Last Updated on November 15, 2017 by Lawrence Berezin
How to behave in an NYC snow emergency to avoid an NYC parking ticket
Here is some valuable information on the DOT website. Please be safe, follow the rules, and avoid an NYC parking ticket.
NYC Snow Emergency Traffic Regulations
New York City Traffic Rules, Selection 4-12(K) –
(1) Standing and Parking
When the Transportation Commissioner declares a state of snow emergency, no person shall stand or park a vehicle upon a street designated by signs as a snow street, or upon any part of the right of way, including the prohibited shoulder adjacent to the roadways, entrances and exits of the expressways and parkways set forth in Section 4-07 (i) of these regulations except in such areas and for such purposes as shall be designated by the Transportation Commissioner, until the Transportation Commissioner declares the prohibition of such standing or parking terminated.
(2) Operating Vehicles Prohibited
When the Transportation Commissioner declares a state of snow emergency, no person shall operate a vehicle upon a street designated by signs as snow street or upon any part of the right of way, including the berm or shoulder adjacent to the roadways, entrances and exits of the expressway and parkways set forth in Section 4-07 (i) of these regulations unless the drive, traction or power wheels of said vehicles are equipped with skid chains or snow tires, until the Commissioner declares the state of snow emergency terminated.
(3) Snow Tire Defined
For the purposes of this regulation, the following are considered snow tires:
| (a) | Any radial tire (a radial tire is a tire in which the ply cords, extending to the beads, are nearly at right angles to the centerline of the tread). |
| (b) | Any tire with tread which has ribs, lugs, blocks or buttons arranged in a generally discontinuous pattern; when inflated, a substantial portion of the lug, block or rib edges in the tread design are at an angle greater than 30 degrees to the tire circumferential centerline; and, on at least one side of the tread design, have shoulder lugs that protrude at least one-half inch in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of travel. |
| (c) | Any tire labeled on the sidewall with the words “MUD AND SNOW” or any contraction using the letters M and S (e.g. MS. M/S, M-S, or M&S). |
| (d) | Worn or damaged tires which no longer provide effective traction shall not constitute snow tires within the meaning of this section, regardless of their ordinal classification or designation. |
Do you want to track snow plows in real time?
Check out PlowNYC snow plow tracking app.
and…
311 Snow and Ice on Roadway Removal
FREE Download:
Now that you’re an expert in snow emergencies, you don’t want to get a run-of-the-mill, garden-variety, street cleaning parking ticket. You may wish to obtain your own, personal copy of the 2016 ASP Calendar…If so, simply click away (no email address required).
I parked a couple of feet away from the curb, due to the icy snow mound against the curb as did everyone on that street. I was not in the traffic lane or obstructing traffic in any way. I received 2 orange envelopes on my windshield with no tickets I looked on the website for six days and eventually I found that I was charged with 2 traffic lane tickets for a total of $230.00. It simply said traffic lane. Can I beat these tickets? I woul d not have parked there if I was in the traffic lane. I got as close as I could to the curb. If alternate side of the street parking was suspended all week due to the snow condition, shouldn’t this also apply to curbs that the city did not plow?
Dear Pamela,
Good morning.
Everything you say is true and reasonable.
The challenge is that the Evil Empire simply doesn’t care.
Were the 2 traffic lane tickets issued within 3 hours of each other? If so, a judge will dismiss the second ticket upon application.
Have you checked both parking tickets for omitted, misdescribed, or illegible required elements? If you find one or more, you win upon application.
Sadly, I don’t have a winning defense for these two unfair parking tickets. Intent to violate a rule isn’t an element of a parking infraction. If you show photographs of the condition of the curb, it will add weight to the warrior’s claim you parked in a travel lane.
And, “he-said she-said” doesn’t work in Parking Ticket Land.
Goo luck.
Best,
Larry
Not helpful at all