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If you awoke this morning with a parking ticket on your windshield, look closely, because the reviled orange and white leaflet might actually be a piece of last-minute campaign literature. In what he calls "guerilla campaigning," Republican City Council candidate Joe Nardiello has been placing fake parking tickets that double as campaign literature on cars in Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Kensington, Windsor Terrace and Borough Park.
For the past five nights from midnight to 7 am, Nardiello has walked the streets and distributed the ads — which from a distance closely resemble real parking tickets — to voice his opposition to residential permit parking. "Want to pay $200 annually for just parking on this street?" the front of the flyer reads. "Politicians think this has been 'free' for too long. But, you can stop this. Vote on Nov. 3 to stop 'parking permits.'" Unsurprisingly, the promotional tactic struck some residents of the district — which is currently represented by Councilman and soon-to-be Public Advocate Bill de Blasio — as both infuriating and underhanded. "Thank you for giving me a very clear favorite in this election - your opponent," a tipster from the South Slope wrote to Gothamist. "I'll make sure to spread the word."
For his part, Nardiello told Gothamist that the faux parking tickets were inspired by a similar stunt attempted by failed Comptroller candidate Councilman David Yassky — whose car-window campaigning became a gaffe when it rained and his literature got stuck to voters' windshields. Nardiello said he learned from Yassky's mistake by checking weather reports before placing the flyers on car windows. "When you have a chance to shake people up and get them to go to the polls to effect change, you have to do it — and you have to do it in a way that is going to rattle their cages," said Nardiello, who in tomorrow's election will face Democratic frontrunner Brad Lander and Green Party candidate David Pechefsky. "There is nothing that effects people more to anger and movement than when they see a parking ticket."
That said, Nardiello acknowledged that the flyers might have irked some residents of the district. In fact, a lengthy answering machine recording on his campaign's phone number alludes to angry messages he has received, stating: "There is a promotion that people are reacting to, I don't want your anger... don't displace your anger to me please, because this is what made me run in the first place." But Nardiello maintains that his strategy won't backfire on the eve of the election. "Anger towards me could be assuaged by the fact that I am the only one who is fighting against this," he said. "I could be the person to defend them from against absurd ideas that take money from their pocketbooks, like residential parking permits."
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just why is this so infuriating?
Parking tickets are expensive. To see that orange paper on your windshield is painful. You run over to find out why this is happening. To find it's just campaign garbage is infuriating. You better believe all that anger will NOT be directed towards the OTHER candidate.
More false outrage. This is a non-issue.
What's it say on the lower corner there? Let's go Jets?
"Mr. Johnson, your parents are dead..."
(screams)
"Dead Tired! of voting for Councilman Nardiello!"
cannot wait till Sanitation fines his ass!
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release # 03-54
November 3, 2003
Contact: Vito A. Turso / Kathy Dawkins (646) 885-5020
Enforcement of New Law Prohibiting Handbills on Motor Vehicles' Windshields Has Begun
Enforcement of a new statewide law prohibiting the placement of handbills and other advertisements on the windshield, under windshield wipers, or on rear windows of motor vehicles began on November 1st. Fines start at $75 per handbill, poster, sticker, or other form of advertisement.
Under Executive Order No. 40, Mayor Bloomberg designated the New York City Police Department and the Department of Sanitation to enforce the new law.
The amended law creates a "rebuttable presumption" whereby any person or group whose name, telephone numbers, or other identifying information appearing on the handbill will be responsible for the violation. All summonses issued in New York City will be adjudicated by the Environmental Control Board.
Sanitation Commissioner John J. Doherty said: "We are pleased that this amended law is now a reality. The law gives the City real teeth in confronting and enforcing an annoying act that causes litter, unsightly streets, and lower scorecard ratings. We can target the violator instantly. Once the handbill is placed under the windshield wiper, the violator's name, address, or telephone number appearing on the handbill can receive a summons as the responsible party who is now breaking the law. I know that New York City residents will join with me in applauding this much needed boost in helping to maintain clean streets citywide."
For more information, contact the Citizen Service Center at 311.
"Anger towards me could be assuaged by the fact that I am the only one who is fighting against this."
Maybe you're the only one fighting against it because there are good reasons to have residential parking permits. Does he really think people wouldn't be willing to pay $200/year (way way less than market-rate parking costs, it should be noted) if it would make it easier for them to actually find street parking?
What? You know what making parking cost $200 dollars would do? It would keep people from NJ from parking in your residential neighborhood, or at least-- if they did-- make them pay for the privilege. Meanwhile, $200 bucks a year is cake. If you can't afford it, DON'T OWN A CAR.
Thank you.
Residential parking permits are used in Chicago and they work. If you don't live in the neighborhood, you can't park in the local streets.
well, you can. we have guest passes - but those aren't free. in most neighborhoods that have these parking restrictions (not all do) the permit is only needed during certain hours, usually at night.
"Nardiello said he learned from Yassky's mistake by checking weather reports before placing the flyers on car windows."
Wait, what? What a f*&^$# idiot this guy is! Did this asshole miss the fact that it DID rain? Did this this freakin' moron realize he broke NYC law with each flier placed on a car windshield?
Gee, why do people hate politicians. Thanks, Nards- I'll leave my vote on your windshield.
"Did this this freakin' moron realize he broke NYC law with each flier placed on a car windshield?"
Only if he did it last night, since it wasn't illegal before yesterday.
Huh? According to the press release shlongstick posted above, it's been illegal since 2003.
Wait, the issue of parking permits is on the ballot tomorrow? Great! Now I know to be sure to vote in favor of it.
As has been mentioned before, if you own a car (as I do) you should have to pay SOMETHING for the space you take up. And there's the added bonus of making it a little easier to find a spot, right? I live near a shopping area and from about 9-7 most people looking for spots are looking to avoid meters and garages.
Back to the topic at hand - does this technique ever work? Flyers on my windshield just annoy me. Like menus under my door. Trash.
Residential parking permits make it significantly easier for residents to park in their own neighborhoods. So I'd say this was a loss to two fronts for Nardiello.
Residential parking permits are a good idea, would help reduce car congestion and raise a little money too.
You know what else residential parking permits do? They prevent you from committing insurance fraud by registering your car outside the city.
Heh, every so often, I see a car with Ontario (Canada) plates parked on my street. I wonder if that car's registration expired a long time ago.
i'd say at least half of the cars parked on my street every day have out-of-state plates. i'm all for parking permits.
FAIL