A woman sparked debate on social media after reporting that a windshield blocker was placed on her car 45 seconds after she parked in a private area.
Olivia posted a video on TikTok to share what had happened. According to her, she had stopped in a parking lot to pick up some food and less than a minute later returned to find the windshield blocker on her car.
+ Click here to watch the video
“There was a sign, but like, what the hell, it looked like a normal parking lot,” she wrote in the comments section. Her video has already received over 1 million views and hundreds of comments from users who were equally stunned by the situation.
The device shown in the video is a suction-powered windshield immobilizer created by the company Barnacle Parking Enforcement.
It uses two industrial suction cups to attach to the windshield with more than 450 kg of force, according to the manufacturer. Once installed, the device completely obstructs the driver’s view.
To remove it, the driver must scan a QR code or call the number printed on the device, pay the corresponding fee, and wait for a remote operator to electronically release the suction. Then, the device must be returned to a designated drop-off location.
The system has been adopted by dozens of cities in the United States, including Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Allentown, Pennsylvania. However, many internet users noticed that the Barnacle placed on Olivia’s car belonged to the company Bob’s Sponges, suggesting that the installation was private and not carried out by municipal authorities.
While private parking enforcement is legal in Pennsylvania, the law also states that private operators must post clear and visible notices informing the enforcement procedure, the release fee, and the phone number of the company responsible for immobilization.
The absence of any of these elements constitutes a violation of consumer protection rules. In addition, if what Olivia said is true and the immobilizer was placed just 45 seconds after she parked, that could also qualify as a predatory practice.
In any case, many users rushed to share their tips for getting around the situation. “Turn on the defroster with the heat at maximum for 15 minutes. Then slide a credit card underneath,” one TikTok user said.
“We removed ours, took it, and they sent me bills in the mail for a long time. I still have it in my garage,” said another. “At that point, I’d break the windshield and speed off,” joked a third.
Photo and video: TikTok @olivialangston7. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
