You no longer need to be on the high seas to get a barnacle attached to your hull, matey! That’s because the Barnacle is a new alternative to tire boots for parking enforcement. Instead of attaching to your wheel, this thing attaches to your windshield.
The Barnacle attaches to any windshield using two powerful suction cups, then locks in place. It’s designed to force those with too many unpaid parking tickets to pay up. Violators can pay over the phone and get the code to unlock the Barnacle themselves. Though I can’t imagine anyone bothering to return the thing to parking enforcement once it’s removed.
If a car with a Barnacle needs to be towed, it can be done without removing the Barnacle first. It’s a pretty interesting parking enforcement gadget, but I bet it doesn’t take much to hack it open and get it off your car.
Also, some drivers might just try to drive off anyway, causing a major hazard for others on the road.
[via Laughing Squid via Geekologie]