Philadelphia police want to put end to brewing parking wars involving traffic cones
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia police are warning city residents and visitors to stop using traffic cones to save parking spots.
Drivers in Philadelphia are fed up with people using traffic cones as parking savesies. Now, police are working to get those cones off the streets that they shouldn't be on.
"It can and is a nuisance," Holmesburg resident Tracey Meyers said.
Neighbors in Holmesburg want something done about the cones.
"It's a disgrace," one person said. "They need to go. The city needs to come and get them."
Traffic cones laid out to block several parking spots have become a big problem on this small road called Glenloch Street, a cul-de-sac with limited parking.
Jaedon Rios said it takes him 20 minutes to find a parking spot after work. He circle for so long that he once moved a cone to park his car. The next day, he found that cone on top of his car.
"I was just mad," Rios said. "I can't park because everybody's always saving a spot and they go through here to all the way down the block. It's just not fair for everybody."
Philadelphia police are now removing traffic cones where they shouldn't be. Officers from the 15th police district recently collected more than 100 cones in just one day.
"If you're somebody that's putting a cone out there, don't do it," Sgt. Eric Gripp said.
Police said collecting the cones is a way to avoid verbal conflicts escalating among neighbors.
"We've seen fist fights all the way up to shootings," Gripp said. "Obviously, that's something we want to avoid. If you're not comfortable speaking with your neighbor, call 911. We'll come out. We'll handle it. We'll remove the cone."
Neighbors appreciate officers being proactive.
"It's a good thing because it's public," Meyers said. "Parking is parking. First come, first serve and that's how I see it."
Police are asking for people to first try to approach their neighbors if they're OK with doing that and asking to move the cones. But if they're not, just call 911 and officers say they'll come out to remove cones.
