Why do many parking lots in downtown LA use retractable tire spikes as access control devices?

Upvote:4

These are probably design decisions that we don't have access to, but I can see a couple of advantages to the tire spike system:

  • It almost certainly is less expensive to install, maintain, and operate than a powered system like a gate or bollards.
  • The potential to damage a car may be seen as a feature, as it may discourage people from trying to circumvent the system.

Also, as noted by Zach Lipton in a comment, tire spikes may be problematic in regions that get snow (though I have seen them in the northeastern U.S. at least occasionally). This may also help explain why they are more common in LA than the other areas you mention.

Upvote:6

There are several reasons:

  • Free flow of one-way traffic. Gates will cause backups when opening, especially in confined entryways.
  • Minimal vehicle damage. Other then replaceable tires, spikes will not damage most vehicles unless they are left in Track mode.
  • They are 'multi-use' :). If vehicle crashes a gate, the gate will probably be damage and require repair, taking it out of service for some time. Spikes are not damaged when used and remain in service.
  • Spikes are more effective theft prevention. A gate does very little to stop a vehicle while spikes render it mostly undrivable.

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