Last Updated on January 19, 2018 by Lawrence Berezin
Fire hydrant tickets red curb solution
Council Member David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn), a terrific friend of the NYC driving public, proposes to paint the curbs red around fire hydrants, to alert the driving public they are within fifteen (15) feet of the pump and can be issued $115.00 fire hydrant tickets.
“This is a common-sense solution to a common problem. Drivers shouldn’t have to keep tape measures in their glove boxes to determine where they can park,” Greenfield said. “Now, people are afraid to park anywhere close to a parking spot” near a hydrant. “You could literally open up tens of thousands of parking spots.”
The Chairman of the Transportation Committee, Council Member Vacca (D-Brooklyn) wants to know the cost of painting the curbs red before lending his support to the proposed legislation.
A second Bill to reduce the no parking zone around a pump
Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Queens) proposed a Bill earlier this year to reduce the no parking zone surrounding a fire hydrant from fifteen (15) feet to ten (10) feet.
The lawmakers insist a fire truck does not need 30 feet to park when battling a fire — especially since the vehicles generally double-park to reach blazes faster.
“This would give at least on every block of the city one additional parking spot,” Dromm said. “There’s a hydrant on almost every block in the city. People are always complaining that there aren’t enough parking spots.”
A fire department spokesperson opposes this Bill because he insists a fire truck needs this much space to access the hydrant.
Commentary
I love Council Members who are passionate about making life easier for the driving public. Kudos to Council Members Greenfield and Dromm. I think Council Member Vacca is right about asking about the cost before supporting this measure. However, I think the red curb is a terrific idea.
I will defer to the fire department’s judgment when it comes to setting the proper distance between a pump and a car parker for a fire truck to safely access a fire hydrant in case of a fire. Safety trumps an extra parking space, and I’d prefer to err on the side of safety.
Are you making these 5 common fire hydrant mistakes? Here’s how to fix ’em now.
[Thanks to The Yeshiva World News for excellent reporting, as usual]
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