Car Harbor, which is still being developed and is far from launch (the link is to the blog), is going to solve a very common and frustrating real world problem – finding a parking space in a crowded city.
CarHarbor’s Mission
CarHarbor wants to tap into the everyday frustrations we all face when it comes to parking our cars. We are developing an online tool that can resolve those frustrations. CarHarbor should demonstrate that reasonable people can cooperate to benefit their community and themselves.
We want to engage you in this process so that our solutions can be highly responsive to the diverse set of parking problems people face. Our initial focus is on San Francisco, where we’re based, but our interests are national if not global in nature too.
Here’s how it will work: If you have a parking spot that you know you don’t need (like a driveway, during the working hours when you know you will be away from home), you can enter it into the network along with a price. People looking for a spot in a neighborhood can use their mobile phones to find local spots, and pay straight for it from their account.
Simple.
Car Harbor will launch first in San Francisco, and then roll out fast to other cities before the idea can be “borrowed”. I am looking forward to using this the next time I am up in the city for a baseball game.
Advisors include Craig Newmark, Jim Lazarus and Scott Rafer.
sounds slightly brilliant.
I am thrilled that someone is finally doing this. I have been obsessing about this for years, but I’ve never had the time (or the madness?!) to actually do it. I am not sure that just an online solution will work, however – I have been thinking aboutg a simple physical device (can you say, WiFi
that would bolt on the door of your garage. The key issue is that *plans change* and presence/state information is important; whatever solution is worked out, will need to account for the 5% exception in order for the 95% reality to work.
Unless this is simply a matching service that sets up long-term 1:1 relationships (which, come to think of it, might address 20% of the problem for 1% of the cost — a very good start!!) then enforcement is going to be an unfortunate issue, too.
Hmmm. Good luck, guys!!
What prevents a person from seeing vacant spots and using it for a few minutes?
Will car harbor call a tow-truck?
The idea is very nice.
Oh, I can’t wait to see how many “entrepreneurial” San Franciscans will sell their neighbor’s spot, or just about any spot they know is vacant is certain hours, without the owner knowing about it…
Zoli – you have a creative mind my friend.
Cool idea! I think if it started to be abused, a system could be put in place. Perhaps you have to give a downpayment to offer your spot ($5, just to keep freaks away), and you don’t get paid until the spot is used successfully by a couple different people.
I don’t know, I’m just thinking as I type. But I do think it can work. Site can make nice $$$ just from ads alone– everyone using the site has either a house or a car!
The other question is, why doesn’t Craig’s List just do this? Set up a section, assume no responsibility, and just encourage people to post their listings. You could just search by address and make the deal privately.
Ted – I think the mobile piece will be key, so people can find a spot with their cell phone. Whoever builds this first and gets the network effect wins.
Great idea, though I can already see a lot of problems with it. One glaring problem is that, in a city like SF, there are almost no spots that are in a public area, but privately owned (like street spots). I would never list my own garage or spot in my garage for rent to some communal list, nor would I ever let anyone actually park there.
I should follow up my comment, re-read it and it sounded kind of harsh
. I basically meant that opening up a garage space, which is part of your private housing area (as I presume most of these spots would be) seems like it might have security problems. I’ve dealt with a lot of koo-koos on Craigslist; I certainly wouldn’t want them having access to my garage!
They should perhaps develop some kind of trust or rating network, allowing people to rate their renters/rentees.
this is also a pretty cool piece of techno to find easily a place to park your car http://us.gizmo...spot-136334.php
Ashish, I think most people would allow people to block their garage, but of course not park in it.
Interesting idea, but it seems too informal to work in sue-happy CA.
What if there is an oil stain on your spot? Who pays for cleaning it, and who takes responsibility?
I think if I lived in San Francisco and could make $10 a day letting someone park in my driveway while I was at work, I’d do it in a second. Based on 5 work days a week, that’s $2600 in my pocket.
Good idea, wish I had thought of it.
Oh wait…
http://ideas.4b...ves/000106.html
Hey Brad – Yep, you had the idea back in 2004. If you weren’t so busy defending the world at EFF you could have built it.
As a law-enforcement officer, I have to wonder…how soon before criminals start using it to figure out which houses may not have people at home during the day. Certainly reduces the amount of casing one would have to do. Sounds like a great idea which, unfortunately, is ripe for abuse in real life.
Sounds like a wi-fi device that monitors whether the space is occupied would be useful. It would tell the network when the space is free and alert the towing company when the space is being abused. Allows:
1) By hour renting rather than by day
2) Alert if someone is squatting w/o paying
3) Can make sure your space is free when you get home (this would be one of my big concerns)
Hook into the upcoming SF free wi-fi and fund the devices between the towing company (who gets more revenue) and the space owner (cost of doing biz)
Michael: Thanks for moderating a spirited discussion about CarHarbor. Much obliged, Craig
This is a really cool idea. Having lived in the North End of Boston for a couple years I can see where this could be useful in a parking cramped city where there are a lot of reserved spots people only use for a fraction of the day.
I do see the possible criminal problems involved that Alex brings up and could also see a problem where people don’t move their car at the specified time and/or their car breaks down in someones driveway. However, I think this would only happen in a small fraction of cases and am excited to see the service be released in Chicago!
The overall idea sounds very dumb to me. The one aspect where I could see some traction is with the school parking lots and other large lots that are unused at specific times.
Lotta fan boys on this blog!
I’m not a fan.
I look at it as one more excuse for people to not get out of their cars and use their feet. There are almost always decent alternatives to parking closer to places. I think most people do not choose them because they are lazy.
With that said, I’ll sell a space in downtown Sacramento to anyone who’s interested! j/k
Who’s gonna tell the system that ‘Thank you, I have taken this space. You losers can stopping coming’?
I think it would be cool to just send a ballon with hi-res camera to the air. Not only can it watch for parking space but it can also monitor traffic flow. It shouldn’t fall in bad weather of course.
Communism is also a brilliant idea that works great in theory.
More lanes on the highway don’t always solve the traffic problem.
I heard about the exact same thing running in Sydney, Australia earlier in the year and the guy became a millionaire rather quickly. So while its not original I’d say its a winner – great market. Big demand.
Great to see its catching on. Of course being a holiday tomorrow I’m too full of beer to hunt up the Sydney guys site lol. Sorry. Cheers
The concept is cool…but there are gonna be several skeptics (including me)
What happens if I rent out the driveway space to someone and the guy gets caught up in an emergency and cant come back by the promised time to remove the car? Do I get it towed? Does he pay extra ?
“I heard about the exact same thing running in Sydney, Australia earlier in the year and the guy became a millionaire rather quickly.”
Yeah, right. Care to provide any evidence for that statement?
Renting garages/spots in San Fran is nothing new – I’ve seen rent signs and flyers (want spot/have spot) taped to telephone poles and such.
The interesting thing to watch here will be the effects of “institutionalizing” what has so far been ad-hoc establishment of rapport between individuals.
On a one-to-one scale it’s clear who is responsible for what, and when – for moving their car, for cleaning up a spill etc. It’ll be interesting to see if/how that dynamic changes if Car Harbor acts as a broker that’s willing to let any paying member of the public occupy your spot.
Also I don’t know whether it will help or hurt that parking (availability, ettiquette) is something that people are incredibly passionate and vocal about!
Thanks for the heads-up on this service!
UNO – I suggest you Google for this term
“rent a parking space in sydney web site”
The first site you get will be
http://www.find...spacetorent.cfm
I suggest in future before calling me out on providing a URL that you use your fingertips of curiosity, perhaps
I’m not saying its Web 2.0 I’m just saying renting a car park in the inner city is not a new concept, this guy has rolled his out to 5 Australian Capital Cities already. So its a great idea and will make money for sure.
I only mentioned it wasn’t the first to think that one up…
This is one of those “now why didn’t I think of that” ideas! Damn, why didn’t I think of that! =)
I have done it! I set up this site in the UK http://www.parklet.co.uk. It has been a big success, BUT we have focused on what will work:
1) Monthly contracts only
2) And the spaces have to be available 24 hours a day, 9 til 5 doesn’t work, what happens if someone is ill and stays at home?
We are looking to expand stateside, and are looking for partners to market the product using our developded site, with consultancy support from ourselves. Anyone interested?
Regards,
Luke.
Luke, we have something very different in mind, but thanks for promoting the general proposition and its applicability around the world.
craig, how is it different from what luke is discussing? we have a nationwide site of off-airport parking and are very intested in expanding to the city – if you’re developing something and need an immediate affiliate partner, we’re interested.
I had this idea since 2002, and got my arse into gear beggining of this year. Fin ally launched it last month.
It’s global, so please feel free to register your parking space.
Oops, forgot to include the url
http://www.thatsconvenient.com
Rent your driveway or car parking space. If you live near a city, town, railway station, underground station, football stadium, racecourse, or airport, your driveway could earn you money today. http://www.thatsconvenient.com The solution to parking.
Luke is your site not very similar to http://www.parkatmyhouse.com
I saw it mentioned on a blog I read recently and also saw it in my local press. Both yours and theirs are fantastic ideas.
Are they your main competition or are others entering this new market?
Good luck with all your ventures.
Good luck with all your ventures.