A TikToker in Los Angeles, California, known colloquially as the “Cone King,” has recently gone viral for his very simple yet very appreciated mission: to remove illegally placed traffic cones around the city, used to reserve street parking spots.
The story of this parking vigilante was shared on TikTok by CBS Los Angeles. The “Cone King,” also known as Joey Morales, has made removing the orange pylons his life mission. According to him, he started doing his Good Samaritan antics back in 2023.
Morales believes that, since day one, he has removed over 5,000 cones across the California city. After all, using the colored cones to reserve street parking spots is not allowed per Los Angeles’ city code without a permit. However, residents have historically had a rough time when trying to report these cone crooks. In simple terms, nothing was done.
Until, of course, the “Cone King” stepped in.
The outlet labeled Morales a “vigilante parking enforcement officer,” a title the California man pretty much has earned. This “cone Batman” of sorts takes justice into his own hands, quite literally, by grabbing the cones and confiscating them, returning many of them to the city.
His work, however, isn’t immune to criticism, with many calling him a Karen for being triggered by the pylons. Some others even get defensive when Morales grabs their cones. However, his 20 thousand followers on TikTok would think otherwise, all of them fully supportive of the “Robin Hood of parking.”
“A lot of people would say it’s a Karen move,” Morales told the outlet. “It is, but at the end of the day, you can’t pick up a public parking spot and assume that because it’s in front of your house, it belongs to you.”
A Beloved Vigilante, Reactions
And while people can keep talking about his nosiness, others have fully embraced him into their lives. Morales’s work is so notorious that some neighbors even send requests for him to come and remove the traffic cones from their streets.
“I have over 3,000 messages that I get on a weekly basis,” the Cone King revealed to the outlet. “I don’t show up to an area unless I’ve been requested to be in that area.”
People in the comments praised the Cone King and his selfless endeavor. One user commented, “Not the hero we wanted but the hero we needed.” Another one said, “He’s not a Karen! He’s a hero.” A third one requested, “Please come to my house, my neighbors are crazy.”
As long as Los Angeles, California, has the Cone King, it is safe to say that the traffic cone epidemic will eventually stop.
