Laser Vision FAQ

Laser Vision can only report illegal parking that is reportable on existing PPA webforms. This includes:

• Parking on the sidewalk
• Parking in/on a crosswalk
• Parking too close to a corner (within 20ft from crosswalk or beyond posted No Parking signs)
• Parking in a bike lane

Laser Vision can only report illegal parking that is reportable on existing PPA webforms. This means you can NOT use Laser Vision to report:

• Dangerous driving
• Dangerous bicycling
• Non-parking issues (ie. illegal dumping, unshoveled snow, or obstructed sidewalks)
• Double Parking
• Parking on private property or blocking a driveway
• Parking in an unpaid or expired meter
• Parking in front of a fire hydrant
• Parking in a transit stop

Reports go directly to the Philadelphia Parking Authority's database used to track submission to it's Mobility Access Violation webform. The PPA uses this database to dispatch enforcement officers.

In direct conversations with PPA's ex-Executive Director, Rich Lazer, multiple patrol officers, and in a CBS report, we have confirmed that Laser Vision reports are received by the PPA and used to dispatch officers on patrol.

However, an enforcement officer must be physically present to witness the violation in order to issue a ticket. Some areas of Philadelphia have greater officer availability than others which can affect enforcement rates Therefore, not all Laser Vision reports will result in enforcement..

In the future we hope to track data from the PPA on tickets issued so we can analyze the impact of Laser Vision reports over time.

Philly Bike Action has used Laser Vision report data to advocate for on-street infrastructure improvements. Laser Vision data can demonstrate the scale of illegal parking in specific areas. It's very powerful for advocates to have data to demonstrate a repeated problem, so even if your report does not result in immediate enforcement, there is still a secondary benefit.

The goal of Laser Vision is to help keep bike lanes, sidewalks, and crosswalks free of cars, so that these spaces will be available to those who need them: cyclists, pedestrians, and people using wheelchairs. By encouraging PPA enforcement of parking regulations, Laser Vision will help reduce the frequency with which people find their way blocked by an illegally parked car.

Laser Vision also compiles data, showing PPA where the biggest problem areas are for illegal, unsafe parking. With the thousands of submissions sent in by Laser Vision users, PBA and other pro-street-safety advocates can make a strong case that illegal, unsafe parking is a real and documented problem—and point to the most important places it needs to be addressed.

We aim to have Laser Vision available in the app store by the end of 2026.

You must have Location Services enabled on your phone. Often the issue is that people have disabled location services globally which stops Laser Vision from being able to prompt you to turn it on.

If your question is not answered here, join our Discord and ask in the laser-vision-feedback channel if anyone has found a solution to your issue.

Unfortunately, Laser Vision does not work perfectly on all devices. Since we are unpaid volunteers, we are not able to provide dedicated support to fix your issue.

Laser Vision does not store or share personal information. Laser Vision stores, but does not share, license plate data which is retracted from submissions to the PPA.

Account creation prevents abuse and spam. Philly Bike Action requires address information in order to target our local advocacy for safer streets. By using Laser Vision, a free tool created by Philly Bike Action, you opt-in to receiving occasional advocacy emails.

No. The PPA is a Pennsylvania State Agency that is not connected to the Philadelphia Police Department. Their officers’ only duty is to prevent illegal and unsafe parking. Their enforcement officers are not armed. No personal information is shared.

Laser Vision was created by Philly Bike Action, an all-volunteer non-profit with a mission of making Philadelphia a safe place to ride a bicycle.

No, Laser Vision is not endorsed by nor created in collaboration with any government or outside party, including the Philadelphia Parking Authority.

The PPA isn’t a perfect organization. It's been used for political appointments tied to PA Senate Republican leadership, along with a history of federal investigations and hiring scandals. Recent leadership has attempted some level of reform and have been an ally in advancing street safety initiatives. Laser Vision isn't an endorsement of how PPA is run.

PPA enforcement is currently one of the only tools available to keep our streets safe besides physical street infrastructure. PPA and Philadelphia Police are also the only entities with legal authority to enforce parking violations in Philadelphia.

If a car is blocking a bike lane, crosswalk, or sidewalk, reporting it for enforcement is the only way for drivers to see actual repercussions to their dangerous behavior.

PPA is also not the police. Its enforcement agents have no arrest powers, are not armed, and are separate from the PPD.

No one paid for Laser Vision to be made. It was dreamed up and created by volunteers at Philly Bike Action. No one at Philly Bike Action or elsewhere is making money off Laser Vision, except for the Philadelphia Parking Authority in the event it collects revenue from a duly issued ticket.