Can this app shame selfish drivers into better behavior?

Part of the Idea Factory, our special report on innovation

Busy street
(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The days of passive aggressive notes left on the windshields of illegally parked cars may be coming to an end. That's thanks to a new app that utilizes the power of the crowd to flag bad drivers for local traffic cops, bringing the offensive curb-huggers public shame and, hopefully, a whopping traffic ticket.

The TowIt app, created by Michael McArthur and Gregory Meloche, launched in Toronto and is being used sparingly in other cities (in New York, someone has kindly flagged an NYPD van for towing). Users snap a photo of the offending vehicle and upload it to the app, where it will appear on a map for everyone to see and share. It's a fun idea. But can it be an effective tool for putting an end to parking problems?

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.