How to Reserve a Prime Parking Spot

You know those orange road/construction cones you see all over the place? Pick up a few of them next time and throw them in the trunk of your car. Sometime soon thereafter, get a thick black marker and write in large block letters (on the white strip) something that sounds official such as "City Retrofit Program" or "Metro Maintenance." As long as you don't actually use the name of a real city department or initiative, you're okay.

Then, whenever you need to go somewhere but want to save your prime parking spot, just place the cones in the spot. People are wary of parking where cones are because most people assume that cones are used exclusively by companies or city works departments with permits, and no one wants to risk getting a ticket. Your prime spot will be there when you come back.