Evil Free Parker: Law & Social Order in a Satirical Sci-Fi Scenario

[Algr]

This is a question about law and social order, that is written as a satirical sci-fi scenario. Architectural input also welcome.

It's rush hour. Character is furious that he can't find parking in the city, and late for his job interview. In his rage and technobabble, he develops rock shaping superpowers. He uses his powers to lift hundreds of nearby buildings 20 feet into the air and builds free parking under them.

His rock powers tell him what he needs to do to keep the buildings intact. He remembers to extend things like stairs pipes and wires, because he has to go into one of the buildings for his interview. But isn't particularly knowledgeable about how this stuff works.

How does the public and government react? How quickly will people start using the spaces? (Remember it is rush hour.) No one saw him do this, since he was in his car at the time, so he wants to remain anonymous. Will police try to get people to not use the new spaces? Evacuate hundreds of buildings? Will parking garage owners sue? Will the city panic over lost traffic ticket revenue? How much will traffic improve without X% of people on a given street driving in circles looking for parking?

 

[Drakkith]

How does the public and government react? How quickly will people start using the spaces? (Remember it is rush hour.) No one saw him do this, since he was in his car at the time, so he wants to remain anonymous. Will police try to get people to not use the new spaces? Evacuate hundreds of buildings? Will parking garage owners sue? Will the city panic over lost traffic ticket revenue? How much will traffic improve without X% of people on a given street driving in circles looking for parking?

Initial reaction: Probably a mix of panic and awe. The buildings would most likely be evacuated until their structural integrity, plumbing, and electrical work can be verified as safe (though I'm sure a small number of people would continue to use them prior to verification). If things like piping and electrical work aren't extended and connected correctly then those would need to be fixed, which may be very costly or not depending on all the details of the building and its uses.

As for suing, I'm not sure how that would work since no one knows how it happened or who did it. Traffic ticket revenue is probably only a small source of the city's income, so I doubt anyone would panic over that. Not when there is something out there capable of lifting entire buildings. I'm not sure how local traffic would be affected.