Filed under NYC urban legends. Too many New York City drivers are totally ignorant of their own parking rules. Which helps the NYC Dept. of Fraud (a.k.a. Dept. of Finance) generate more than half a billion dollars every year.
Myth #1: Turning on hazard lights makes it OK to double park.
False. To quote the NYC Dept. of Transportation: "Double parking passenger vehicles is illegal at all times, including street cleaning days, regardless of location, purpose or duration."
Myth #2: Keeping the engine on makes it OK to double park.
Again, false. See Myth #1.
Myth #3: Having someone in the vehicle makes it OK to double park.
Again, false. See Myth #1.
Myth #4: Alternate street parking means double parking is OK.
Again, false. See Myth #1.
However, to correct the NYC DOT, according to Beat That Parking Ticket by Haskell Nussbaum. It is OK to double park if you are dropping off or picking up a passenger. As long as you do so expeditiously. Of course, what you think is expeditious and a traffic agent thinks is expeditious may differ.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
Parking Tix in the News - Update
In reverse chronological order:
Jan. 16, 2008, NY1 News:
"Public Sounds Off on Congestion Pricing Plans"
PTF: "Instead of this Rube-Goldberg-esque system of cameras that will encircle Manhattan. Why not just have the NYPD randomly stop drivers and, at gun point, take all their cash? And Mayor Mike and City Hall will be able to keep more in revenue without the huge expense of cameras everywhere. In either case, essentially the same."
June 28, 2005, NY Times:
"What Parking Ticket Quota? Police Prefer to Call It an 'Expectation'"
by Mike McIntire
PTF: "FYI: Section 215-a of the Labor Laws of New York State prohibits ticket quotas. Therefore, ticket quotas are illegal. Right? So, traffic agents and police officers don't have quotas to fill every month. Right? There aren't any ticket quotas. And I never curse when I drive. Like you."
Jan. 16, 2008, NY1 News:
"Public Sounds Off on Congestion Pricing Plans"
PTF: "Instead of this Rube-Goldberg-esque system of cameras that will encircle Manhattan. Why not just have the NYPD randomly stop drivers and, at gun point, take all their cash? And Mayor Mike and City Hall will be able to keep more in revenue without the huge expense of cameras everywhere. In either case, essentially the same."
June 28, 2005, NY Times:
"What Parking Ticket Quota? Police Prefer to Call It an 'Expectation'"
by Mike McIntire
PTF: "FYI: Section 215-a of the Labor Laws of New York State prohibits ticket quotas. Therefore, ticket quotas are illegal. Right? So, traffic agents and police officers don't have quotas to fill every month. Right? There aren't any ticket quotas. And I never curse when I drive. Like you."
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Parking Tix in the News - Update
In reverse chronological order:
Jan. 17, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Markowitz Curbs His Sidewalk Park Habit"
by Elizabeth Hays, Daily News Staff Writer
PTF: "Another example of rampant parking permit abuse. If parking rules apply to me when I park my vehicle in NYC, then the same rules should apply to everyone else. Right? City employees have run amok with legit and fake parking permits for too many years. It's time to stop the abuse. A 20% reduction is a good start. But should not be the end."
Jan. 15, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Tickets and Car Thefts on the Decline"
by Veronika Belenkaya, Daily News Staff Writer
PTF: "As far as I'm concerned, not enough of a decrease in parking tix for me. Dear NYPD: Fight crime first!"
Jan. 15, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Number of Parking Tickets Dropped in '07"
by Bob Kappstatter, Daily News Bronx Bureau Chief
PTF: "Although parking tix last year (2007) went down 6% citywide. I predict that 2008 citywide parking tix will go up. 'The Independent Budget Office has projected a $3.1 billion shortfall for the upcoming budget, which begins July 1.' (Source: Jan. 12, 2008, "Bloomberg Won't Vow No '08 Tax Hikes" by Kirsten Danis, Daily News City Hall Bureau Chief.) A $3.1 billion shortfall is a pretty good reason for Mayor Mike to hike parking tix quotas. Which don't exist. Because NY State Labor Law section 215-a forbids it."
Jan. 8, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Seeing Orange with Parking Ticket Blitz"
by Jess Wisloski
PTF: "Where are the studies showing that parking tix increase safety for pedestrians? Where? No where. Because no such study exists. Parking tix are all about revenue generation for towns and cities. All across the U.S.A., towns and cities are more concerned about making money than the safety of its residents. Visit the Newspaper, a journal of the politics of driving."
Jan. 8, 2008, Reuters:
"'Parking Wars' Just the Ticket"
by Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
"A reality TV series about the lives of parking agents of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Airing on the A&E channel, Tues., 10pm, Parking Wars. Check it out. Let me know what you think. I don't have cable TV. Too poor from all those $#%! parking tickets. Just kidding. Just poor-paying job."
Jan. 5, 2008, NY Times:
"Paring Down Parking Permits, and Raising a Fuss"
by Anthony Ramirez
PTF: "Of course, some city workers have legitimate reasons for their parking permits. However, too many city workers have abused their permits for too long. How can we tell the legit from the abusers? We can't. Again, parking rules should apply to everyone. Just because you work for the city doesn't make your job more important than mine. I'm a law-abiding taxpayer who works hard for each cent I earn. Where's my parking permit?"
Nov. 2, 2007, NY Times:
"Judges on Other Side of the Bench Plead Not Guilty"
by Jonathan Miller
PTF: "With all due respect to my fellow drivers in NJ. Another reason why I don't like NJ. Four municipal judges caught fixing parking tickets, their own and their friends. Clear examples of official misconduct. They'll probably get a slap on the wrist. I really doubt they'll actually do any time in prison."
Jan. 17, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Markowitz Curbs His Sidewalk Park Habit"
by Elizabeth Hays, Daily News Staff Writer
PTF: "Another example of rampant parking permit abuse. If parking rules apply to me when I park my vehicle in NYC, then the same rules should apply to everyone else. Right? City employees have run amok with legit and fake parking permits for too many years. It's time to stop the abuse. A 20% reduction is a good start. But should not be the end."
Jan. 15, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Tickets and Car Thefts on the Decline"
by Veronika Belenkaya, Daily News Staff Writer
PTF: "As far as I'm concerned, not enough of a decrease in parking tix for me. Dear NYPD: Fight crime first!"
Jan. 15, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Number of Parking Tickets Dropped in '07"
by Bob Kappstatter, Daily News Bronx Bureau Chief
PTF: "Although parking tix last year (2007) went down 6% citywide. I predict that 2008 citywide parking tix will go up. 'The Independent Budget Office has projected a $3.1 billion shortfall for the upcoming budget, which begins July 1.' (Source: Jan. 12, 2008, "Bloomberg Won't Vow No '08 Tax Hikes" by Kirsten Danis, Daily News City Hall Bureau Chief.) A $3.1 billion shortfall is a pretty good reason for Mayor Mike to hike parking tix quotas. Which don't exist. Because NY State Labor Law section 215-a forbids it."
Jan. 8, 2008, NY Daily News:
"Seeing Orange with Parking Ticket Blitz"
by Jess Wisloski
PTF: "Where are the studies showing that parking tix increase safety for pedestrians? Where? No where. Because no such study exists. Parking tix are all about revenue generation for towns and cities. All across the U.S.A., towns and cities are more concerned about making money than the safety of its residents. Visit the Newspaper, a journal of the politics of driving."
Jan. 8, 2008, Reuters:
"'Parking Wars' Just the Ticket"
by Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
"A reality TV series about the lives of parking agents of the Philadelphia Parking Authority. Airing on the A&E channel, Tues., 10pm, Parking Wars. Check it out. Let me know what you think. I don't have cable TV. Too poor from all those $#%! parking tickets. Just kidding. Just poor-paying job."
Jan. 5, 2008, NY Times:
"Paring Down Parking Permits, and Raising a Fuss"
by Anthony Ramirez
PTF: "Of course, some city workers have legitimate reasons for their parking permits. However, too many city workers have abused their permits for too long. How can we tell the legit from the abusers? We can't. Again, parking rules should apply to everyone. Just because you work for the city doesn't make your job more important than mine. I'm a law-abiding taxpayer who works hard for each cent I earn. Where's my parking permit?"
Nov. 2, 2007, NY Times:
"Judges on Other Side of the Bench Plead Not Guilty"
by Jonathan Miller
PTF: "With all due respect to my fellow drivers in NJ. Another reason why I don't like NJ. Four municipal judges caught fixing parking tickets, their own and their friends. Clear examples of official misconduct. They'll probably get a slap on the wrist. I really doubt they'll actually do any time in prison."
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