A driver who returned to his car to find what appeared to be a bike lock on his tire, along with a hefty fine, initially thought he was being scammed.
The incident, which occurred at a public street meter where the driver was approximately 10 minutes over his paid time, prompted the driver to call police.
When an officer arrived, the driver said he also believed the device was part of a scam and cut it off.
However, the enforcement method is actually an official practice of the Covington Motor Vehicle Parking Authority.
Kyle Snyder, executive director of Covington’s Motor Vehicle Parking Authority, explained the enforcement device.
“Normally, we give a ticket,” Snyder said. “If you get a handful of those, then we have to have another form of recourse.”
The tire tag system was implemented as a more convenient alternative to traditional boots, which can be cumbersome and more expensive.
“(It’s) less hassle for the parker,” Snyder said.
The Reddit post that sparked the confusion mentioned a fine of approximately $410, but Snyder clarified that high amounts typically indicate multiple unpaid tickets.
“It’s also a little scary, too, because you’re not going to get a $50 fee,” Snyder said. “It’s going to be all the tickets that you’ve owed.”
The Reddit post user, Snyder said, had several parking tickets on the same license plate on a previous vehicle, which carried over to the new vehicle.
“I think there’s a lot of scams out there, but this one is, in fact, not a scam, and we’re going to make it better,” Snyder said.