ParkingPals iOS App Helps Find A Parking Spot
ParkingPals (Free) by John Dell'Aera is an app that specializes in helping you find a parking spot in a busy city. Users pinpoint their location through the app and ten minutes before they are going to leave, they update the status of their parking spot and other users nearby can see that the spot is going to open up. They can head over to snatch up the newly available parking space with significantly less anxiety.
The idea behind this app is brilliant. Living only an hour and a half from San Francisco, I have, countless times, found myself driving around the same four blocks over and over, looking for a place to park, only to give up in frustration and pay $25 at a private lot. These days, I plan the extra cost into my trip. I love the idea that, as I drive down Geary Street, I can just open up ParkingPals to see where there is an available spot. It sounds like heaven. My home town of Sacramento, albeit much smaller, has its own parking issues and I look forward to utilizing this app when the need arises.
When you open the app, you are presented with a “meter” that you can set for up to four hours. You can select your location by clicking the location button. Using your location finder, ParkingPals will show a list of address options that you can choose from. If the building you are near, or the parking garage you are in is not listed, you can add it. Once the location of your car is set, you can add filters to it that will tell others they type of spot it is. For example, whether it is in a garage or on the street, whether parking is free or not and whether it is a disabled parking spot. You can then take a picture of your car so that others will be able to find you easier.
Even if you do not post your location with this app, which you should, because that is the point, it can be used as a reminder for when the time is running out on your meter.
The app is free. Please download and start using it so that I can find a place to park!
