5 Parking Ticket Tips that will save your Hard-Earned Money

Last Updated on October 8, 2017 by Lawrence Berezin

Did you know about these parking ticket tips?

I love parking ticket tips that help me save money. How about you?

Let’s start with a short 5-question quiz to establish a baseline of your knowledge of parking rules and regulations.

Ready to give it a try?

1. The recent Grace Period Law went into effect on March 21, 2010. During the five minute period following rule changes for alternate side parking, muni-meter expiration times, and ___________, parking tickets cannot be issued. What is the third situation where parking tickets cannot be issued?
2. Can you stop temporarily to unload property to the curb in a no standing zone?
3. You will find pedestrian ramps located at the corners of four (4) corner intersections and in the mid-block of the long street of a ‘T’ intersection with no marked crosswalks or traffic control devices regulating traffic. Parking in front of a pedestrian ramp carries a $165 fine, with no reduction. However, one type of pedestrian ramp is no longer illegal to block. Which one?
4. There is much confusion over how long a member of the NYC driving public can park at a broken meter. Some say one hour; while others claim you can park for as long as the time limits on the parking sign allow. Who is right in this fight?
5. Are you permitted to stop your vehicle temporarily in a crosswalk to discharge or pick up passengers? True or False?

How did you do?

1. Effective March 21, 2010, drivers will get a 5-minute grace period past the expired time on muni-meter receipts, Alternate Side Parking signs, and any other parking spaces with specific times listed (eg. 8:30 am – 9:30 am). During the 5-minute grace period, parking tickets cannot be issued
2. No, no a thousand times no. You can only load or unload property to the curb where PARKING is prohibited
3. On December 26, 2008, the NYC Council amended the pedestrian ramp rule to make it LEGAL to park in front of a pedestrian ramp located in mid-block of the long ‘T’ of a ‘T’ intersection. The big but, you are still prohibited from parking in front of a pedestrian ramp located in a four corner intersection; or in a mid-block ‘T’ intersection where there is a marked crosswalk, or traffic control devices regulating the flow of traffic.
4. The rule was amended to permit parking at a broken meter for as long as the time limits on the parking sign allow. It is a good idea to report the broken meter to 311 to substantiate your claim that the meter was broken
5. Nope. Never stop in a crosswalk, period.

Commentary

How much would you have paid in NYC parking fines for not knowing the answers to these questions? knowledge is power and will save you money. It doesn’t cost you any money when you don’t know why the sky is blue. You can’t say the same about NYC parking laws.

Did anyone bat 1000? What questions gave you the hardest time? We’d love to hear how you did?