New York City has rolled out an unusual “windshield boot” to combat illegal parking and unpaid parking fines—not that it’s likely to deter a determined motorist from driving off.
The windshield boot is known as the Barnacle Device, which weighs 17 pounds and uses commercial-grade suction cups that attach to the windshield with 1,000 pounds of force, according to the New York Post. The device is supposedly impossible to remove, but it does nothing to immobilize the vehicle. Instead, it blocks the driver’s view. Mostly.
The Barnacle Device is considered safer for the officer to apply than the traditional boot on the wheel of a vehicle and has been employed in many cities across the country, including Philadelphia, Houston, and Las Vegas.
Chief Philip Rivera, NYPD Chief of Transportation, took to social media to tout the rollout.
“Tonight was the NYPD’s 1st deployment of a windshield boot aka the ‘Barnacle Device.’ It’s used to immobilize vehicles violating parking regulations. This allows us to hold those accountable, reduce parking congestion & address cars that are a nuisance & hazard to the community,” Rivera tweeted.
Tonight was the NYPD’s 1st deployment of a windshield boot aka the “Barnacle Device.” It’s used to immobilize vehicles violating parking regulations.
This allows us to hold those accountable, reduce parking congestion & address cars that are a nuisance & hazard to the community. pic.twitter.com/XMkBltOvm9— Chief of Transportation (@NYPDTransport) April 5, 2024
Social media users were a bit skeptical, with one pointing out that all a driver needs to do is “bust the windshield, throw [the] barnacle back into the ocean, call Safelite.”
Another asked about a device to stop illegal border crossers — here are those responses along with a few others, as seen on X:
Can they make a Barnacle Device for illegal border crossers?
— ✭johntrimbo✭ (@john_trimbo) April 6, 2024
How to remove a Barnacle: Bust your windshield, throw barnacle back into the ocean, call Safelite and have them come drop in a new windshield ♂️.
— VADM Nick Crunch, USN (Ret.) (@NickTho97457955) April 7, 2024
Someone’s going to just start er up, put it in the drive, and run over someone.
— Noteworthy (@aysonthemove) April 7, 2024
All about money! Any devices to stop shootings, stabbings, murders on streets and subways. Can Any of these be used to restrain an emotionally disturbed person?. You know, the ones who push people in front of subways or randomly punch women! Anything for those Issues?
— Anthony Russo (@Anthony26424634) April 6, 2024
So then why have some vehicles illegally parked in my #Inwood neighborhood for several YEARS without moving? NYPD keeps closing 311 reports as “police action not necessary” for illegal parking, fake plates and everything else we try to report about vehicles.
— Streetwall (@StreetwallNY) April 5, 2024
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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