China's Hangzhou Province now offers extra-wide parking spaces exclusively for women, state-run newspaper Qianjiang Evening News reported on Monday.

 "The bigger parking spaces are for women drivers whose driving skills are not superb," Pan Tietong, manager of the service area, told the newspaper. "It's a human measure."

Like Us on Facebook

The spaces are outlined in pink and are said to be 50 percent wider than the usual spots. The extra-wide parking spaces for women were created after authorities reportedly observed several women struggling to park in reverse.

Tietong told Shanghai Daily that women requested for such large spots. However, he noted that if female drivers are confident enough, then they could always opt not to park in the reserved slots. He also said that the spaces exclusive for women only accommodate about 15 users each day.

Meanwhile, netizens on Sino Weibo have reacted over the plans for the exclusive parking space for women

"This is sexism under the name of showing concern - whether one can park well depends on driving skills, not gender," one user posted, according to LA Times. "They should be called newbie drivers' spaces instead," another user suggested.

However, in a study conducted, more than half of the respondents believe Hangzhou is doing the right thing.

Hangzhou's female-only parking slots are not the first in the world. In 2014, South Korea allocated some 5,000 extra-wide parking spaces to female drivers. Some parts of Germany are also mandated to reserve up to 30 percent of parking slots to women, according to the Washington Post.

Tagsparking slots, women only, parking spaces