It appears that the problem of parking bay hoggers in certain parts of Johor Bahru is still prevalent, despite a police crackdown last year. These parking bay hoggers are men who hog parking lots, demanding money from drivers who need the space.
According to the Chinese daily, Singaporean drivers are among those targeted by these “terrifying” parking bay hoggers who frequently operate from Jalan Trus, between the Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple and Restoran Hua Mui.
While there has been a decrease in the number of hoggers since the 2017 police crackdown, about 9 hoggers still operate out of Jalan Trus and stand to make up to $13 simply by hogging parking lots, as they usually demand between $1 and $1.30 to free up a lot.
Shopkeepers in the area reported that the hoggers, who disappeared for a few weeks after the police crackdown, returned recently this year having become more brazen, adopting more coercive method to solicit money from drivers.
While a hogger the daily spoke to claimed that he does not cause trouble if driver refuse to pay, drivers report the opposite.
One driver shared that the hoggers would occupy lots by lying on the ground so drivers cannot move their vehicles or that they would persistently knock on car windows to demand payment. Recently, a hogger even assaulted a driver near Rose Cottage Hotel after he refused to pay.
To avoid trouble, many drivers just pay up. One such victim recounted: “These hoggers will lie down by your vehicle so you can’t move it, or knock on the windows to ask for money. They are terrifying.”