City of Savesies: Photos of a snowy Philly tradition
Is the practice of “savesies” gone for good in Philly? Maybe not.
It’s been a local tradition for years: reserving a personal parking space with inanimate objects on the street after the snow is cleared.
While the photos show there was no shortage of “savesies” during our recent 72-hour nor’easter, an unscientific survey by Inquirer staff photographers in South Philadelphia, East Germantown, and the Great Northeast revealed fewer of the marked spots than usual.
Is the practice waning? Maybe the Philadelphia Police Department’s longtime #NoSavesies social media campaign — with parodies of everything from the opening to the Netflix series “Stranger Things” to spoofing the rapper Drake’s hit song “Hotline Bling” (Canadians would never save a space) — is having an effect.
Or maybe it’s been so long since we’ve had any real snow, newer or younger residents don’t remember or know about the practice.
So a public service reminder. “Savesies” are against the law. Even if you did invest your own personal sweat equity spending hours clearing the snow from a particular space, you can’t “own” it.
