Monday, February 2, 2015

Should you have to feed meters in snowstorms?

From the Daily News:

It's an eternal truth in our city, Mayor de Blasio has said — come hell or high water, parking meters will remain in effect.

But City Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn) wants to change that — proposing legislation that would take the city’s Muni-Meters out of service whenever alternate-side parking is suspended for snow.

Greenfield said his bill would end a longstanding hassle for motorists.

“You’ve got to climb a mountain of snow to get to a Muni-Meter,” he said. “If we get piles that are 3, 4, 5 feet high, you can’t even get to a meter.”

“I’ve gotten tons of complaints about this,” he said.

While alternate-side-parking rules are routinely suspended to clean up after storms, parking meter rules are almost always left in effect — a pronouncement city officials have grown used to repeating over and over at storm briefings.

Officials say they want curbs clear, especially in commercial areas where meters are more often in effect, to help with snow removal. They also say turnover in parking spots is crucial to local businesses.

De Blasio spokeswoman Marti Adams said the administration would review the Greenfield bill. Sanitation Department spokesman Vito Turso said his agency would also take a look, but would most likely “oppose the bill since the department needs access to the curbs in order to effectively clear snow.”

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

If the city doesn't clear away the snow and chip away the ice from their muni meters, than how do they expect us to feed the meter. How many people have slipped and fallen and then sued the city for its gross negligence?

Anonymous said...

Well at least one Council member sides with his constituents and is willing to fight for what's right. Where are all if the other Council members

Anonymous said...

Why are so many Muni Meters along Queens Blvd and Austin Street always out of order? Least week there were two consecutive meters out on Austin St in Forest Hills. I had to use one across the street. And why does that area have an army of enforcement agents walking around writing up tickets? I counted 6 all working within a several block area. I don't see that many in Midtown Manhattan! I did report the broken meters to 311.

Anonymous said...

As last week blizzard showed, wecan't even get the car out of the metered parking space. And if we do, where to park?

Anonymous said...

"Well at least one Council member sides with his constituents and is willing to fight for what's right. Where are all if the other Council members?"


Probably the "Other" council members are so out of touch with their constituents they're not aware it's a problem?

Anonymous said...

With alternate-side-parking rules suspended, how does the city clean up after storms. Why can't the same process be used at meters.

Anonymous said...

On Main Street Flushing theres a parking lot that has 5 Muni Meter machines...NONE of which take credit cards. Only quarters. WTF?!?!?!!?

Government only likes to STEAL from the people.

So tired of government.

Anonymous said...

If the city is so intent on making the almighty dollar, why not go after the commercial vehicles parked on residential streets overnight, the double parkers, the drivers on cell phones, instead.

PDS8232 said...

I parked at a meter today and 3 minutes after placing my ticket on the windshield, snow had completely covered it making it impossible for anyone to see. Why bother???