Gothamist: Study: Worst Parking in the City is in Park Slope

a.v.

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 15:02:48 -0500

I don't own a car for precisely for the reasons already stated here -- cost of ownership is higher than judicious use of car services and rentals. But I've often thought about getting one. Why? Renting cars SUCKS. The availability sucks on weekends and holidays. The price gouging sucks ($120/day?? that's half a monthly payment). The fact that it takes the clerks 30 minutes of pecking at the computer to process the reservation sucks. The fact that having a reservation doesn't actually guarantee you a car -- that really sucks. The fact that liability insurance costs $13/day sucks. The fact that Enterprise (otherwise one of the more affordable options) has hours that only make two-day weekend rentals possible sucks. The fact that you can't return cars after business hours sucks. Perhaps more people could be persuaded to give up car ownership if weekend car rental was a more pleasant, more consumer-friendly, more viable option. There's a business opportunity in here somewhere. (And, no, zipcar is not the answer. Their piss-poor liability insurance means drivers assume great risk, and they're always booked on weekends anyway.)

Samantha T

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 15:58:56 -0500

"The only solution is neighborhood parking permits, like those used in Jersey City, Hoboken, Boston, Cambridge and other cities." So true. I had a car in Cambridge and it really wasn't that big a deal - I did street parking the entire time and occasionally had trouble finding a spot, but nothing like 30 or 45 minutes worth of driving around. Sure, if you're trying to find a spot in Harvard Square it's a nightmare, but generally it wasn't that bad. Cambridge is pretty densely populated, too - not sure if it's as dense as Park Slope, but it's certainly not suburban.

Not Amused

Sun, 04 Mar 2007 07:49:14 -0500

Bunch of car hoes ! Try walking for a change BITCHES!!!!!!!

Shmurf

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 09:30:36 -0500

The parking issue throughout the city is worsened by the tourist visiting . Although the pic tells another story here . Most drivers have no real clue as to how to drive in the first place ! There's a reason the drivers ed instructor told you that when you park leave yourself room at both ends ! That pic is one of the main reasons why the parking sucks ! Another reason would be that drivers are just to damn lazy to accept having been beaten out of all the best parking and refuse to park there cars a little further from home . I've seen drivers squeeze into spaces not big enough for compact cars ! On my block I have a driveway that I can't use because stupid people park their cars in the path . Having there cars towed is fun and all but that takes time . I love the visitors from other neighborhoods that try this trick parking there cars in my path and going off to finish business. LOL, If I'm home I just call the most expensive tow company I know (And the one with a lot up in the Bronx by the Hutch) too tow those bitches away . Then watch as they stand their scratching their heads wondering if they parked there or elsewhere . CLASSIC!!!

Erik Feder - The Parking Expert

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 12:12:15 -0500

While Park Slope is a horrible place to try to find parking, I still say that Midtown Manhattan on a weekday is the absolute worst. The important thing is to know not just where, but when you can park. Knowing in advance not only gives one the chance to be there at the right time (even if that means that the right time is 20 minutes before a street becomes legal for parking) but also lets one avoid the streets you where drivers may never park. By avoiding these, motorists save not just precious time but also money, because they are using less gas and reducing the wear and tear on their vehicle. Perhaps most importantly, it helps people reduce their stress levels, because all that random circling for a parking spot is a major contributor to aggravation So do a little advance planning, it pays off in the end.

walk

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 12:01:32 -0500

Hey Ed (#30): Is it really that hard to walk from 1st ave in Manhattan to the Lexington ave line? Granted it's a little far in the LES, and maybe the 1/2/3 and A/C/E lines are a bit of a walk from far-west Chelsea, but I'm sure 90% of the people who regularly need to come to and from these neighborhoods can handle a 15 minute walk. For the rest of them, like the elderly or handicapped people (who typically have trouble with the subways anyway), there are cabs and buses. I live in Harlem and I keep a car in the city for part of year when I need to take a lot of out-of-town trips. I like cars, but anyone who regularly uses one to drive within the congested parts of the city is screwing everyone else.

anon

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 07:52:33 -0500

I'm consistently amazed at how many new yorkers have never taken a bus. The solution is neither big parking lots (that would encourage more cars) or neighborhood parking (if you've ever lived with this, you know it's the worst... suddenly you can't take your car anywhere else... Your neighborhood will change. It will likely grow. Encourage more public transportation and less cars. It works.

anon

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 23:00:20 -0500

blah blah blah...hipsters suck...blah blah blah.

Ed

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:10:25 -0500

There are parts of the city where you definitely need a car. No additions have been made to the subway system since the 1930s, and parts of it (the 3rd Avenue el) have even been dismantled. If you live in a part of the city developed post World War II, which includes about half of Queens, you need a car. People living on the two avenues closest to the rivers in Manhattan need cars, those areas are just not well served by public transportation. If you live in Park Slope, no you don't need a car (though there are some people with odd commutes that are exceptions). If you can afford to have one for occasional trips out of town, you can probably afford to keep it in a garage. I'm not a driver, but one thing I've noticed with drivers is that they always forget to add in the time it takes to walk to the car, start it, pull out, and later circle around and find a parking spot to their calculations of driving time. When you added all that in, the time saved by driving often vanishes. I agree with Okki's post at the start of the comments about pedestrians waiting in the street, and for pedestrians I also recommend Larry Littlefield's post on Room Eight about how its safer for pedestrians to cross the street in the middle of the block, jaywalking laws be damned, as most car-pedestrian collisions are caused by drivers turning corners too quickly and not seeing the pedestrian waiting to cross.

anti-car

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:07:28 -0500

The truth is, someone's gonna have to bite the bullet and get rid of their car, because there's not enough parking for everyone in the Slope. You can close your eyes and plug your ears and sing "la la la la" all you want. But you can't change the laws of physics. Sometimes life is harder than shopping on Long Island.

BklynNative

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 20:02:58 -0500

Well the citizens of Park Slope have gotten their panties in a bunch and are complaining about everything, from real estate prices to overcrowded parking conditions for their SUV's and buggaboos. They evidently wanted to move into this trendy burg didn't do the copious research (looking at the street) before moving in to realize that "parking was tight". Now they are exploring "resident permits" to soothe them. On NY1 they interviewed Ms. Sloper who complained that after dropping her kids off at school, she had to circle for 2 hours to find a spot. Duhhhhh why not walk and stop polluting the air........ Vermont has some space and from what I hear, will put up with your self-centered, self-indulgent whining and your pudgy offspring.

dave

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 19:47:46 -0500

little known fact. there has been a mortatorium on the building of parking garages in nyc since 1978. they paved over the parking lots and put up paradise.

no PKK

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 18:35:53 -0500

Nah, you OK famdoc, you're not a PKK. though I am questioning your point number one of other drivers coming to the Slope hogging up spaces. What's there? Me being a brooklyn novice. OH, got it now, you wrote coming from other parts of Brooklyn where people are more apt to have a car. So it's intra borough cars thats the problem ,not say, the bridge and tunnel cars.

famdoc

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:41:27 -0500

I own a car and live in the Center Slope area. I have street-parked for fifteen years. I use my car on weekends and more the car once a week. Two points (I'm sure, judging from the comments above, I'm going to be flamed for being a car-owner): 1--There is no good reason for anyone to drive their car on Seventh Ave., particularly on weekends. The Avenue is congested with pedestrians and their strollers. It is not uncommon to see several cars double parked on each block, making driving, and crossing, even more hazardous. Most of the drivers on Seventh Ave. (and this is where I think I'm leaving myself open to be flamed) come to the Slope from other neighborhoods. They should consider other methods of transportation. 2--When I move my car on Thursday or Friday, I move it to the North side of Union St., where Monday/Tuesday regulations are in effect. Until about six months ago, I could reasonably expect to find a spot (at 8 AM) in five minutes or less. Now, I search for a spot for thirty to forty-five minutes. The only explanation for this is an increased number of cars in this section of the Slope. Most belong to the many people who have moved into the Fourth to Sixth Ave. corridor (thousands of new housing units in the past two years) and many belong to commuters who drive from other parts of Brooklyn and use the subway from the Slope. The only solution is neighborhood parking permits, like those used in Jersey City, Hoboken, Boston, Cambridge and other cities.

Spud Spudly

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:29:10 -0500

Hey, the post button failed. So sue me. It failed again posting this. So what? Read it twice because apparently you need to. You're ignoring the fact that you misread my first post, flamed me like an idiot for something I didn't say, and then ignored me again when I called you on it. THAT'S what I got, dummy.

alex

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:21:59 -0500

People get so up in arms about cars in nyc. Lets face it people, Park Slope is just about the damn suburbs--people have cars. Get over it. People want to go to Fairway, etc. If you don't like residents driving cars, move to midtown. Cars didn't just come to Park Slope, or NYC. Having said that, I actually find parking a lot easier in Park Slope than where lived before in Morningside Heights or the UWS.

OldNYC

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 17:03:57 -0500

Spuds, If all you've got is the tired "I've lived in nyc my whole life" comeback and a "garage door opener", i think i'm doing pretty well. considering i've only been here HALF my life (who cares)?! PS learn how to use a SUBMIT button

Alli

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:53:04 -0500

In Clinton Hill, there is ALWAYS a spot right in front of our brownstone. If you choose to live in a more densely populated, "higher income" neighborhood then you will have to deal with more cars parked on the street. I hate running errands in Park Slope and so we always take the train, bus or walk to get there, although I understand why people need cars. I really don't understand how the city can minimize the traffic problem in Park Slope aside from limiting the number of cars or creating free parking lots (Hahahhaah...yeah riiiiight)!

Spud Spudly

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:49:42 -0500

(2nd attempt to post as the first got locked up) HAHAHAAHAHAAH!!!!! Jeez, and leave people like you behind forever? How could I do that? I'm not accusing anyone of being anti-freedom, genius. Did you fail reading comprehension? I was just responding to the guy who said that cars limit your freedom. In fact, my car EXPANDS my freedom. I like visiting the suburbs but I don't want to live there. I'm the rare example of someone who was born in Bklyn and have lived in NYC my whole life. YOU move out. BTW, when I get home all I'm going to do is press the button on my garage door opener, the door's going to swing wide open and I'm going to drive in and park in my private, reserved spot. Sucker.

Spud Spudly

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:45:45 -0500

HAHAHAAHAHAAH!!!!! Jeez, and leave people like you behind forever? How could I do that? I'm not accusing anyone of being anti-freedom, genius. I was just responding to the guy who said that cars limit your freedom. In fact, my car EXPANDS my freedom. I was born in Bklyn and have lived in NYC my whole life. YOU move out.

Aristocrat

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:43:47 -0500

Sorry, anyone who lives in Park Slope and deals with the F'ing F train knows that the "subway is faster" argument holds no water. I love OldNYC's stupid "Move the F out" comment, real productive there..."Move the F out of the country if you think it's so bad here too!"

koch

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:41:10 -0500

south slope, slope proper, slope - you're a dope! Go back to ohio, please. rule#1 - those lines on the road mean nothing. rule#2 - those yellow things driving everywhere; go faster than them. rule#3 - use low gear when parking so you can make your space bigger when some a-hole in the slope has taken up 1.5 spaces.

Freshly Waxed

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:09:50 -0500

People who park like VW golf driver pictured above deserve to have their rides brutally keyed. Even a bumper badger wouldnt save you from an idiot like that. Other (smarter) cities have curbside spaces clearly marked with lines to prevent shoehorning.

OldNYC

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:03:09 -0500

So Spudly.... MOVE THE F OUT if you LOVE traveling in your car to visit the suburbs so much and going to CLEAN suburban supermarkets. Do everyone else here a favor and move there fulltime. And I dont think any one here is ANTI freedom (jesus christ people). You are so smug and quick to judge and jump to conclusions. It's hard not to mention the fact that you actually go to JONES Beach. I hope you spend 2 hours tonight in your car trying to find parking because of street cleaning.

mr.dennis

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:00:28 -0500

Before I comment, it should be noted for the record that Slopers complain about everything. A few points: 1) Parking In Park Slope isn't that bad. I commute 5 days a week via car for the last year (yes there are no alternatives to where i work, yes it is ending soon). I live on the edge of the sample zone in this "study". 2) Sample period occurred during snow events, which limit parking spots. 3) There never is parking near any hospital I've ever visited. 4) Increasing meter pricing taxes poor people not rich people. Rich people put their fancy cars in places they won't get bumped or scratched. Yes, poor people drive to visit hospitals too. 5) Driver source isn't addressed, as in are these visitors to Park Slope or are they locals. That would change the remedy portion of this "study". 6) Figure 8 doesn't have enough information to be logarithmic. Or linear, or even a spider graph.

brooklynbee

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:45:21 -0500

Isn't this why it's called "No Place to Park Slope"? C'mon, that joke's been around for years! I used to have a car in Brooklyn (long story, I didn't get a car on purpose) and it was such a monumental pain (street cleaning, digging out of snow, etc) that I only used it once every few weeks. Every time I take a cab or rent a car (rarely) or take Metro-North or LIRR for out of town trips, I say to myself "Still cheaper and easier than owning a car!"

Spud Spudly

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:42:55 -0500

Freedom is a wonderful thing. The freedom to wake up any weekend and spontaneously decide to drive to Bear Mountain or to Jones Beach is a wonderful thing. The freedom to visit family and friends on Long Island or in Jersey without worrying about train schedules is a wonderful thing. The money saved by shopping at a big, clean, beautiful and inexpensive (by NY standards) supermarket is a wonderful thing. Not trying to rent a car on a summer weekend is a wonderful thing. Dummies who think other people should make the same choices as them are not so wonderful. Did anyone see Paul "Whyte" (NY1's spelling) from TA on NY1 this morning? He sure looked like a clueless yuppie limousine liberal, concerned about the parking situation in poor old Park Slope.

anti-car

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:31:32 -0500

Obviously, some people will need cars if they have to crisscross inaccessible places out of the city. But most of the points I made definitely apply to the many whose time and cost justifications of having a car are nullified by the realities of having a car. For example, those living in Park Slope and driving to work in Manhattan would have a hard time proving that it's faster and cheaper than a taxi/car service/subway combo. It's the PARKING, people. And yes, some people will happily drive regardless. Entitlement is a wonderful thing.

OldNYC

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:25:54 -0500

Wow, Sue is a mentalist. anti car's comment is not useless. anti-car has a point. work it on paper- i did. yes i can afford a car but do i need a car? no. i live in brooklyn, ny for godsake. it's more trouble than it's worth, and more expensive. Not to mention the environmental issues, plus parking MOST places in metro NYC is a pain in the a** and just not worth going insane over. I've made an educated and informed decision that works best for me (and probably many many many car owners in Park Slope). If you think about it, it makes sense that Park Slope has a car problem AND stroller problem. Seriously, I think it's sad. The nuevo riche park slope set mentality has contributed to the downward spiral of creativity and edginess which NYC has been always been known for.

kar bitch

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:21:09 -0500

WOW, I never knew there are so many pro Car bitches in NYC? pro kar kunts is what I'm kalling them now. PKK in da haus.

adm

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:16:30 -0500

i have lots of parking tips. most of these are obvious...the hard part is following them even when you think it's easier/more convenient not too. here's a few: the main one is, be smart about where you drive to, and when you drive there. get familiar with the parking regulations and schedules in the neighborhoods you most often visit, and make your determination about whether to drive based on those. for instance, in lots of neighborhoods (e.g., Hell's Kitchen), it's practically as hard to park on a saturday afternoon as it is on a weekday afternoon. another good strategy is to learn which streets downtown have "angle" parking instead of parallel parking. it's usually easier to find spots on those. similarly, learn where the two-hour meters and muni-meters are. sometimes one block can make all the difference, esp. if you are expecting a long lunch or going to see a movie. one last one: if you live in Manhattan and have Thursday street cleaning, move your car on Tuesday night instead of Wednesday night, as you probably have Wednesday "off" in your neighborhood. it's much, much easier to find a spot on the correct side of the street. ps. i love how okki's tip above is basically the exact same thing that the Giuliani-like mayor in Calvin Trillin's book mandates for pedestrians hailing cabs.

okki

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:16:12 -0500

Reposting so I can defending myself... I live in Astoria. I work on Long Island. My husband works in Brooklyn. Therefore, I have a car, he takes the subway. Are you going to wait on the sidewalk while you preach your pointless nonsense to me?

sue

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 15:04:45 -0500

anti-car, its obvious people want to drive... these stories always bring out the most useless comments. public transport is not the be all and end all hence the millions of cars on the road even in a place with good access to public transport like NYC. as much as you might want to control what other people do, thankfully you cant.

anti-car

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:48:31 -0500

Get rid of your cars, people. The time you "save" driving is more than eaten up by the time used trolling around for parking. Think about it. And those times where you really need a car for transporting bags, simply call a car service. How many times are your hands full per month? Even a number of car service fares still total less than monthly car, insurance and gas bills. If you want to take the occasional road trip, rent a car. How many times do you take a weekend road trip? Three times a year? The yearly total, even with cabs and car services, still costs less than monthly car, insurance and gas bills. It's hard to let go of your cars, because it's been so ingrained in the minds of middle America. Think about it, is being tethered to a 2000-pound machine what you'd call "freedom"?

okki

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:47:33 -0500

I am a driver, and a pedestrian, of course. I have advice that I've been trying to spread. After I explaned this to my non-driving friends, they admitted they had no idea this was a problem. When you are waiting for a light to change so you can cross the street, most NY'ers will wait in the street, not on the curb. This creates a problem when I'm trying to semi-illegally* pass a left hand turn-er on his right hand side... I can't get past him cause I'll hit a person in the process. I have gotten into screaming matches with people, yelling out my car window for them to get back onto the curb, and they get mad at me! I don't park on the sidewalk, why do you wait in the street? Nevermind that it's totally unsafe, but some people don't care. They seem to think that if they get hit, that will give them grounds to sue. If you are jaywalking or waiting for traffic to change in the street, you will mostly likely be branded as stupid and laughed out of court. So please, wait on the sidewalk. You're indirectly causing traffic jams and giving drivers unnecessary worry. *I say semi-illegally because, yes, by driving law you are not supposed to pass on the right. However, if everyone in NY were to NOT pass on the right when there was a left turn-er... well, we'd all still be stuck in traffic.

Jen Chung

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:29:08 -0500

Of course more people are moving to Park Slope, but do they all have cars? Are new families more apt to buy cars and park 'em on the street? There are a bunch of subways - can't they just walk?

jt

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:28:52 -0500

I don't know why people cruise around looking for spots. I live on the UWS of Manhattan and find it just as effective (and much less stressful) to simply find a likely side street and sit in the car, doubleparked, waiting for a space to open up.

neil

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 14:25:05 -0500

i'm in south slope - so it's not AS bad - but it has its moments. we usually walk to slope proper cause otherwise we'd have to pay for garage parking - and even that is sometimes filled.