Judge — January 8, 1927 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Parking Problem Solved" This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes the chronic urban parking shortage through absurdist humor. The illustration shows a car positioned vertically on a narrow street, surrounded by other parked vehicles in a crowded lot. The car appears to be balanced or suspended upright, suggesting an impossible "solution" to parking congestion. The cartoon mocks the era's growing automobile problem—as cars proliferated in American cities, finding parking spaces became increasingly difficult. By depicting a vehicle standing on end like an object rather than a functional car, the artist humorously suggests that traditional solutions are exhausted. The crowded street scene with various parked cars emphasizes how severe the problem had become. This reflects genuine urban frustration in the early-to-mid 20th century as automobile ownership expanded faster than parking infrastructure could accommodate.