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?

For example, a purple space might be reserved for a particular permit holder, employee category, resident group, service, program, or other designated purpose.

The color may simply make the special space easy to identify.

This is why assuming that purple automatically means one particular thing can lead to confusion.

The same color can have different meanings in different places.

## Purple Does Not Automatically Mean “Anyone Can Park Here”

One of the biggest mistakes a driver can make is assuming that an unusual space is simply decorative.

Parking spaces aren’t always painted different colors for aesthetic reasons.

Sometimes the color communicates a restriction.

If a space is purple and accompanied by a sign stating that only vehicles with a particular permit may use it, then the sign is what matters.

A driver who ignores that restriction could potentially receive a warning, citation, or have the vehicle towed, depending on the local rules and property policies.