Meter Maids Sticking It to Residential Nabes
While overall crime rates continue to fall around the borough (even in North Brooklyn, where yesterday’s headlines focused on a rise in murders, saw 17 percent fewer robberies in the first 5 1/2 months of 2007), one threat to civilized society apparently continues to grow: scofflaw parkers. In Bay Ridge, parking violations were up 9…
While overall crime rates continue to fall around the borough (even in North Brooklyn, where yesterday’s headlines focused on a rise in murders, saw 17 percent fewer robberies in the first 5 1/2 months of 2007), one threat to civilized society apparently continues to grow: scofflaw parkers. In Bay Ridge, parking violations were up 9 percent through June 10; in Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace, 25.9 percent; in Red Hook, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens, 4.3 percent; in Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO, 6.6 percent. “A 25% jump is quite a jump in this community, especially when we have to move cars four times a week for alternate-side parking,” said Jeremy Laufer, district manager of Community Board 7 in Sunset Park. So are people really violating parking laws more than in the past or are the police just thinking more like bank robbers? “Why do they come to Bay Ridge?” asked Bob Cassara, president of the Bay Ridge Community Council. “Because that’s where the money is, and there’s a lot of money in ticketing people.” Exactly: A nice fat middle-class tax hike.
Parking Tickets on the Rise [NY Daily News]
Murder Up in North Brooklyn, Down in South [Brownstoner]
Talking about people uprising! Of course! The governments on all levels are out of control. Just look at Congress passing the Bailout. Parking tickets are no different. It is just a government grown out of propotions. Example: How to write 10 parking tickets in one hour for $640. It’s easy money for the government. Let’s stop them. Go to AnnoyingParkingTicket.blogspot.com
the city needs to fix all these freakin pot holes here in Brooklyn! Especially atlantic ave! makes no sense. Only in NYC!
i recently got a parking ticket and TOWED in fort greene for parking too close to a hydrant. ok, yes, maybe i was a *little* too close. so give me a ticket – but ticket + towing cost almost $300. Definitely a money-maker for the city!
your comments only benefit one blue blooded rich bastard
Your comments only benefit one rich middle class blue blood
The NYPD tickets selectively. They park
double park, park on the side walks, park in No Parking Zones, No Standing Zones and bus stops. Of course they do not issue eachother tickets. And they get to ride the trains free! With a gun! I appreciate the good work that they do but they are not special. Please do not go into how they put their lives on the line every day for us. Look at the stats, Police work is not one of the most dangerous professions. Many city workers (Sanitation, EMS, Transit Workers, Corrections, etc..)risk their lives and don’t get the accolades or benefits that NYPD gets.
What really sends me over the edge are the bullshit tickets like these:
1. I was ticketed for parking too close to a hydrant when I was correctly parked at a metered spot. When I took time out of my day to fight it, the ALJ noticed that the ticket was incorrectly written (part of the address missing) and threw it out. I asked if there would be any repercussions for the traffic agent who, by writing this bogus ticket, had stolen half my day from me. Needless to say, the ALJ did not answer.
2. I was ticketed because my Vehicle Identification Number (the little metal plate attached to the dash at the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side) was obscured by a piece of paper I’d thrown on the dash. I won this one because I argued that the VIN number was visible in two other locations on the car (it’s etched in the glass of the windows).
If you ticket me for breaking alternate side rules, well, I knew the rules and screwed up. I don’t like it, but it’s fair. The bogus tickets make me nuts because there’s no way to avoid them and take time and energy to fight.
And I agree that there should be more emphasis on tickets for moving violations rather than parking violations. Riding my bike I have learned that about 50% of drivers do not bother to signal their turns, especially right turns. This is actually quite dangerous for cyclists — I am always watching the cars ahead of me for behavioral signs that they are about to turn (slowing down, drifting to the right), since I cannot depend on getting a signal.
Would you people just please stop parking illegally. The NYPD has more important matters such as arrresting and harassing kids on their way to school and they could devote more time to that desperately needed service if they didn’t have to devote so many manhours to parking issues.
What gets my goat is that some neighborhoods are move the car 2/wk while others are 4/wk. An equal protection violation if I ever have seen one.
The trucks that drive through on my no through trucks street should get tickets confiscating their first borns. I can only listen to my turntable between 11pm and 4am.