If you had to summarize in one tiny app San Francisco's current state of dysfunction this one just might have nailed it.
Monkey Parking is this only-in-San Francisco (and one other city) app that lets drivers auction off their parking spots to the highest-paying sucker. News of the app was first reported on Uptown Almanac, which gave readers a blow-by-blow on how to capitalize off tired, pissy drivers who just want to park their car -- and would be willing to pay a price for it.
Anyone who's visited San Francisco for 35 minutes knows that easy parking is a rare find. Enter Paolo Dobrowolny, an Italian tech bro who decided San Francisco was the perfect spot to test out his new experiment. Here's how it works:
You find a parking spot, revel a little, let Monkey Parking know where you're located, and watch the bidding begin. Finally, give your spot to the wealthiest victim willing to pay the highest price for your spot. Drive away that much richer. If you're still short on rent for the month, then go find another parking spot to sell! "Make money every time that you leave your spot: like with Lyft, Uber or Sidecar you can become a MonkeyParker and pay your bills," it reads on the app's website. Now let's see what drivers think about this idea:#Tech founders remain oblivious to their impact: http://t.co/zHCdc4hhRp (see: @MonkeyParking, creating private economy off public land)
— Jess Sand (@sDesignLabs) May 6, 2014
Re @MonkeyParking--You wish $ were going to City? Your backwards #CA laws forbid #SF from charging the going rate for public street parking
— Bob Boden (@rgbdn) May 6, 2014
I wonder if @MonkeyParking's next product will be to let people sell their seats on #SFMuni.
— EC (@EC) May 4, 2014
@MonkeyParking you are scum. rot in hell, every one of you.
— rick (@CrystalPepsi) May 1, 2014
@HalpernAlex @MonkeyParking There's usually a SFPD patrol parked in front of my house. Can I charge them? $TECH
— Rusty Staples (@allysoneb) May 2, 2014
Don't be like @MonkeyParking. Don't ruin San Francisco. http://t.co/msHvNnl9VN
— Alex Halpern (@HalpernAlex) May 6, 2014
Do the @MonkeyParking folks (@dobro_p) know that working on this douchey app will hurt job prospects when they fail? http://t.co/sREWuFefDE
— Matt Hornyak (@dandyhighwayman) May 4, 2014
Now for the burning question: Is this even legal?
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