A caught-on-video argument over a Harlem parking spot has sparked anger over the controversial — and illegal — practice of claiming a public spot by standing it in or blocking it with items.
A woman who goes by Kymmitea on Instagram said she was trying to “get on with her day” when she attempted to park her car along a residential street in Manhattan on Juneteenth.
Finding a coveted spot in the Big Apple often entails circling the block multiple times, especially on a holiday, and Kymmitea didn’t hesitate to pull her car into a rare open space. But a white couple who appeared to be in the process of moving out of an apartment prevented her from fully parking by placing moving bins and a random piece of furniture on either side of her car.
The parking spot battle triggered an unfortunate chain reaction when a bus had to stop on the very narrow street because the front of Kymmitea’s car was sticking into the road. Now, not only was she delayed, but also an MTA driver and potentially a busload of passengers were off schedule.
The solution was easy: the couple needed to move a few household items onto the sidewalk or take a few steps down the road to wait on the sidewalk in front of a nearby fire hydrant. Instead, they did the opposite and stepped into the street, stubbornly claiming their spot despite the ensuing chaos and arguing.
“Listen, ask your friendly neighbors to move out of the way. It’s their fault because they want to hold up spots,” Kymmitea shouted across the street to the agitated bus driver, who initially heckled her. “I’m telling them. They want to put their sh–ty f–king furniture in the middle of the [road],” she yelled before alluding to items that were allegedly leaning on her car. “Don’t put it up against my f–king car, don’t do that!”
After a significant amount of badgering, the unidentified man finally moved the couple’s bric-a-brac from the street, but he refused to admit fault. He said with a dismissive laugh, “We’re not blocking traffic.” One thing is certain: they were breaking the law. Despite the unwritten rules of the street, it’s a civil traffic violation to reserve a spot by standing in it, which can lead to fines.
“Just full of audacity blocking a spot and actually packing this garbage to take somewhere else smh put this bs on the trashpile and get yo goofy ahh tf out the wayyyyyyyyy,” wrote Kymmitea in her caption.
“She better than me. Their stuff would be under my car,” stated an Instagram user matter-of-factly.
We’ve likely all had frustrating encounters with so-called parking lot protectors, and most commenters erupted in praise. “Ya voice! The accent! The pitch! The words! The advocacy! I love it,” enthused one. “What in the entitlement is going on here. Kudos to those who spoke up with this woman against these two,” cheered another.
Some commenters acknowledged the difficulties of moving in Manhattan, saying, “I hate it when people stand in parking spots, but this would be an exception.” Kymmietea agreed to an extent, but stated parking spots were scarce and she needed to be at work, adding that she’s “not being courteous to no one that hasn’t shown me kindness.”
