Barnacles have appeared on vehicles in Saskatchewan91裸聊视频檚 capital, but they91裸聊视频檙e not sticky little water-dwelling crustaceans.
The bright yellow devices, used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to other parts of the country.
91裸聊视频淵ou will see more and more Barnacles,91裸聊视频� Colin Heffron, chairman of Barnacle Parking, said in an interview from New Jersey.
When a Barnacle is placed on a vehicle91裸聊视频檚 windshield, commercial-grade suction cups latch onto the glass with more than 450 kilograms of force. It can only be removed once the driver uses a QR code on the device to pay outstanding fines.
A private company in Ontario has signed on to use Barnacles, and the University of Regina has begun deploying the device for people who persistently fail to pay fines.
91裸聊视频淚t is important to note that the Barnacle is only used as a last resort,91裸聊视频� Paul Dederick, a university spokesperson, said in an emailed statement.
Dederick said the Barnacle is used after an extensive process. Anyone who has accumulated $199 or more in unpaid parking fines is assigned a persistent violator status and their vehicle gets a notice if it91裸聊视频檚 on campus.
If the fines are still not paid and the vehicle is spotted on campus, it91裸聊视频檚 time for the Barnacle.
Dederick said it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渁 less invasive enforcement tool than traditional towing and offers a less arduous experience for violators than using a parking boot or wheel clamp.91裸聊视频�
The university has used the Barnacle four times since January, and it91裸聊视频檚 been the subject of much social media attention.
Heffron said the device 91裸聊视频� with a catchy name, bright colour and prominent display on windshields 91裸聊视频� often goes viral online when deployed in a new market.
SpongeBob Square Pants comparisons abounded when the New York Police Department began a pilot project with the devices earlier this month. The force said on social media that Barnacles allow officers to reduce parking congestion and address vehicles that are a nuisance and a hazard.
Heffron said Barnacles have been deployed at universities, in municipalities and by other police forces across the United States from Florida to Michigan and even in Hawaii.
People have posted online different ways to try and unstick the Barnacle, from running defrost to using a credit card to pull up the suction cups.
Unfortunately for those who need to pay a fine, the only way to truly remove the device is to take out the windshield, said Heffron. If someone tampers with the device, it triggers an 91裸聊视频渆ar-piercing91裸聊视频� alarm.
The goal of the Barnacle is to deter people from parking illegally without the extra hassles that come with a tow or a parking boot. It also promotes compliance, Heffron said.
91裸聊视频淚f you drive into a parking lot and happen to see a few of these on a windshield, you aren91裸聊视频檛 parking illegally there,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淵ou are going to move 91裸聊视频� you are going to pay for your parking.91裸聊视频�
While the company is just delving into the Canadian market, Heffron said it has been tested to make sure it can withstand the frigid northern climate.
The company hired a freezer truck and parked it outside its office in New Jersey, testing the Barnacles inside. The devices have been used in Alaska.
91裸聊视频淲e are 100 per cent prepared to service Canada,91裸聊视频� Heffron said.
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Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
