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Queens MTA Workers Use Vests to Get Free Parking
By
Sabrina Jaszi
Published Apr 3, 2010
Modified Apr 4, 2010
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By
Sabrina Jaszi
Published Apr 3, 2010
Modified Apr 4, 2010
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On a lawless Astoria block, meter maids swarm “like SWAT teams” with tickets, but MTA employees don’t worry about fines, in fact they don’t pay for parking at all. By folding their vests and placing them on the dashboards of their vehicles they avoid being ticketed, reports the Daily News. The MTA seemed to know about the practice, but claims not to condone it. "Anyone who does this should be ticketed like anyone else who violates the law," said agency spokeswoman Deirdre Paker.
As less and less official, laminated parking placards are issued, city workers have devised their own way of parking for free—and law enforcement lets them get away with it. Astoria Councilman Pater Vallone sees the situation as a colossal injustice, since law enforcement is “cracking the whip on people trying to legitimately shop or drop someone off at the train station,” while casting a blind eye on the neon orange vests. He’s calling for reform. "It's not fair. I don't understand it," said the Democrat. Some MTA workers park at bus stops too.
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astoria
MTA
parking
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Sabrina Jaszi
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