Local Business Owner Telling Customers To Ignore Parking Signs

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A local business owner is telling customers to ignore parking signs.

"Who reads the California vehicle code for fun?" William Taylor said.

It might not have been for fun, but the owner of Willie's Burgers read the codes. He found out you can park in any free parking lot that's open to the public, as long as you're only there for an hour. Even if there's a sign threatening to tow your car.

"I saw the sign and I was like, 'Okay, we can't park over there, so we have to park over here,'" one customer, Annie Conley said.

But if you're there for less than hour, you're protected.

"They passed a law that allows somebody who's stranded on the freeway or is running out of gas or whatever to pull into a parking lot for one hour sort out the problems without getting towed," William said.

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Once William found that out, he made sure his customers knew.

"I'd never heard of anything like this," customer Isaac Gonzalez said.

Putting up a sign reading, "Lot owners can't touch your car!"

Annie Conley was pleasantly surprised by the news.  William says the parking situation is getting so bad, people need to know this information. For their own sake, and for the sake of his livelihood.

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"If I know that I can't park somewhere I'm naturally going to be less likely to eat there," customer Tyler Clements said.

Williams says business has been improving since putting up the sign. It's getting so much attention, one man is making copies of the law. That way, people can hand them out if there's ever a problem.

"Next time someone says hey you can't park here. Just say hey I'll be right back and just in case you need to know, here's the law," Isaac said.

"We care for our customers and if this is advantageous for them at other locations I'm happy to contribute to that problem," says William.

You can find a printable version California Vehicle Code to hand out here.