.”
Collectivism mindset.
Finally a reason to get a smart phone.
It won’t stop them. The law in Texas is that the left lane is for passing only. Yet folks still like to camp in the left lane.
I call ‘em, “Left Lane Lucys.”
Cracks up my kids when we’re traveling.
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