New York, NY – Drivers desperate for parking spots would get a reprieve under a City Council proposal to legalize double parking in certain situations, The Post has learned.
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Three members this week are introducing a bill that would permit double parking for drivers waiting for a soon-to-be-vacated space or dropping off or picking up passengers.
The sponsors of the legislation say their push aims to curb a double-parking ticketing blitz that is infuriating their constituents.
“This is not a new phenomenon, that people wait for somebody to pull out of a parking spot. But it seems like what’s changed is that common sense has gone out the window in terms of the agents,” said Councilman Vincent Gentile (D-Brooklyn).
The city has given an increasing number of double-parking tickets each year under Mayor Bloomberg — from 806,112 in fiscal year 2002 to more than 1.3 million in the last fiscal year.
Gentile, who represents Bay Ridge — an area where parking spots are notoriously hard to come by — lamented that some of his constituents have been slapped with the $115 double-parking fine for simply stopping by a doctor’s office to drop off a spouse before circling the block for a legal spot.
“They’re going around and playing gotcha with people,” he said of ticketing agents, who work for the NYPD.
Gentile is introducing the bill — which is similar to one he pushed in 2005 that went nowhere — with Democrats David Greenfield of Brooklyn and Peter Vallone of Astoria, who say their constituents are complaining more than ever about zealous ticketing agents.
“It’s enforcement gone wild,” Vallone said.
“Half the time, they’re deserved, but the other half the time, the traffic agents abuse their discretion. Their first priority shouldn’t be revenue; it should be making sure that traffic moves safely.”
The bill does not address the length of time a driver would be allowed to double-park.
It is unlikely to pass muster with the mayor, who is expected to veto it if it passes the council.
“We can’t comment, since we haven’t seen the bill, but our approach has been to reduce double parking by reducing the amount of time New Yorkers have to spend alternate-side parking their cars, as we’ve done already in parts of Brooklyn and The Bronx,” said Bloomberg spokesman Marc La Vorgna.
Gentile said he was hopeful Council Speaker Christine Quinn would favor the bill, since she passed a measure last year seeking to pacify frustrated motorists by allowing them five-minute grace periods at expired parking meters.
The mayor vetoed that bill, but the council overrode him.
but…. these traffic agents dont have any scense in them. ever tried expplaining somthing to a browney
Is blumie running for a 4th term?
Bloomberg pick ur poison. If ur gonna enforce rules w/o common sense discretion. The citizenry through the council mmbrs will pass laws to mitigate your abuses.
It’s about time. Czar Mike Bloomberg the First only knows one word and that is “ticket”. These Traffic Gestapo have to be tamed.
This is a terrible bill. Many times on Kent avenue I’ve been blocked in by cars that are double parked and refuse to move when I need to pull out. They say they are waiting for someone and would have to go around the block if they were to move or are holding a space for another car. I’m not sure why they don’t just move and take the space I’m trying to vacate. There should be ZERO tolerance for double parkers for ANY reason and I will do my personal best to make sure they are ticketed every time I see them.
They should have to observe the car double parked for a minute before writing the ticket.
This will do little to help, as the agent will write that no one was present as they do when ticketing at a pump with someone inside – which is legal. They do the same with bus stops where its legal to drop off passengers. Until they force them to take a picture of every violation before writing a ticket, the abuse will continue. The technology exists to easily add cameras to their computers.
The worst of all traffic crimes are double parking, such as along Coney Island Avenue. It effectively turns a several lane road into a single lane road, inconveniencing numerous people for the benefit of one person.
They should legalize citizen self-help and make it legal to smash the windows of a double-parked car with a sledgehammer.
Reducing the amount of time of alternate side? Ha? Anybody in williamsburgh seen this? I guess only in the bronx. I guess our askunim are totally working for our benefits ha just make me laugh. And they still have the audacity to tell uss to vote for king bloomy. What a bunch of bums
Thanks again Greenfield for pulling the ropes for us.
if they want to help me out at all they can ALLOW US TO DOUBLE PARK during alternate side like they do only about 3 blocks over from me! WHY NOT MY BLOCK TOO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EAST 14 AND EAST 10 TELL ME PLEASE
There are exceptions to the “double parking rule”. NYC Traffic Rules 4-08 section (f) “General No Standing Zones” defines double parking. “Standing” is defined in Section 4-01 as ” the stopping of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers”. Therefore , one can stop and let off a passenger and it is not “double parking”. I personally used this as a defense after getting a ticket by my daughters’ school on 12/24/2009. I brought along the school schedule showing the schools address, the dismissal time and that there was no school bus service. Since the ticket was issued 10 minutes after the dismissal time, I was found not guilty.
While demanding that these brownies should use common sense while issuing tickets; how about we people should use common sense while parking illegal when we have to? Why do we always see double parked cars or trucks when there is a driveway or hydrant less than 100 ft.??? Is keeping a driveway clear more important than keeping our streets clear???
Please! Use your commonsen$e
There should be a 3-4 minute period where the agent has to write down time first observed and only then issue the ticket. This is now the law for the new $115 ticket called “Idling” where agent has to enter the time limit of 3 minutes and the time first observed. This would give reasonable time to drop off, pick up passengers and wait for someone to put on their seat belt, adjust the seat and pull out so the next guy can pull in. It is further suggested that if you are in the car when getting a ticket that you take a picture from inside the car of the agent issuing you the ticket as they have to ask you for your name in such cases. I successfully represented people who received such tickets.
in isreal the agents take pictures
“Gentile said he was hopeful Council Speaker Christine Quinn would favor the bill, since she passed a measure last year seeking to pacify frustrated motorists by allowing them five-minute grace periods at expired parking meters.”
It’s not enforced so what’s the point? If it’s only for muni meters, than let it state it.