Dean Bog’s weekly video series takes a closer look at the most distinctive aspects of his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In a recent episode, he revealed more information about a long-standing Pittsburgh tradition: saving a parking space with a chair.The “Pittsburgh Parking Chair” is what it’s called. Residents place a chair in front of their homes to guard their parking spots.

The tradition most likely began when people wanted to ensure that their hard work clearing a spot did not go to waste after the snowstorms hit. After all, you wouldn’t want someone else to swoop in and steal your vehicle if you were going to spend all of that time digging it out.The “Pittsburgh Parking Chair” is what it’s called. Residents place a chair in front of their homes to guard their parking spots.

The tradition most likely began when people wanted to ensure that their hard work clearing a spot did not go to waste after the snowstorms hit. After all, you wouldn’t want someone else to swoop in and steal your vehicle if you spent all that time digging it out.”This is a parking chair in Pittsburgh. It was probably placed here by the owners of this house, and it means this is my spot and you cannot park here.

I believe it began with snow, at least from what I’ve heard; we would shovel, and a neighbor could pull in your spot, resulting in a feud with the neighbors.”It’s technically illegal to claim it as your own, but neither the police nor the people in Pittsburgh seem to mind. It’s this widely accepted do-it-yourself neighborhood-style solution.”

The last thing you want after spending hours digging your car out of the snow is to lose your parking spot. Maybe you can borrow a page from Pittsburg’s playbook and put a chair in your spot!