5 NYC Parking Ticket Myths Destroyed

Last Updated on June 5, 2017 by Lawrence Berezin

What is a myth?

A myth is defined as, (1)” Any invented story, idea, or concept: His account of the event is pure myth.” (2) An unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.  For example, as my Mother used to say time and again, “You’ll catch a cold, if you get your feet wet in the rain.” “Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa weren’t on steroids when they hit all those home runs. Or, “women are the weaker sex.”

Are there any myths in the mystifying world of NYC parking tickets?  Absolutely!

1. Myth:  You can park anywhere you like on Sunday in NYC, and it  is free

Truth be told

You must obey all parking signs on Sunday in NYC. For example, if a parking sign prohibits parking, any time, you are not permitted to park in the space regulated by the sign. However, where parking is legal, you do not have to feed the meter on Sunday.

2. Myth: You can unload property when you stop temporarily in a bus stop zone

Truth be told

You can never unload property in a bus stop zone. You may stop temporarily to expeditiously receive or discharge a passenger, as long as you do not interfere with a bus entering or leaving the bus stop zone. For example, you cannot unload groceries. You cannot unload a suitcase or any type of luggage. Silly but true.

3. Myth: You can park your car within 15 feet of a broken fire hydrant

Truth be told

You cannot park within 15 feet of a broken fire hydrant. You can only park within 15 feet of any fire hydrant when there is a licensed driver sitting behind the wheel, ready and able to move the vehicle upon a request to do so, between sunrise and sunset.

4. Myth:  There must be a sign indicating a tow away zone, or else your car cannot be towed

Truth be told

The legislature in its infinite wisdom declared all of NYC a tow away zone in the 1950’s. No warning sign is necessary.

5. Myth:  I can only get one parking ticket for the same violation per day in the same parking space.

Truth be told

Judges in the DOF Adjudication Unit will generally dismiss a second parking ticket issued for the same violation in the same space within one hour of the first such parking ticket. You cannot lease a parking space for the price of one parking ticket. Don’t test the warriors on this one. It can get pretty expensive.

But, there is a half truth to this myth.  Judges will generally dismiss a parking ticket for a “vehicle status” violation such as improper registration, improper inspection, etc., if a second parking ticket is issued within 24 hours of the first parking ticket, anywhere in NYC. How ’bout that.

Are you laboring under any NYC parking ticket myths?  Have you learned the truth the expensive way? Please share your stories. It means a lot to all of us.