Philly Native Develops Windshield-Sized Parking Ticket

The age of the boot could be nearing an end. The time of The Barnacle is at hand.

The Barnacle, a windshield-sized parking ticket developed by a Philadelphia native, is designed specifically to be so unavoidable as to require immediate attention from the ticketed party.

"It's designed to make the whole process more efficient and convenient for everyone involved," says Kevin Dougherty, the president of Ideas That Stick and creator of The Barnacle.

The Barnacle uses commercial-grade suction cups containing hundreds of pounds of force to block the driver's view and get their attention the same way that a parking boot would - but with none of the baggage associated with a parking boot.

Dougherty points to the time wasted by towing and booting, including transport, storage costs, and fuel costs. Both the enforcement personnel and violators are often inconvenienced for hours.

The Barnacle allows violators to pay over the phone, and they are then given a code to input to remove the device. Then they have 24 hours to return the device to a drop location nearby.

"It's faster, safer, greener, and a whole lot cooler," Dougherty says.

While The Barnacle has not yet made its way to Philadelphia, according to CBS, parking authorities in Salt Lake City, Fort Lauderdale, and Allentown are currently using the device.

Image courtesy Ideas That Stick.