Last Updated on March 2, 2022 by Lawrence Berezin
The subject of NYC parking tickets generates a whole bunch of questions
NYC parking tickets are fraught with passion, exasperation, and questions. I’ve experienced all three.
Here are some questions to contemplate.
1. What day of the week does “Black Friday” fall on this year?
Black Friday is the official start of the holiday season ritual where the buying public sets out to spend every last penny they own to buy presents in one frenetic shopping day.
Retailers and consumers are gearing up for the biggest shopping weekend of the holiday season. This year, 140 million Americans are likely to shop in stores or online during Thanksgiving weekend. Nearly eight in 10 Millennials ages 18-24 plan to shop over the weekend, the highest of any age group.
The intelligent question: What other groups are gearing up for Black Friday? The answer is parking ticket warriors and cops. Many of us harbor the mistaken belief that Good Friday comes with parking benefits. Wrong. Good Friday is a regular parking day in NYC:
- Alternate Side Parking Rules are in effect
- You are required to feed the meters, and
- Obey all parking signs.
2. Asking a parking ticket warrior or cop if it’s safe to park here?
This question is sad but true. It is dumb to rely upon warriors or cops to teach you parking rules in NYC. I’ve yet to hear a story where the outcome did not involve a parking ticket.
The intelligent question: Don’t ask. Knowledge is Power. Learn the rules yourself and rely upon your good judgment.
3. Arguing with a parking ticket warrior over a parking ticket
It is a crime to assault a warrior. It starts with verbal “fisticuffs” and can morph into physical assault pretty darn quick. I promise you’ll never win an argument with a warrior over a parking ticket.
The intelligent question: When you calm down, check the front of your parking ticket for defects and substantive defenses when you’re right-Fight! And, beat your NYC parking ticket.
Commentary
There is never, ever a dumb question about NYC parking tickets. The only dumb thing to do is not to ask the question (to the right people). For example:
- Is it safe to park in front of an “inactive” driveway? Nope. The driveway must be “unusable” due to the presence of a building or fixed obstruction
- Is it safe to block a pedestrian ramp located in a 4-corner intersection? (Nope. However, it is safe to block a pedestrian ramp located mid-block in a ‘T’ intersection with no marked crosswalks, traffic signs, or traffic control device regulating traffic)
- Can you discharge passengers and their stuff in a NYC bus stop zone? Nope, only people.
We are all intelligent people. But, smart people can do dumb things when they don’t ask questions.
Why do police officers get to ignore the parking rules and park their personal vehicles in “no parking/no standing” zones? I am thinking in particular of 55 St between 8 Ave and 9 Ave, which around the corner from a police precinct. The whole block is marked for no parking during the day Mon – Fri but both sides of the entire block are lined with vehicles with different sorts of “police” things in them like PBA cards and such. What’s up with this?
Bill,
I hear you loud and clear…You may enjoy this video taken by a great friend of mine, Jimmy Justice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=052S1yg-zR0
Best,
Larry
I received a ticket which under location says “N E 77th St NY” which doesn’t indicate an address to me, but perhaps is a code that the city uses? Was wondering if anyone has any tips. Thanks!
Peter,
Good morning.
Would you like to purchase the secret NYC decoder ring? (you have to supply the batteries).
Great question.
There are three proper ways to describe a place of occurrence:
1. Front
2. Opposite
3. Detailed
The third way is confusing. The correct form would be N/S E77th Street, 10 feet west of Third Avenue. The decoder ring would show:
1. North side of east 77th Street, 10 feet west of Third Avenue.
All of these elements must be present or the place of occurrence is misdescribed. Since place of occurrence is a required element, a misdescribed place of occurrence entitles you to a dismissal upon application. Yea!
Nice catch, Peter.
Best,
Larry