Recognize this car? It’s blocking a family’s move

Taya sent this photo out of desperation:

The car, a Honda Fit with plate starting in 7BT, is blocking their POD from getting picked up from the Alki neighborhood her family is about to move out of. Taya says the city can’t tow it for at least a week and it’s been there at least five days. If it’s your car, she begs you, come move it!

24 Replies to "Recognize this car? It's blocking a family's move"

  • Mike October 15, 2025 (8:39 pm)

    It’s parked illegally, tow it.

    • Oerthehillz October 15, 2025 (9:02 pm)

      I saw a stolen and abandoned car parked like that once. Like they just pulled over real quick and ran. It doesn’t appear to be parked with much intention with how far from the curb and crooked it is. Wondering if they at least ran the plates when it was called in, or they wait for at least a week or more to do that too?

  • bill October 15, 2025 (8:50 pm)

    Fun fact: It is entirely legal to park so close to someone else’s car they can’t move it. Happened to my wife. City was no help.

  • Parking enforcement October 15, 2025 (9:12 pm)

    Unless that’s a one way street, it’s parked illegally. Pointing wrong direction

    • Mr J October 15, 2025 (10:04 pm)

      That’s not a law here. Elsewhere yes. Annoying yes. 

      • Amber Driver October 15, 2025 (10:19 pm)

        It is illegal here to park ‘wrong way’ on the street in Seattle it just no longer enforced, as so many vehicle laws.

      • Rats October 15, 2025 (10:53 pm)

        It is a law here. Just not enforced unless it’s an arterial. Even then, it has to be called in.

      • Westwood October 15, 2025 (11:08 pm)

        Wrong.  SMC 11.72.470

      • LovelyRita October 16, 2025 (12:03 am)

        Mr J,
        Here is the law, unfortunately it is not being enforced (like so many other vehicle codes).


         11.70.040 – Parallel parking—Right-hand side.

        No person shall stop, stand, or park a vehicle in a roadway other than parallel with the edge of the roadway headed in the direction of lawful traffic movement and with the wheels on the right side of the vehicle within twelve inches (12″) of the right constructed curb or with the wheels on the right side of the vehicle on a shoulder as provided in Section 11.70.080, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

        • Wes October 16, 2025 (12:29 pm)

          And I can add that even though this may not be enforced, if someone happens to hit your car while it is illegally parked, the police report will reflect that and it can be a reason for your insurance company to deny your claim. Enforced or not, generally a good idea to follow this law.

    • Jim October 16, 2025 (12:44 am)

      Does not entirely accurate. A lot of the times you can get a street use permit or have to get one with these pods that puts a no parking buffer around them so they can be picked up.

  • JJM October 15, 2025 (9:51 pm)

    If the license begins with 7BT, I don’t believe it’s a Washington plate. Cars start with three letters and trucks start with 1 letter.Also, what happenedto the 72 hour rule?  

  • aa October 15, 2025 (10:22 pm)

    I don’t know if this is possible, and it shouldn’t be your expense,  but maybe worth it to hire a tow truck to move it and leave it a few feet away?  

  • dwg October 15, 2025 (10:24 pm)

    at that point, enlist a friend with a pickup and just drag it out of the way

  • NR October 15, 2025 (10:32 pm)

    Perhaps grab some friends, maybe like 6 or 7, and move it yourselves. That would be funny. 

    • Kate October 16, 2025 (7:47 am)

      Ha!  I had friends move a car in Capitol Hill for me!  It’s a small car.  You’ve got this!

    • Furor Scribendi October 16, 2025 (10:26 am)

      Please, this is how the world does it. Let’s gather and shift it. Bring work gloves. Address and time?

    • Frog October 16, 2025 (10:52 am)

      I was going to say … that car is quite small.  Just lift it up and roll it onto the grass.  Instead of the usual “I flipped my car in West Seattle” it could be “I flipped your car.” Then roll it back when the pod is gone.   Alas, toxic fluids might leak into the grass.  Another option, since it looks somewhat stolen or abandoned and the owner doesn’t seem to care much about the car, is to just get another pod, and put the car inside, and take it with them.  Finders keepers.  Maybe they could use a small car in their new location.

  • GatewoodHopefull October 16, 2025 (7:40 am)

    Get a no parks permit from the city to properly reserve space for the pod and the extra room needed to move it.  You have to have the sign in place for 48hours before the time starts.  Then you can tow.

  • LyndaB October 16, 2025 (10:27 am)

    It’s too bad it can’t be picked up from the other side.

  • Elton October 16, 2025 (12:14 pm)

    For future reference for others: I believe you can get temporary no parking permits free and easily through the city, and then you just need to rent (or I suppose buy) easels to post the permit for 72 hours in advance of the no parking time. Doesn’t guarantee someone won’t park there anyway, but makes it a lot less likely. As others pointed out, it’s already parked there illegally (and plus it has exceeded the 72 hour max time limit for parking on a city street, I presume).

    • Gibby October 16, 2025 (1:24 pm)

      I did this for a move. The permit was free, they did charge you to get a permit for the truck to park there or use the space. Not sure if you can skip paying that or not.. It was relatively cheap anyway like $20. Then National Barricade had cheap a frame no parking signs you could rent. Flat fee for up to like 15 signs or something (probably more.. I only needed 5 so I don’t remember the tiers) .. Also relatively cheap. $40/50? 

  • KBear October 16, 2025 (9:08 pm)

    Seems like the moving company ought to be responsible for obtaining the street use permit and setting up barricades, just like any reputable contractor would do. It also seems like PODS ought to be equipped to deal with contingencies such as this, rather than leaving their clients in the lurch.

    • IDC9 October 17, 2025 (3:46 pm)

      My thoughts exactly. I hope this poor family is able to complete their move soon without any further disruptions.

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