You have a parking spot of your own, in the courtyard of your block of flats or in front of your company, and you find it taken far too often. A sign painted on the asphalt does not stop anyone who wants to leave their car there “just for five minutes”. A parking blocker does: raised, it lets no car into the spot, and when you arrive, you fold it down and park over it. This guide explains the models we have, how the key models differ from the padlock ones, which one to choose for a spot in a residential car park and how to fit it into concrete or asphalt.
What a parking blocker is
A parking blocker is a metal device fixed to the ground that is raised to block the spot and folded down when you want to park. Folded, it stays low and the car drives over it. It is the simplest way to keep free a spot that belongs to you, without arguments with the neighbours and without a full barrier.
All our models are mechanical and manually operated: no motor, no batteries and no need for power. If you were looking for an automatic, electric or remote-controlled blocker, we do not have one. On the other hand, with a manual blocker there are no batteries to change and no cable to run to the parking spot. The body is electrostatically painted steel, yellow on most models and red on the foldable one.
The four models
The padlock blocker, the basic model
The ATZ M602A is the simplest blocker in the range. It closes with a padlock, and you choose the padlock: one you already have, or a sturdier one if the spot is in a yard that a lot of people walk through.
- raised: 48 cm tall and 38 cm wide, so it can be seen from the car park lane;
- folded: 38 x 55 x 9 cm;
- electrostatically painted steel, yellow RAL 1023, 4 kg;
- 3 fixing points, with 3 Ø16 x 90 mm dowels and 3 Ø10 x 110 mm screws in the pack;
- the padlock is not included.
The blocker with key included
The ATZ M601A has the same construction as the ATZ M602A, but the key lock is fitted at the factory. There is no padlock to find and no extra object to carry next to your car keys.
- raised: 48 cm tall;
- folded: 38 x 55 x 9 cm;
- electrostatically painted steel, yellow RAL 1023, 4 kg;
- 3 fixing points, with the same 3 Ø16 x 90 mm dowels and 3 Ø10 x 110 mm screws in the pack.
The spherical blocker with key
The ATZ M603A is the only model with a round top, Ø30 cm across. It looks less like site equipment, so it suits the entrance of a company office, the front of a showroom or a well-kept residential courtyard.
- it locks with a key, and the key is included;
- folded: 30 x 65 x 6 cm, the thinnest folded blocker in the range;
- the base is a 16 x 16 cm plate, fixed at 4 points, with 4 Ø16 x 90 mm dowels and 4 Ø10 x 110 mm screws in the pack;
- electrostatically painted steel, yellow RAL 1023, 4 kg.
The red foldable blocker
The ATZ M604A is the widest and the best anchored of our blockers: 45 cm wide and 6 fixing points in the ground. We recommend it for spots where cars manoeuvre a lot and wheels can touch the blocker from the side. It is also the only red one, RAL 3020, and in a car park with yellow markings the red stands out at once.
- raised: 45 x 38 x 40 cm; at 40 cm, it is the lowest blocker in the range when raised;
- folded: 45 x 65 x 8 cm;
- electrostatically painted steel, 4 kg;
- 6 Ø16 x 90 mm dowels and 6 Ø10 x 110 mm screws in the pack;
- it locks with a padlock, which is not included: use one you already have or an outdoor padlock bought separately.
All of them are under parking blockers.
Key or padlock
The practical difference is what you hold in your hand when you reach the spot.
- Key: the ATZ M601A and ATZ M603A have the lock fitted at the factory. You buy nothing separately, and you can copy the key for your family or for the building manager.
- Padlock: the ATZ M602A and ATZ M604A close with a padlock bought separately. You can use one you already have and swap it at any time for a stronger one.
If you are the only one using the spot, either option works. If several people use it, the key is more convenient: you make a copy for each of them instead of sharing one padlock between people.
How to choose: four questions
How low is your car?
All blockers fold down to the ground, but not equally low: 6 cm for the ATZ M603A, 8 cm for the ATZ M604A, 9 cm for the ATZ M601A and ATZ M602A. For a low car, the spherical model is the easiest to drive over.
Do cars manoeuvre a lot around the spot?
In a tight yard or at the end of a row of spots, where cars come in and out with sharp turns, wheels can touch the blocker from the side. That is where the ATZ M604A is worth it, the widest and fixed at 6 points, against 3 or 4 on the others.
Do many people walk through the car park?
With the padlock models, in a yard that a lot of people walk through, choose a solid outdoor padlock, not a small indoor one. If you want a stronger anchor in the ground, the ATZ M604A, with its 6 fixing points, holds best.
How should it look?
In front of a showroom or a company office, the ATZ M603A, with its round top, looks the least like site equipment. If the car park already has yellow markings and you want the blocker to be seen at once, the red of the ATZ M604A stands out.
A blocker for your spot in a residential car park
Most often, a blocker goes on an assigned spot in the car park or courtyard of a block of flats. For the usual cases:
- you and your family use the spot: the ATZ M601A, with a key you can copy for each of you;
- you already have a good padlock or want to choose it yourself: the ATZ M602A;
- you have a low car: the ATZ M603A, only 6 cm tall when folded;
- the spot is in a corner where the neighbours manoeuvre tightly: the ATZ M604A.
A blocker is meant for a spot that belongs to you or has been assigned to you. Before drilling into the asphalt of a shared car park, talk to the building manager or the owners’ association, so there are no misunderstandings. If the manager needs access to the spot, give them a copy of the key on the key models.
A blocker keeps a single spot free. If you want to mark off a lane or a whole row of spots, have a look at our guide to flexible bollards, and for a spot kept free for just a few hours, during a delivery, a cone is enough, as explained in our guide to traffic cones.
Fitting into concrete or asphalt
All blockers are fixed straight onto concrete or asphalt, with the dowels and screws from the pack. The number of fixing points differs:
- 3 points: the ATZ M602A and ATZ M601A;
- 4 points: the ATZ M603A;
- 6 points: the ATZ M604A.
The dowels are Ø16 x 90 mm and the screws Ø10 x 110 mm. You need a hammer drill, a 16 mm drill bit and a spanner for the screws.
- Choose where the blocker goes: in the middle of the spot’s width, close to the entrance, so that no car can get in beside it.
- Check the surface: the concrete or asphalt must be sound where the dowels go in, with no cracks or loose pieces.
- Set the blocker down and mark the holes through the base.
- Drill the holes with the hammer drill, at least as deep as the dowel, and clear the dust out of them.
- Insert the dowels, put the blocker back in place and tighten the screws with the spanner.
- Before you leave, raise and fold it once, lock it and drive over it folded.
Everyday use
When you arrive, unlock the blocker and fold it down to the ground; the car drives over it and you park on top. When you leave, raise it and lock it again. So that the spot is never left open, make a habit of locking it every time you leave, even for an hour.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need power for a parking blocker?
No. All our models are mechanical and manually operated: no motor, no batteries and no power.
Can the car drive over the blocker when it is folded?
Yes. Folded, the blockers are between 6 cm (ATZ M603A) and 9 cm (ATZ M601A and ATZ M602A) tall, and the car drives over them so you park on top.
Is the padlock included?
No. On the ATZ M602A and ATZ M604A the padlock is bought separately. The ATZ M601A and ATZ M603A need no padlock, because they have a key lock.
Which tools do I need for fitting?
A hammer drill, a 16 mm drill bit and a spanner for the screws. The dowels and screws come in the pack, on every model.
Which blocker is the sturdiest?
The ATZ M604A is the best anchored, at 6 points, and it is also the widest, at 45 cm. The ATZ M603A comes next, with a 16 x 16 cm base plate fixed at 4 points.
Can I have more keys made?
Yes. The key of the ATZ M601A and the ATZ M603A can be copied for your family or for the building manager.
How we can help
All parking blockers are under parking blockers. If you are not sure which model suits you, tell us where the spot is (a residential courtyard, a company car park, a showroom), what it is paved with, who uses it and what car parks there, and we will tell you what to take. If you also want signs or markings for the spot, we will add them to the same list.
