Should Cars Be Allowed To Park On NJ Beaches?

We've all been there - driving around forever looking for a parking spot so we can go enjoy the beach or boardwalk. The parking lots are full, side streets are packed, so you loop around hoping to catch someone heading to their car so you can stalk them and claim their spot.

Wildwood has a solution to help you - just park on the beach!

The city announced it would allow parking on the beach beginning Memorial Day weekend. The parking area will be near Baker Avenue. You can park there for $10 a day, with prices increasing to $20 for special events.

Vehicles must have four-wheel drive, not all-wheel drive, and will be required to leave at 6pm. Visitors will be able to pay with a credit card and cash, and payment via a smartphone app will be made available later.  The lot will be accessible through a tunnel that runs under the boardwalk.

I get that this will really only work at a place like Wildwood, where the distance from the street to the ocean is way longer than places like Point or Belmar or Seaside. Area on those beaches is already swarmed by people and blankets and tents, so adding a car would make it exponentially more cramped.

Even with the size of the beach taken into consideration, I still think this is a terrible idea. Cars leak fluid all the time! I know there are beaches in Florida that let you park on the sand, and I don't get how the sand isn't tainted with gas and oil and coolant and whatever.

Cars get stuck, too! People are stupid, and even if the parking area is clearly marked, some idiot is going to get too close to the waterline while trying to get that perfect Instagram shot and end up needing emergency vehicles come retrieve his car.

Am I wrong? Give me some reasons that you think this is a good idea, try to change my mind.

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