NYC Parking Woes
One of the busiest metropolises in the world, New York City is home to more than eight million inhabitants, excluding the vast floating population of tourists and visitors. Not surprisingly then, space is a precious commodity in the Big Apple, with residents and visitors vying to occupy each square inch of the bustling metro.
Parking is thus a major concern for New Yorkers, with millions of private vehicles, business carriers, utility vehicles and public transportations vying with each other for valuable parking space. This is particularly true for the borough of Manhattan, a financial and cultural capital of the world and one of the busiest and most populous areas in the United States.
NYC parking is made even more complicated by the complex New York parking codes. For example, there are a number of specialized road signs with symbols denoting ‘No parking’, ‘No Stopping’ and ‘No Standing’ areas. While ‘No Stopping’ means that you cannot stop the vehicle at all at a particular spot, ‘No Parking means’ that you can stop but not leave the vehicle standing unattended. Finally, ‘No standing’ means that you are allowed to stop for very short periods but not for an extended time. Furthermore, the signs are accompanied by arrows indicating which area of the street the rules apply to. In many cases, parking is limited to one side of the street while the other side is cleaned,
As a result, Free parking sites are rare and highly contested for, especially since the many signs placed around the city are to be strictly are must be obeyed. Parking tickets are expensive in New York. Manhattan parking fines for meter violations can easily cross sixty dollars while parking in prohibited zones will earn you a $100 fine with meter violations in Manhattan generally running $65. What’s more, parking in a ‘Tow Away Zone’ or in front of a fire hydrant will lead to your vehicle being towed away to a pound from which it will be auctioned off if not collected within 10 days.
However, New Yorkers have found ways to get around the problem. Manhattan parking spaces for example are augmented by thousands of paid car parks. Many city residents also avoid NYC parking woes altogether by patronizing public transport.
Finally, buying a pre-paid parking card guarantees you parking rights in all municipal parking garages as well as certain single-space and muni-metered parking areas.
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