End of Space Savers in Boston's South End Neighborhood?

(NECN: Alison King) - Here's how one resident of Boston's South end describes the parking - even on a good day: "It's terrible. You gotta ride around so many times just to wait for someone to move so you can get a park."

Throw in a heavy snowstorm and for drivers, and it's a disaster.

But there is a not so secret code in Boston, where if you shovel out your car, you own that space - as long as you mark your territory.

Could be with a chair, a golf bag, a grandfather clock - even the kitchen sink. But the tradition could become a thing of the past based on a request filed by a neighborhood group, The South End Forum.

It wants to ban space savers and there seems to be plenty of support.

Here's a sampling of comments:

- "I think with the digging out of the chairs, there's an implied menace behind it which is, if you move the chair, something bad will happen to your car and that seems like, against civilized society."

- "I personally think that you shovel it out- it should not be yours. You can not claim it, it's a public street so everyone should be able to use the parking spaces."

- "They don't own it because they shoveled it. They're not entitled to it."

But according to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh - shovelers technically -are- entitled to space savers... Based on written policy...

"If we have a snow storm, a significant snow storm, that somebody shovels there spot out, the rule is 48 hours depending on how severe the storm is - possibly we would extend to 72," Walsh says.

Walsh says he's going to follow the South End's pilot program and wishes them luck.

He does say there are cases of space saver abuse.

He says, "If you go to work on a day that its about to snow and you put a space saver out, that, in my opinion, doesn't count," he says.

And there are those who think they own the space long after the snow is gone, which is what Mayor Walsh is talking about.

I asked David Long of the South End about space saving, and he says he doesn't move his car. Why?

"I just feel there might be repercussions against my car," he says.

More than a few cars have been keyed or "accidently" dented for committing such an act.

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