Brooklyn motorists already know that figuring out the meaning behind the city’s parking signs is often a head scratcher, but one lawmaker is now demanding the signs stop the double talk.
State Sen. Simcha Felder (D-Boro Park, Midwood) today called on the city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) to correct deceptive parking signs throughout the city.
“Parking signs should not contradict each other. Common sense dictates that people should be able to rely on the accuracy of all DOT parking signs and posted parking rules should be clear and simple. It is upsetting that hardworking New Yorkers are unwitting victims of this ticket trap,” said Felder.
The issue was brought to Felder’s attention when an area resident parked beside a street cleaning sign located on 63rd Street between 15th and 16th Avenues. The sign reads, ‘No Parking Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.’ with an arrow below points in both directions.
Felder said to any reasonable person that sign indicates that at every other time parking is permissible within both directions of the sign. Yet, the constituent was shocked when he returned to his car to find a $60 ticket on his windshield.
Upon further review, Felder saw that 90 feet away and out of view, stands a contradicting sign that reads, ‘No Parking Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. with an arrow pointing in the direction of the first sign. Because by city code, the No Parking sign (Mon – Thurs 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.) overrules and invalidates the first Street Cleaning sign, his not-guilty plea was denied and on appeal, he lost again.
“It is outrageous, but unfortunately not surprising, that despite DOT posting a misleading Street Cleaning sign with inaccurate arrows pointing drivers in the direction of illegal parking, drivers still have no defensible position or recourse,” said Felder.
“Parking is difficult enough and people don’t deserve to be ticketed for obeying rules posted by the city. It is unfair to expect people to canvass the area in all types of weather and under all sorts of conditions searching for a sign that may contradict the sign right in front of their eyes. I have asked DOT to correct these signs immediately,” he added.
