NYC Parking Question

[ChAiM'l]

Here's a question for all NY'ers.... Is it permitted to double-park during alternate side restrictions? Yes or no?

[Dan]

Without having any direct knowledge if it's official or not I would say yes.
V'horayeh that the cops wait until the minute that alternate side is over to ticket or tow you.

[ChAiM'l]

Without having any direct knowledge if it's official or not I would say yes.
V'horayeh that the cops wait until the minute that alternate side is over to ticket or tow you.

I agree, common knowledge is that there is some kind of law/rule that permits double-parking during street-cleaning, hence when driving down streets in Brooklyn during those hours, you see many cars double parked. Sanitation workers/traffic cops also only seem to ticket cars that are left parked on the wrong side.

Now to my story. My father was visiting NY a couple of weeks ago and got ticketed for DP during street cleaning hours. I was surprised, because I've done the same thing in the same spot many times without a ticket (although I once got one at 11.02- two minutes late). Turns out that there's a small yeshiva on the block (which most cops don't know about), so it's considered a "school block", therefore even during those hours DP is prohibited.

I decided to fight it anyway, and sent in an online form. Today I got a guilty verdict where they refuted all my claims, and at the end they state as follows: Whether its a school block or not one cannot double park. (The bad grammar is theirs, btw).

Can anyone shed light on this?

[AsherO]

I agree, common knowledge is that there is some kind of law/rule that permits double-parking during street-cleaning, hence when driving down streets in Brooklyn during those hours, you see many cars double parked. Sanitation workers/traffic cops also only seem to ticket cars that are left parked on the wrong side.

Now to my story. My father was visiting NY a couple of weeks ago and got ticketed for DP during street cleaning hours. I was surprised, because I've done the same thing in the same spot many times without a ticket (although I once got one at 11.02- two minutes late). Turns out that there's a small yeshiva on the block (which most cops don't know about), so it's considered a "school block", therefore even during those hours DP is prohibited.

I decided to fight it anyway, and sent in an online form. Today I got a guilty verdict where they refuted all my claims, and at the end they state as follows: Whether its a school block or not one cannot double park. (The bad grammar is theirs, btw).

Can anyone shed light on this?

I've heard (but it may be wrong) that there's no actual law permitting DP during street cleaning but that cops don't usually ticket out of courtesy.

See this information on the FAQ section of the DOT website:

Double parking of passenger vehicles is illegal at all times, including Alternate Side Parking Regulation days, regardless of location, purpose or duration.

[Dan]

I've heard (but it may be wrong) that there's no actual law permitting DP during street cleaning but that cops don't usually ticket out of courtesy.

Makes sense.

[ChAiM'l]

So I guess it's a common misconception here, that it's allowed (and that cop was a bastard).

[AsherO]

Makes sense.

The official parking rules and regulations (PDF of laws) doesn't say one way or another.

[AsherO]

So I guess it's a common misconception here, that it's allowed (and that cop was a bastard).

Not just here, it's a common misconception, but not the first time I've heard it.

I think the cops uphold it (by not usually giving tickets for DP) since the street cleaning ticket is only $45 but the DP ticket is $115. The situation with ticketing in NYC is retarded, the city brings in over half a Billion dollars from these tickets. It's a huge conflict of interests IMHO, it lowers the people's respect for law enforcement and gives LE incentive to give tickets instead of policing like they should.

[ChAiM'l]

The situation with ticketing in NYC is retarded, the city brings in over half a Billion dollars from these tickets. It's a huge conflict of interests IMHO, it lowers the people's respect for law enforcement and gives LE incentive to give tickets instead of policing like they should.

I absolutely agree.

ETA: I just found this:

Double parking of passenger vehicles is illegal at all times, including Alternate Side Parking Regulation days, regardless of location, purpose or duration.

[MarkS]

I once parked in Boro Park and when I came back to my car found that the whole row of legally parked cars were all blocked in by a row of double parked cars for road cleaning! I had to drive on the sidewalk to get my car out. It is 100% illegal to double park at all times-the police are more lax about it during alternate side parking bec. otherwise the streets would be crazy.

[ChAiM'l]

I once parked in Boro Park and when I came back to my car found that the whole row of legally parked cars were all blocked in by a row of double parked cars for road cleaning! I had to drive on the sidewalk to get my car out. It is 100% illegal to double park at all times-the police are more lax about it during alternate side parking bec. otherwise the streets would be crazy.

I think that most people make sure to leave room for parked cars to leave (I do, anyway). Blocking someone completely is plain not "mentchlich"...

[AsherO]

ETA: I just found this:

I beat you to the punch, see my edited post above

[regalhome]

Upper West Side Residents Allowed to Double Park During Street Cleaning

http://www.dnainfo.com/20101115/upper-west-side/upper-west-side-residents-allowed-double-park-during-street-cleaning

[Dan]

I can't even begin to describe how nice it is to live in a city with no alternate side BS.
Never had 1 parking violation in my home state in 10 years of driving.
I can't even count how many I've racked up in NYC and LA.

I once got 2 tickets in CH after a shidduch date, after circling around for an hour.  I was parked something like 11 feet from a fire hydrant.  Apparently you needed to be 15 feet away.    And I got 2 tickets in 1 night. 

My bro-in-law got a ticket for something like angling the tires the wrong way on a CH street.

It seems like 90% of a cop's job in NYC is to make everyone's life miserable.

[momo]

Yup couldnt agree more i got 3 tix just this week 1 for double parking 1 for cell phone while driving 1 for parking in a truck unloading zone they were all 95$ and up its just plain crazy!

[aussiebochur]

Yup couldnt agree more i got 3 tix just this week 1 for double parking 1 for cell phone while driving 1 for parking in a truck unloading zone they were all 95$ and up its just plain crazy!

I agree with the basic premise that NYC revenue raising with giving tickets is ridiculous but talking on a phone while driving, some might say that's not so safe...

[momo]

i was on speakerphone!

[Chaikel]

i was on speakerphone!

If it's in your hand, what difference does it make how loud the speaker in which you are listening to the conversation is?

[bhphotoman]

its it 100 percent against the law to dp in nyc no matter what the case may be
the best ticket story was me i parked on a sidewalk with lights flashing and a siren blaring forgot to turn it off on a emergency left my car went inside the house to deal with the emergency came  outside and had 6 tickets from 6 dif cops with 6 dif reasons for my tickets mind u i have treating a cop who got hurt