In NYC Parking Ticket Land certain numbers will kill you!

I was never good at math, just couldn’t grasp the concepts. But, I always benefited from jingles and rhymes to keep track of numbers and time. For example, who among us remembers, “30 days hath September, April, June, and November…” So, let’s start off with an NYC parking ticket penalty jingle to get a handle on the important numbers in NYC Parking Ticket Land.

30 days after a ticket

Pay/fight or open the wicket

Penalties add on the following days

31, 61, 81 unless you pay

NYC parking ticket penalty timeline

I apologize “to anyone who was offended by my futile attempt at jingling,  but you get the point. You will incur the wrath of the Evil Empire if you don’t pay or fight your parking ticket on time. The Darth Vader’s will impose the following penalties:

• $10 on the 31st day
• $20 on the 61st day
• $30 on the 81st day

On the 100th day, you NYC parking ticket will lapse into judgment. Bad stuff happens after 100 days.

Here are some other important numbers to remember:

• 15 feet -The no-fly zone between your chariot and an NYC fire hydrant
• 10M-The approximate number of parking tickets issued each year by the city that never sleeps
• $500M-The approximate revenue raised by the Evil Empire from parking ticket fines and penalties
• 100 feet-The distance from any unoccupied parking space, or designated loading zone on either side of the street that can be used to load or unload, that must exist before a commercial vehicle can legally double park
• 5 minutes-The most wonderful number in NYC parking ticket land because it designates the time allowed for multiple grace periods (street cleaning, rule changes,
• muni-meters…)
• $350-The amount of money in parking ticket judgments that will trigger a Marshal or Sheriff’s boot or tow
• $101-The amount of money in parking ticket judgments that can trigger a boot or tow when a cop or warrior issues an NYC parking ticket
• 2,300-The approximate number of parking ticket warriors
• 7 am to 7 pm- The time the special Midtown Rule prohibiting double parking is in effect Mondays through Saturdays
• 6-The number of Major Legal Holidays during the calendar year
• 1 hour-Several hours that must pass between “location” parking violations before a warrior or cop can issue a second parking ticket for the same violation, while parking in the same space
• 3 hours-The number of hours that must pass between “location” parking violations that some of the nicer judges will allow for the next parking violation, while parking in the same space
• 24 hours-The number of hours that must pass between “status” parking violations (note: some judges will only dismiss a second “status” violation if issued during the same day)

There are also some numerical omissions you should know about:

• The number of parking signs required to name tow-away zones in NYC (zero)
• The distance you are permitted to park from a bus stop sign (has nothing to do with numbers)
• The number of yellow painted curbs to warn the unsuspecting driving public of the distance they must park from a fire hydrant, bus stop sign, safety zone, etc. (zero)
• The amount of money you can gain in NYC parking ticket fines and penalties (unlimited)

Commentary

Boy, do I hate numbers! A “location” violation, such as no standing, no parking, etc., are parking tickets issued because of the space on the roadway your car occupies. “Status” violations live because there is something wrong with your car, such as an expired registration, expired inspection sticker, no rear plate, etc. The space on the roadway your car occupies matters, not for “Status” parking violations.