Parking spaces usually come with familiar symbols: a wheelchair-accessible sign, an electric-vehicle charging symbol, or perhaps a painted number or letter.
But what if you pull into a parking lot and see something less familiar—a handshake symbol painted on the pavement?
It may look like a simple decorative marking, but in many places, a handshake symbol is used to identify a designated meeting or exchange area, often associated with safer transactions arranged between individuals.
These spaces are sometimes called safe exchange zones or online transaction parking spaces.
What Is a Handshake Parking Space?
A handshake-marked parking spot is generally intended to provide a designated location where people can meet for a planned exchange.
For example, two people might arrange to meet there to:
- Exchange an item purchased online
- Complete a marketplace transaction
- Hand over documents or belongings
- Meet someone for a private sale
- Conduct another legitimate person-to-person exchange
The idea is simple: instead of meeting in an isolated parking lot or at a stranger's home, people have a recognizable public location where the transaction can take place.
However, the exact purpose and rules vary by location. A handshake symbol isn't a universally standardized road marking, so the signage posted at the particular parking area should always take priority.
Why Were These Spaces Created?
