S’poreans can ‘chope’ a parking lot with soon-to-launch app

Singapore – Looking for a parking space can be challenging, especially in busy locations. Now an application about to be launched in Singapore aims to allow motorists to “chope” a parking slot before getting there.

The SureReserve app aims to make pre-booking a parking lot “seamless by leveraging advanced technologies,” notes their website. Subscribers are promised reservations of the “most desirable parking spot”, giving them a “hassle-free parking experience.”

The website is offering an early bird registration scheme. Those who sign up can get notified when SureReserve launches and are offered free reservation coupons.

For a fee, subscribers can reserve a guaranteed parking spot at a destination online. The app even offers the “most desirable” slots, perhaps indicating easier access to the venue.

SureReserve will utilise an automated barrier called a “park-lock”, which would block the slot from “unauthorised” vehicles. Once a driver has booked that slot through the app, the barrier would be unlocked for use.

People seen trying to reserve parking lots have been slammed online for inconsiderate behaviour.

On Jan 23, two women were seen standing at a Changi Village empty parking lot and using themselves as human barricades to “chope” the slot.

“I was at Changi Village and was trying to park in a public, parallel parking lot when this family remained standing in the lot, saying that the lot was reserved,” noted the individual who tipped off Stomp.

“When we tried to reverse into the lot, one of the women stood right at the boot of our car in order to physically ‘block’ us from entering the lot.”

When the individual informed the women politely the public lots are not supposed to be reserved, the women responded they have “waited very long for a lot”, although it was not clear how long they had been standing at the empty parking space.

In a separate incident on Jan 8, a man was spotted reserving a parking slot in Liang Seah Street, preventing a motorist from parking there.

Netizens commented that it was a public car park and that the man had no right to “chope” the parking space./TISG

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