AllNY.com's log of everything you need to know about transit and parking written by New Yorkers for New Yorkers and serious New York tourists.
Why isn’t most NYC parking free? The street is public property, right?
If all street parking were free, then many people wouldn’t move their cars and people wouldn’t be able to find an empty spot. So charging for on-street parking is a way to manage the supply and demand, plus generate revenue for NYC to maintain the city. And since street parking is highly sought after, NYC can charge for it based on its value to drivers.
The MTA is adding more NYC subway stations to have cellphone access. We already have these station stairs and platforms with cellphone access:
Information for NYC parking for disabled persons: getting a vehicle license plate for disabled persons, parking permit for disabled persons, parking for disabled people.
NYC’s MTA has just announced the winners of the best smartphone software applications for riders. The winners were chosen by the MTA.
Embark NYC — lets you plan your NYC subway trip and see subway schedules for a particular route. Includes an interactive map of the subway system. IPhone, Android.
Free NYC Subway Locator — lets use find the nearest NYC subway stop. IPhone.
The public also voted on a winner:
CityMaps– gives you real-time information about local businesses with NYC subway information about how to reach them.
8.5 million people use the NYC subway system every day.
Margot Tohn of Park It spends her day coming up with ways to make driving, parking and walking in NYC easier. Check out her musings at www.parkitnyc.com.
NYC isn’t giving out enough tickets to drivers who idle their vehicles, according to a recent CNN article. There were about 10 million NYC parking tickets issued in fiscal year 2010, and only 2,989 ‘idling’ parking tickets issued in fiscal year 2011.
The NYC law used to be that New York drivers had three minutes to turn off idling engines, but in 2009 the city passed more stringent laws: Drivers now have one minute to turn off their engines if they’re adjacent to a school. On average, agents are issuing one idling parking ticket per year.
Margot Tohn of Park It spends her day coming up with ways to make driving, parking and walking in NYC easier. Check out her musings at www.parkitnyc.com.
New Yorkers can stop complaining about the cost of NYC street parking, at least for a few minutes. The news just came in that Vancouver street parking is actually the most expensive street parking in North America, at $5.75 per hour.
Last year, we told you that you could use a NYC Muni-Meter receipt at more than one NYC street parking spot. So if you purchased 3 hours and only used 2 hours, you could still use that receipt for the third hour if you needed to park somewhere else — that also had a NYC Muni-Meter.
The long debate is over — women are better at parking than men!
Who Finds a Parking Space Quicker?
Women are better at finding a parking space. They’re more patient and drive a little slower while looking, so they’re better equipped to glimpse that empty spot or see when someone is about to leave a parking space. Disclosure: this study focused on public parking garages, not street parking.
If you jump the NYC subway turnstile or scoot through the emergency exit, think again. The NY State Senate just passed a bill to fine you $500 for trying to save on the $2.25 fare. The current fine is $100.
If the NY State Assembly passes the bill, then it’s the law.
Yes, it can be done! With the expert advice and help of New York Parking Ticket, I beat a NYC parking ticket for “No Standing”. Here’s what happened:
On October 16, 2011, I parked on Greenwich Street in lower Manhattan. I, along with a lawyer, read the parking signs for about 5 minutes before we decided that it was fine to park there on a Sunday afternoon. The immediate area had a series of NYC parking signs including:
– No Standing 6AM – 10AM Except Sunday
– No Standing Except Buses, Metered Parking 3 hr Limit 10AM – 3PM Except Sunday
– Bus Layover Zone, No Standing Except Authorized Buses, 3PM – 7Pm Except Sunday
– No Standing Except Trucks Loading & Unloading 6AM – 10AM Except Sunday
– 3PM – 7Pm Except Sunday
– Other Times No Standing Anytime