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Cold-Hearted Bloomberg Enforces Parking Rules
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 16, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 16, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Wednesday's icy snow was a big hassle all around, but drivers were the ones making the most complaints after the city refused to suspend alternate side of the street parking rules. Usually during snowstorms, the alternate side of the street parking is suspended, knowing that some cars may be buried under snow from plows and that it can be hard or drivers to dig their cars out. This time around, however, alternate side of the street parking was in effect and many drivers were ticketed with $65 summons. When asked about the outcry, Mayor Bloomberg said, classically failing to understand the issues of his constituents, "This was not a lot of snow. It was easy to move your car. I don't like to get up early in the morning and have to do anything either. I'd like to sleep in, too. But it was the right thing to do."
Um, Mr. Mayor, please! You're Mayor and a billionaire - and we doubt your car isn't parked outside your Upper East Side townhouse. Also, in the same press conference, the Mayor said that the freezing rain made it hard for the Department of Sanitation to keep the roads clear - how can it be safe for people to drive on unplowed roads while looking for new parking? Even towing vehicles at airports were so frozen they were stuck! The Mayor claimed that keeping alternate side of the street parking was helpful for plowing, but that's sort of circular logic.
The Mayor currently refuses to dismiss the tickets, but a Bloomberg administration source tells the Post it was a big mistake not to suspend parking rules. The Daily News has an editorial: "Give us break, Mr. Mayor. Order the tickets shredded. Start a bonfire with 'em. Show you do not lack the same vital organ as the Tin Man and you recognize the rare occasion when you've made a boneheaded call."
Speaking of driving safely in this weather, a driver was injured when a huge chunk of ice flew off another car and through his own windshield while in Brooklyn (the picture is nutty). The driver only suffered minor injuries; he just wants people to clean off their cars before driving.
Update: The Mayor announced that parking tickets related to alternate side of the street parking issued today and yesterday will be excused!
Photograph of an icy commute in Queens by joshboussel on Flickr
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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