Meet the “Barnacle,” the Boot’s Much Cooler Cousin
We see them all the time, a "boot" placed over the tire of a vehicle in an attempt to prevent it from moving for whatever reason. It could be that the owner has outstanding fines or it could be that there's a traffic infraction that needs to be addressed.
Either way, when a person's car gets "booted" the process of getting the boot removed can be lengthy even after all the fines have been paid. Those days may be coming to an end as more and more cities move to use a device called the "Barnacle."
According to the product website for the Barnacle, the device is easier to use than the boot for the following reasons,
The Barnacle® is a proven enforcement solution for providing safe streets and accessible parking for motorists.
Deploy safely from the curb
GPS tracking & alarm sensors deliver real-time alerts
Can be integrated with many existing management systems
Can be released by the motorist
That's right. Unlike the "old-school" boot that a motorist has to wait for an official to remove after fines and infractions have been cleared up, with the Barnacle, the person with the vehicle that has been "locked" can now unlock the Barnacle and remove it from their vehicle without having to wait for their to be set free.
The Barnacle uses super strength suction cups to adhere to the windshield of a vehicle and the only way for it to be removed is for the vehicle owner to pay the fine either online or by phone and then type in a given pin. Once the fine has been paid and pin has been typed in, the person can then remove the Barnacle from their windshield, fold it up, place it in their vehicle and then return it to the city within a certain amount of time.
[via Barnacle Parking]