Philly Residents Divided Over 'Savesies' Parking Spots

Debate heats up as snow piles up, leaving less parking available in South Philly

Jan. 30, 2026 at 4:15pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

As heavy snowfall hits Philadelphia, the debate over 'savesies' - the practice of reserving parking spots by placing objects like chairs or cones - has intensified. Some residents feel those who shoveled out a spot deserve to keep it, while others see the practice as unfair. The city maintains it is illegal to block off spots, but enforcement has been challenging as the parking shortage worsens.

Why it matters

The 'savesies' debate highlights the ongoing parking challenges in dense urban neighborhoods like South Philly, where space is limited even without snow. It raises questions about fairness, community norms, and the role of city government in regulating public space during extreme weather events.

The details

With many streets still unplowed, snow banks have reduced available parking in South Philly. Some residents like Joe Moore are concerned about finding spots after digging out their cars, while others like Sudan McNair feel those who shoveled deserve to keep their spots. Fights over parking have even turned violent, as seen in a recent incident in Kensington. While the city maintains 'savesies' is illegal, some residents like Peter Conlon say it's an inevitable part of life in the neighborhood.

  • On January 25, 2026, a major snowstorm hit Philadelphia.
  • In the days following the storm, snow banks and icy conditions continued to limit parking availability in South Philly.

The players

Joe Moore

An incident manager living in Point Breeze who expressed concern about finding a parking spot after digging out his car.

Sudan McNair

A 20-year-old student who shoveled out a parking spot and placed a cone to save it, believing those who cleared a space deserve to park there.

Peter Conlon

A 35-year-old handyman and bartender who drove to South Philly from Delaware and said he wouldn't move a cone or chair guarding a shoveled-out spot, as he doesn't want to deal with the confrontation.

Carolyn Williams

A 63-year-old South Philly resident who feels those who shoveled their spots should be able to park there, and emphasized the general lack of available parking in the neighborhood.

Dylan Swindells

A South Philly resident who can see the validity of 'savesies' during a snowstorm, but finds the practice of blocking spots with objects throughout the year to be 'obnoxious'.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We're gonna move the car and then test our luck when we get back.”

— Joe Moore, Incident Manager (billypenn.com)

“I just want to tell the people to stop taking other people's spots. Stop taking people's spots that they shoveled their way out of.”

— Sudan McNair, Student (billypenn.com)

“I wouldn't [move it], just because I'm not very confrontational, so I don't want to deal with that headache. I'd rather just, you know, circle the block a few more times.”

— Peter Conlon, Handyman and Bartender (billypenn.com)

“I feel as though people that shovel their spaces out should be able to come back and park where they shovel their spaces out. [I feel] that nobody else should be able to park in their spot, and then they have to go try to find somewhere else to park. It's not fair.”

— Carolyn Williams, Resident (billypenn.com)

“The lawn chairs and the tires and stuff are very obnoxious. You don't own the street, and you don't own the spot outside your house. We all live in the same area, it should really just become first-come, first-serve.”

— Dylan Swindells, Resident (billypenn.com)

What’s next

The Philadelphia Police Department and Streets Department did not respond to a request for comment at the time of the publication of this story, so it remains unclear how the city plans to address the 'savesies' debate going forward.

The takeaway

The 'savesies' parking debate in Philadelphia highlights the ongoing challenges of limited urban parking, community norms, and the role of government in regulating public space. While some residents feel those who clear spots deserve to keep them, others see the practice as unfair. Resolving this tension will require balancing individual needs with the broader public interest.