Last Updated on November 30, 2021 by Lawrence Berezin
Parking tips will help you avoid or beat parking tickets
Parking tips will help you understand the neverending waves of parking rules and parking laws that regulate the streets of NYC. That is to say, there are so many restrictions on parking that you have to be a parking rule whisperer to figure them all out. Above all, not all the rules and the laws actually mean what they say or say what they mean.
In the same vein, a good place to start is with an outline of the rules that will give us an overview of the nature and extent of the curbside regulations.
Special parking tips start with reviewing an outline of the parking rules
4-08(a)(1) Compliance with rules. No person shall stop, stand or park a vehicle, whether attended or unattended, other than in accordance with authorized signs, pavement markings, or other traffic control devices, unless necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or direction of any law enforcement officer or other person authorized to enforce these rules.
Larry’s comment: I’ve gotten many calls claiming that when a driver remained seated behind the wheel, she was not guilty of a parking violation. In other words, a driver could sit behind the wheel and avoid a no-standing, or no-parking ticket. “If wishes were horses…” To clarify, the presence or absence of a driver doesn’t matter. You can’t stand, or park in a no-standing, or no-parking zone, unless you are stopped temporarily to discharge or pick up passengers (or their stuff in a no-parking zone).
Larry’s comment: 4-08(a)(1) also requires a driver to obey authorized signs, pavement markings, or traffic control devices. But, doesn’t settle the conflict between a sign or pavement marking. For example, what if a safety zone is regulated by a no-standing sign that permits parking during the time you park? This section is confusing! But, remember that the stricter rule or marking wins the battle of the rules.
(i) Sign placement. For purposes of this §4-08, one authorized regulatory sign anywhere on a block, which is the area of sidewalk between one intersection and the next, shall be sufficient notice of the restriction(s) in effect on that block.
This is the evil rule that permits one, single, parking sign at the end of a block to regulate parking at the other end. Yikes! To clarify, you really only have to identify the closest parking signs in front and to the rear of your car. If the arrow on either sign points to your parking space and restricts parking, skedaddle. Do not park there.
(ii) Pedicabs. No person shall park, stand, or stop a pedicab where a person is prohibited from parking, standing, or stopping a vehicle in accordance with these rules.
Larry’s comment: Believe it or not, I didn’t know what a pedicab was! Now, I do.
(2) Stopping prohibited
(3) Standing prohibited
(i) Dedicated use signs. Standing is prohibited when a dedicated use is specified by a sign, including but not limited to the following curb regulations: Commercial Vehicles Only, Truck Loading Only, Taxi Stand, Taxi Relief Stand, Authorized Vehicles Only, NYP License Plates Only, Doctor License Plates Only, For-Hire Vehicles Only, Ambulance Only, Ambulette Only, Medical Facility Only, Bus Layover Only, NYS Road Test Only, Flea Market Loading Only, Farmers Market Only, Waiting Line, Carshare Parking Only, Electric Vehicle Charging Only, or Parking Permitted.
(4) Parking prohibited
(5) Vehicles prohibited on berms and shoulders
(6) Paper or other temporary signs. Any paper or other temporary signs posted by authorized agencies shall supersede all existing posted rules for the days and times specified.
Larry’s comment. This is an important rule to commit to memory. So, when you walk to your car and see a temporary paper rule, please pay attention. Above all make sure the agency that authorized the rule appears on the paper. If not, and you get a ticket based on the paper rule, fight it!
(7) Holiday suspensions of parking rules
(i) Major legal holidays
(ii) Exception. Parking, standing and stopping rules that are indicated on official signs shall remain in effect on the dates of both official and traditional observance of the above-listed major legal holidays only in areas where signs indicate that parking, standing, and stopping rules are in effect seven days a week, provided, however, that the activation of meters that are required by a posted sign to be activated seven days a week shall be suspended on major legal holidays pursuant to subparagraph (i).
(iii) Street cleaning rules suspended
(8) Disabled vehicles
(9) Immobilization and towing of illegally parked vehicles
(i) Time and manner of immobilization
(ii) Notice
(iii) Immobilization fee
(iv) Applicable rules
(v) Right to immediate hearing
(vi) Removal fee
(vii) Storage fee
(viii) Vehicles not removed considered abandoned
(ix) Release of the vehicle in process of being removed
(x) Vehicle release penalty
(xi) Non-payment of vehicle release penalty
(10) Restricted area
(b) Violation of posted no stopping rules prohibited
(c) Violation of posted no standing rules prohibited
(1) Taxi stand. No person shall stand or park a vehicle other than a taxi in a taxi stand when any such stand has been officially designated and appropriately posted except that the operator of a vehicle may only temporarily stand therein for the purpose of expeditiously receiving and discharging passengers provided such standing does not interfere with any taxi about to enter or leave such stand
Larry’s comment: The difference between a taxi stand and a taxi …relief stand is that a taxi driver can park in a taxi relief stand for an hour and run errands, rest, etc.
(2) Taxi and/or for-hire vehicle relief stand. No person shall stand or park a vehicle other than a taxi or for-hire vehicle in a relief stand when any such stand has been officially designated and appropriately posted. The operator of a taxi or for-hire vehicle may park at such a stand for no more than one hour.
(3) Bus stop. The important thing to remember is that a bus stop starts at the bus stop sign. And, extends in the direction of the arrow(s) on the sign. Until the next parking sign. Or if none, then the end of the block.
Larry’s comment: Please try to avoid stopping, standing, or parking in a bus stop zone. If a warrior or cop sees your vehicle, you will most likely get a ticket.
(4) Authorized vehicles
(5) Hotel loading zone
(6) Commuter van stop
(7) For-hire vehicle stand
(8) Diplomatic and consular vehicles
(9) Parking Permitted
d) Violation of posted no parking rules prohibited
(1) Street cleaning
(2) Reserved.
(3) No parking except parking permits for people with disabilities (off-street)
(4) Official markings When markings upon the pavement of a roadway designate a parking space, no person shall stand or park a vehicle in such designated parking space so that any part of the vehicle occupies more than one space or protrudes beyond the markings designating such a space, except that a vehicle which is of a size too large to be parked within a single designated parking space shall be parked with the front bumper at the front of the space with the rear of the vehicle extending as little as possible into the adjoining space to the rear, or vice-versa. Notwithstanding the above, no vehicle that is too long and/or too wide to be parked within a single designated parking space shall be parked in such a space that is designated for angle parking.
Larry’s comment: Here’s a story about a rule that doesn’t say what it means or mean what it says. A short while ago, Jeff, a wonderful friend of New York Parking Ticket, asked a great question about whether it was legal to park beyond a certain type of roadway marking. Jeff sent a photo of his car parked beyond the white roadway marking (top right image below). Did Jeff park legally?
A warrior was going to give Jeff a parking ticket for violating 4-08(d)(4). However, did this rule prohibit parking beyond the marking on the roadway? Or, was it intended to restrict parking within single parking spaces that were delineated by white roadway markings?
In my humble opinion, (d)(4) was limited to single parking spaces. Jeff’s ticket would be dismissed.
What about 4-08(a)(1)? Maybe, but I found no rule or law that states that type of pavement marking was intended to restrict parking to inside its boundaries. A ticket based on this catchall rule should be dismissed.
Would you like a free copy of the 4-08 Outline (no email address required)? Simply click the links and voila!
Photo’s explained
-Top left photo-There is a safety zone between the corner and Jeff’s type of roadway marking. A car cannot park in the safety zone.
-The middle photo-Jeff’s type of roadway marking ends at the crosswalk line. In this case, if you parked your car beyond the roadway marking, it would extend into the crosswalk, and be eligible for a crosswalk violation.
-Lower left photo-There is a no-parking anytime sign at the end of Jeff’s type of roadway marking. This sign prohibited parking to the left of the sign. Therefore, there were two cars that were eligible for a ticket.
-Lower right photo-There is a safety zone bordering Jeff’s type of roadway marking with a car parked illegally in the safety zone. Had Jeff’s car extended beyond the roadway marking, it would have been parked illegally in a safety zone.
Commentary
Miles to go before we sleep. These parking rules and laws often raise more questions than they answer. However, if you take a look at the outline that precedes the rules in 4-08, you’ll have a snapshot of all those confusing rules and be able to figure out how they’re organized. And, how the specific violations are categorized.
For example, the bus stop rule is listed under the no-standing violations. And, the street cleaning rule is a no parking violation. In the same vein, the cluster of status violations live together under 4-08(j),
If you want to read about the towing rule, check out 4-089(a)(9) on page 21.
Why not check out the parking signs and roadway markings on the DOT Parking Regulations Map or Google Maps. Seeing how these venue sign traps look in photos may help you recognize them when you see them.
Good luck. Be safe. And park safely.
Regards,
Larry
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