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Today the City Council is expected to pass two laws that would give motorists more wiggle room when fighting parking tickets. The first bill would create a five-minute grace period for drivers for certain no parking zones, such as alternate side parking regulations and expired Muni-Meters. (The bill does not include regular coin-operated, single-space meters, seen failing here.) A second piece of legislation would require the DOT to post notices of new and changed parking restrictions in affected neighborhoods and online up to one week in advance. (Last October, Orthodox Jews in Williamsburg were outraged when the DOT wrote tickets for over 90 vehicles that were violating new parking regulations—on a Saturday.)
But Mayor Bloomberg has vowed to veto the grace period bill, telling reporters today, "I will veto that. I think it’s a very misguided piece of legislation. A five-minute grace period is only going to lead to chaos and enormous increases in the number of contested tickets, and in argument. Whose watch are you going to use?" And Transportation Alternatives director Paul Steely White says, "I fail to see how the hands of a wristwatch—no two of which seem to read the same time in this town—are a fairer judge than a clearly expired parking meter. This is irresponsible pandering that will lead to more arguments at the curbside, and a profusion of illegal parking."
According to an extensive analysis conducted by the Times last year, almost 300,000 alternate side violations were issued within five minutes of the rule taking effect in 2007. Of those, nearly 28,000 tickets were issued exactly on the hour that the rule went into effect. In a statement, Council Member Simcha Felder, one of the bills' sponsors, said, "Anyone with common sense and decency understands the need for a five-minute grace period to eliminate ‘gotcha’ tickets."
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"Gotcha tickets?" You pay for a certain amount of time, that time elapses, you're eligible for a ticket. How is that a "gotcha?"
It's gotcha when the city quietly cut the time on the meter for the same price. You'd be surprised how many people thought, in good faith, they paid for 30 minutes only to find out it was changed down to 20 and a ticket.
yeah, god forbid that people would actually read that crazy machine that they're putting their money into.
Most people with common sense know when they need to move their cars.
I don't know how hard it is to understand that the law is the law. 9:00 means 9:00. 45 minutes means 45 minutes. If you can't afford a ticket, don't break the law.
The grace period would be ridiculous, and probably wouldn't change anything. Drivers would know they have five minutes past the time on the receipt, so would show up five minutes later. Tickets would still be written within the first five minutes after the grace period, and some exactly on the hour that the grace period ends (to borrow those exciting italics).
Noting would change; it would all just happen five minutes later. "Pandering" says it well.
It's a good thing a lot of meter maids write people up for tickets even though they saw them park, saw them exit their vehicle, and were watching them purchase a ticket from the munimeter.
Fuck a grace period. Bloomie is right on this one.
And fuck anyone that thinks their religion takes precedence over law.
Welcome to reality.
there already is a grace period. the time it takes the guy to walk from the end of the block to your car.
soon the meters will be automatically give you a ticket via easy pass, smartcard or some other new payment system.
the writing of the ticket is the grace period.
These tough parking laws were instituted for a reason, to discourage driving in Manhattan. They're not tough enough.
Why did the council even waste time with this bill when Bloomberg told them he would veto it and they don't have 2/3 majority. Quinn is a clown.
Because Simcha Felder needs to pander to the block voters in his district
ah, yes. thanks
I just heard Bloomberg say on the radio that this would cause chaos. ...CHAOS!! If that's really true, then I'd have to say it's a great idea; a 5 minute grace period is a small price to pay for the total breakdown of all the laws of man and physics.
But he's probably just being more hyperbolic than even us rabid anti-car internet commenters.
The SHEEP strike again. (Most of you probably thought Bloombag's "congestion pricing" wasn't a total SCAM b/c ignorance makes the world go round.)
FACT:
City Hall for 16 years has said the NUMBER ONE CRIME in nyc is expired meters! (8 - 10 MILLION tix a year!!!!)
No one can dispute it has nothing to do with "deterrents" b/c THEIR numbers say the tix NEVER worked.
THIS IS ABOUT ONE THING ONLY: RAISING REVENUE b/c City Hall has to find the cash to pay for Bloombag and his pals stealing over $10 BILLION per year. (Did you REALLY think we needed to pay $4 billion just to the Yankees?) (You know NOTHING about the details of that fraud, like the PILOTS scam.)
WHERE ELSE is Bloombag going to find the money for the 50 -200% PAY RAISES he gave to all his cronies who were making over $100,000 to begin with?
HOW ELSE DO YOU EXPECT Tax Hike Mike to pay for the 50% INCREASE in annual spending on your credit card???
(In 2001 the budget was an insane $40 billion. Today it's $60 billion, SUCKERS! And most of that cash was STOLEN from YOU fools who believe everything Bloombag and the media tell you!)
YOU EARNED 4 more years of this super-criminal.
WATCH as he bleeds you more!
HA HA HA!
Hey, perhaps Tax Hike Mike had his troops ticket thousands of people after that ICE STORM a few years back b/c he's honest and noble!
(FOr the first time in my long life, my bike was frozen into 4 inches of solid ice!)
You will never ever learn, will you?