The city of Helsinki has initially acquired just five of the wheel locks for use in parking enforcement primarily in the downtown area, where parking spots are at a premium and where motorists may resort to creative measures to secure a space.
City officials will however continue to tow away vehicles improperly parked on busy thoroughfares.
The city’s meter maids or parking inspectors will continue to write fines for the drivers of improperly parked vehicles, but they will also check their mobile devices to see whether or not the driver is a repeat offender of if he or she has outstanding unpaid fines.
“If there are five and they are still enforceable, we will snap on the wheel locks as long as the vehicle is not in a location where it will endanger or disrupt traffic,” explained Pekka Henttonen, department head of the city’s public works unit.