Illegally Saving Parking Spaces in New York City is a No-No

I went to the police station on Sunday to report about a neighbor who continually holds spots with his vehicles parked in the middle of 2 spaces, filled garbage bags and motorcycles. And that he blocked my parking in a spot as I was backing into the space and had someone drive his vehicle front first into the spot.
The police refused to take my complaint or let me file a report.
No wonder crime is down in NY – police won’t let you file an injustice.
This man bullies the block. He is former military and polices the block in army fatigues.

An old man on my block “saves” the spot in front of his house every time he leaves by putting his garbage cans on the street. He also has a second car that is never driven but just used to hold spots for him (taking up 2 spaces). This is every day.

When I first moved here I was in the middle of parking behind him (he was sitting in his car) and he started screaming at me and backed up so I couldn’t finish my parking job. I was confused so I just went and found another spot. I didn’t know what his deal was then; now I do. He’s a dick.

Can I report illegal space saving somewhere online?

The best thing to do if someone is holding a spot is to call 911. Yes it’s not an emergency, but the dispute between you and the spot holder can turn ugly, so before it does the police will gladly come by and write the spot holder a summons. (There’s a code in Ny’s traffic rules and regulations book summonsable to criminal court for unauthorized holding of a parking spot.) the police officer at the precinct couldn’t take a complaint because complaint reports are only to be made for misdemeanors and felonys. A violation like this must be observed by the officer, so he can’t investigate it without observing it.

Construction workers are also “saving spots”. I received a $95 fine for parking in “his” spot and the cop honored his complaint and gave me the fine.

We have a doorman who works weekend nights. His weekend shift is most always marked by him placing a couple of construction cones. He only does this for a couple of attorneys that live in the building.

I am on the other end of the stick so to speak; for the last three weeks I have put a cone (purchased by me) to keep my driveway clear. I share a driveway and my neighbors are doing some work on their building and needed the space. “No problem neighbor” other driver see the debris and think its not a driveway now I am getting very nasty notes left on my care saying they will report me to DOB!!!!!!! no one signs the letter so I am unable to respond. Am I wrong?! I have owned my buildog for 22 years.

Someone saves a spot on my block, every time he does, I just move his baracades, even if I don’t need the spot. It isn’t right. Then one day I found a traffic cone he put in the bed of my pickup truck as a “message” I guess? Now I own a traffic cone! I put it locked right in the front seat of my truck. If he wants to break in and get it, he can, I have insurance and then he’ll get arrested. I fear no man when it comes to NYC parking!

Help me please. I am a full time student, I work part time and volunteer part time. All I want is a parking when I come home. My neighborhood is the worst place to look for parking. Traffic cones, broken barricades, garbage cans, etc are place in front of the houses to keep the parking space. I confronted one of them earlier this evening and she wasn’t pleasant.

Hello Larry,
I have a question in regard to saved parking spaces. If it is “illegal” then why do parking officers not issue a ticket for the offense?

It would seem like this would be a major money maker for very little effort since a lot of people seem to save spaces!

I see in previous messages you may not be responding anymore but I hope to hear your opinion on this question.

Thank you for the insight.

Lol this is getting out of control. I have one guy that frames his parking spot with about 20 cones.
I have another who actually pays insurance on some junk car just to hold the spot in front so she can pull his good car on the sidewalk when he comes home. Not even a driveway, right on the sidewalk infront of the house, so ghetto.
The other guy who painted the curb yellow got a ticket.
And there is a 90 year old couple that puts a garbage can to hold the spot when they leave. They are the only one who lose their spot, i guess people aren’t scared of them so they move their cone.

Survival of the fittest now.. Damn

Parking has recently become a huge problem in my neighborhood. People are saving spots and when you tell them it’s illegal they just dismiss you. They use motorcycles to block a whole island to park their car later. Because they are motorcycles, the cops don’t fine them even when parked on alternate side. Then there is an abandoned car with no plates or registration but a army station pass. I guess veterans don’t get fines either. There there are people that stand at an empty spot waiting for their family members car to drive around and refuse to move out of the way… what can you do at this point? I’ve called the local precinct, I’ve called 311, I’ve confronted people… no one does anything. The authorities dismiss me too. it’s just very frustrating when you’re circling around block after block for 40 mins.

Hi,
I have a neighbor who created a fake garage. (he actually put a garage door on to the side of his home but it is a dummy. ) He then made a curb cut. This way he has a saved parking space. The problem for him is that the garage width is shorter than his car. He put up a sign 6 feet further than his curb cut stating that one may not park past this sign since it is a tight driveway. This way he figured he is guaranteed a parking spot at his front door. I, as well as my neighbors park after the curb cut. (even though we know the garage is bogus, we don’t want to start a fight and don’t park in front of the curb cut). Now he started gluing papers on to the windows of cars that park on his self proclaimed private parking area! Don’t want to get him in to trouble, but this has gone too far now!

This is why the authorities have to step in and take this seriously. I have seen people get into physical altercations over parking and I’ve even heard of people getting shot over it. If you do not enforce the parking rules in a city of almost 9 million people, people will start to take this issue into their own hands – leading to vandalism and violence. It is stressful enough dealing with parking as it is. This is why NYC is increasingly becoming hostile to cars period, because people abused the privilege of owning a car.

Hello would i get i trouble if i put a letter on all rhe car o the block to infrom them to stop double parking to have sone common curiosity.

There is a new app that the tv news stations are fawning over called Parkaroo. Because the ridiculous app was supposedly created by a teen and he thinks it’s socially acceptable because it reportedly gives a percentage to charity. However what the news fails yo mention is that the city should be suing this app/ company because saving any parking space is illegal! I oppose this app and I think it should be shut down right away!

unfortunately the same situations goes on and on in NYC. I guess it is okay to “save” a parking spot by standing in one. I called the police they did show up, the person who was holding the spot still standing at the spot. Nothing was done, nobody is getting the spot but a NYPD car!!! Speechless..

While I don’t hold spots for long periods of time. If let’s say I’m not parked on my block, and I find a spot on my block. I will stand in it while my gf gets the car on the other block.
I don’t see anything wrong with doing that since I’m taking my own time and taking possession of the spot with my own body for 5-10min while my car is brought over. I never use cones, tape, paint etc.. But I will hold it with my self. I don’t see how that would make anyone a vigilante or baron of spots doing it the way I mentioned.
We all often try to avoid sweeper days too. So let’s say next day is sweeper day and I find a spot on the other side of the street, and I stand in it while the gf brings the car to that spot. I’m opening one spot while grabbing the spot I want using my own body & time to take possession of it.
It’s the only real fair way to claim a spot.

I live in NYC and we live on a street where it’s already hard to find parking because we live by not one but by 2 public schools so it’s hard to find a parking if your not a teacher because your not able to parking around the school and one school is actually a whole block so imagine the other little school is on the side next to my building but to make it worst the Super of my build has not 1 not 2 but 7 cars 2 vans 2 cars one of those stupid Smart cars that looks like a tunafish can 1 pick up truck and one 4 wheeled truck parked infront of my window making it impossible for those that do drive to actually find a parking spot bad enough we got the school to deal with also gotta deal with his 7 cars and no way to report him ugh I dislike that man!!

I did took twoparking spots by accident back then when i was a new driver. Someone wrote a little note if i ever parked like that again taking two parking spots, he’ll keyed my car” after that i never parked like that again , i was more aware of the way i parked.