Public anger rises over car owners taking up multiple parking spaces

This photo, uploaded by an internet user, Monday, shows an SUV vehicle occupying four parking spaces at an underground parking lot of an apartment building. Screen captured from internet community

By Lee Hyo-jin

Public anger is rising over “thoughtless” car owners who park their vehicles taking up multiple parking spaces, limiting the slots available to other vehicles and inconveniencing others.

An internet user uploaded a posting on Bobaedream, an online community for motorists, criticizing a van owner who took up four parking spaces in an underground parking lot, Monday.

The writer attached photos of a van parked occupying four parking spaces, saying, “I wanted to show the photos to a parking lot attendant so he would make the owner move the car, but I couldn't because the person in charge wasn't there at the time.”

This photo, uploaded by an internet user, Saturday, shows a Mercedes-Benz vehicle occupying two parking stalls in an underground parking lot of an apartment. Screen captured from internet community

The incident immediately gained widespread attention among internet users, after a similar uproar over the weekend.

An internet user uploaded a post, Saturday, with several photos showing a Mercedes-Benz vehicle taking up two stalls in an underground parking lot of another apartment complex.

A threatening message was attached to the front window of the car: “You will be killed if you lay a hand on my car. I'll claim 10 times the damage for compensation. Contact me via my phone,” the note read.

The posting drew over 310,000 views and the comments section was flooded with criticism over the car owner's thoughtless and selfish behavior. Some people demanded that the owner be punished.

However, it appears difficult to punish vehicles owners under existing laws for parking over the lines separating designated parking spaces.

The Road Traffic Act stipulates that drivers must follow parking rules set by a presidential decree and shall not cause disturbance to others when parking in on-street parking spaces or parking lots. Those who violate the act may face a 200,000 won ($180) fine.

But that rule does not apply to car owners taking up multiple spaces in underground parking lots, which do not fall into the category of “on-street parking spaces” as stipulated in the act. So there is no legal way to forcibly move the vehicles or punish the owners.