Parked car puzzler:

There aren’t many visual puzzles that involve parking jobs. So when we find one, we reluctantly post it. Can you figure out what number is underneath the parked car???

Give up? Yea, that’s enough time. Flip it over, it’s 87… YUP!

Quick answer:

If someone else hits your parked car, will your insurance rates go up? There’s a few factors that go into determining if your insurance rate goes up or not. Assuming you don’t have the insurance information of the doofus who hit you, the damage will most likely be covered under collision coverage and treated as a hit-and-run. And because the accident was not your fault, your rates will not increase.

Overnight parking in Los Angeles

With over 7,000 people living in cars in Los Angeles, knowing RV parking laws in LA (including vans, campers, etc.) might just come in handy. As rent rises, people without homes find sleeping and living in cars to be a temporary solution; with cars, and especially RVs, you can retain enough of your belongings to live a comfortable life. Some may not have a choice in living out of their cars, while others may be looking to save money or live close to their job without paying skyrocketing rent prices. On the other side of the argument, many of these RVs/vans/etc park in quiet residential neighborhoods, and use their secondary batteries to power potentially-obnoxious lights, music, or other accessories. It’s important to respect all your neighbors – both stationary and mobile. 

Overnight Parking Laws

Parking laws in LA have changed in the last five years, and long-term parking at night may not be as easy as it once was. The city council has managed to tackle vehicle dwelling in residential areas with schools nearby by enforcing strict daytime and nighttime rules.

From 6am to 9pm, RVs/campers must park more than a block (500 feet) away from licensed schools, preschools, daycare facilities, or parks. That is, you can park on a residential street during these hours if the area is clear of schools and parks. In terms of nighttime hours, you can park in non residential areas which are again, more than a block (500 feet) away from licensed schools, daycare facilities, preschools or parks.

Things I’m unsure of:
• Whether or not this cargo-shorts wearing buffoon installed this sign himself as a joke. A joke to bring even more undeserved attention to his stupid car. Just get back in the car, pop in your Smashmouth CD, and drive straight to hell.

Things I am sure of:
• The owner of this vehicle looking like Guy Fieri

Find quick and inexpensive parking spots in real time.

I was fortunate enough to recently learn about Yspott, a soon-to-be-released platform for booking private parking spots for an allotted period of time. This can be a lifesaver in crowded metropolitan areas, or during a local event like a large concert or sports game. More importantly, however, it utilizes space in a far more efficient manner.

How does it work?

In most urban environments, drivers spend up to 100 hours a year looking for a parking spot. Even if you enjoy the act of driving itself (I do), it takes a special kind of masochist to enjoy searching for a parking spot. And when you decide that your time is better suited elsewhere, paying for parking in designated lots can be costly and vary greatly from block to block – making it difficult to know whether you’re getting a “deal”.

Yspott recognized this problem, and is developing a solution for the everyday driver. In short, it pairs unused private parking spaces in apartment complexes, driveways, and even business parking lots with drivers searching for a short-term spot. It can work in real-time, too, pairing users with nearby parking spots that have recently opened up.

Remember where you parked:

After climbing levels and levels of parking spaces, you finally find a spot to park your car. You’ve already spent so much time looking for the parking spot, you hurry to lock your car and go about your business. But, on your way back you completely forget where you’ve parked amongst the hundred of cars on so many different levels. Or maybe you forgot what street you parked on and every corner looks exactly the same. 10 years ago, all you could do is pray that you had some comfortable footwear on, because pal, you were going to do some walking. But now, we have more than a few mobile apps to help you find your parked car:

1. Google Maps on iOS and Android

With just one tap on your iPhone or Android phone, you can pin your parking location to the Google Maps. No more unanswered questions like “where is my car parked” again. This functionality is available to you if you press the blue dot on the app; you can even add specific details like what level you’re on and any landmarks that might help you locate your parked car easier. The app also lets you put a parking location reminder if you’re on a meter 15 minutes before it expires so that you don’t have to fork out extra money.