The volunteer group Philly Bike Action has recently launched Laser Vision, a digital tool that is designed to make reporting parking violations easier, writes Gabriel Donahue for WHYY.
Instead of manually entering the make and model of a violating vehicle in the Philadelphia Parking Authority’s mobility access violation reporting form, users can simply take a photo — such as of a car parked on a sidewalk. The app then reads the details and autofills the form and allows users to correct the information if needed before it gets submitted.
Ee Durbin, the technical lead for Philly Bike Action, said one user reported they have gotten the process down to 15 seconds.
The concept is similar to Bike Lane Uprising, a tool that builds a national database of bike lane violations, but Durbin believes Laser Vision is more effective because it does not just collect data “that theoretically could be used for advocacy in the future,” but sends it directly to the agency responsible for addressing the issue.
According to Martin O’Rourke, a spokesperson for the PPA, if a violation is reported between 6 AM and 10 PM — the agency’s patrolling hours — parking enforcement officers are expected to respond and issue a ticket.
Read more about Laser Vision and its use in WHYY.
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