Shanghai Driver Fined for Painting DIY Parking Space

A man in Shanghai has been fined after he illegally painted two private parking spaces on a public road, local media Knews reported on Wednesday.

The incident was discovered on the afternoon of November 2 when traffic police patrolling Guijiang Road noticed two suspicious spaces. Unlike the standard "smart parking" spots in the area, which are clearly numbered and feature payment QR codes, these two were crudely drawn and lacked official markings. One of the improvised spaces was occupied by a vehicle.

Officers launched an investigation and, upon reviewing public surveillance footage, identified a suspect. The video from October 28 showed a man wearing a reflective vest and safety helmet, impersonating a maintenance worker, as he used white spray paint to mark the two spaces.

After finishing, he changed clothes and parked his car in one of the new spots. The hand-drawn lines were noticeably rough and inconsistent with the professional markings nearby.

Police located and questioned the man, surnamed Ji. Ji, who works in the construction industry and had recently moved to the area, confessed to the act. He stated that on October 28, he noticed a gap between official parking that was unmarked. Ji said he found a can of white spray paint in his car and decided to create the spaces for his own convenience.

Authorities clarified that the gap was intentionally left empty because of a fire hydrant on the adjacent sidewalk. Regulations prohibit parking near hydrants to ensure emergency access is never obstructed.

Ji was fined 2,000 yuan (US$282) for violating Shanghai Road Traffic Management Regulations by illegally installing traffic markings and compromising safety. He was also ordered to pay 2,200 yuan in road restoration fees.