A proposed ordinance aims to restrict the use of a controversial parking enforcement tactic. The Philadelphia City Council is considering a bill that calls for regulations on windshield barnacles. The bright yellow windshield devices are used to immobilize vehicles, making them impossible to drive. The tool is being used more often by private parking lot owners in place of towing, leaving drivers with hefty fees to have them removed. The proposal would ban the use of barnacles on cars parked in a private lot, unless the vehicle has already been ticketed by law enforcement. Violators could face a $1,000 fine. In December 2023, the City Council had initially considered regulating how parking barnacle devices are used, after residents reported predatory practices and price gouging by towing companies and parking lots. ...read more read less