Yesterday in a parking lot, I witnessed a heated argument. A woman was yelling at a guy that he needed to move his car immediately because he was parked in a purple parking space. The guy said he knew what he was doing and had the right to park there, but the woman kept insisting. I had to leave because I was with my kids, but what was that about? Who are the people who can park in purple parking spaces?

You don’t know the other person’s circumstances.

You don’t know whether they have a permit.

You don’t know whether they have a medical or accessibility-related need that isn’t immediately visible.

You don’t know whether the parking lot is privately managed.

And you don’t know whether the other person has permission that isn’t obvious.

A calm approach is generally better.

If a vehicle appears to be improperly parked in a restricted space, the appropriate response may be to contact parking enforcement, property management, or another responsible authority rather than getting into a heated confrontation.

## Not Every Parking Restriction Is Enforced the Same Way

Another source of confusion is enforcement.

Some parking lots are privately owned.

Others belong to municipalities, schools, hospitals, apartment complexes, businesses, airports, or other organizations.

The rules and enforcement procedures can differ.

A privately owned parking lot may have its own terms and conditions.