The Alternate Side of the Street Parking Game

One of the quainter New York City customs which I have delighted in participating over the years is the Alternate Side of the Street Parking Game. In this real life, real time game, you search for a legal parking spot for the day or a series of days. None of this Second Life virtual stuff this is the real deal.

There are 34 days when alternate side of the street parking rules are suspended. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/scrintro.shtml#calendar2008

Included in these 34 days are such holidays as Idul-Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and means the Feast of the Breaking of the Fast and Diwali which celebrates the day that Lord Krishna returns from Pragyotishpur (Nepal) completing a journey where he killed the demon king Narakasur, freed 16,000 daughters of the gods in the king’s harem and reclaimed the Mother Goddess, Aditi’s earrings. To prove he was victorious in killing the demon, Lord Krishna returned home with the king’s blood smeared on his forehead.

In South India they reenact the victory of Lord Krishna by breaking melons on the door step of their homes. Melons represent the head of the demon King. After smashing the melon, people will smear their foreheads with a mixture of kumkum powder and oil, which represents the blood Lord Krishna which was smeared on his head. I like the sound of this holiday.

The penalties for sleeping in are considerable: ticket plus towing charge of close to $200.00.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/parking/park_tickets_violations.shtml#links

However, if you have the misfortune to be towed, the impoundment charge of $10.00 to $15.00 a day is probably the best parking deal in Manhattan. I found that out several years ago. I forgot about moving my car on a particular day. As I was taking the express bus down to Wall Street I couldn’t help but notice that the block where my car was parked was completely empty. Now I knew it hadn’t been stolen because the thieves would have had to have stolen an entire block of cars, which is not inconceivable but still, a bit of a reach. So when I got to my office I called the police and found my car had been towed to a lot “on the Westside”. I was informed that the daily storage charge was $5.00 a day, one hell of a deal. I left it there for two weeks. They were not amenable to a monthly deal, but I did inquire.

On the Upper East Side, where I am playing, the rules are NO Parking Tues and Friday 9:00AM to 10:30 AM and NO Parking Monday and Thursday 9:00AM to 10:30 AM. These rules are for the opposite side of the street. South side is Tues/Friday and North Side is Mon./ Thursday. The times vary by location to allow the street cleaning person to come through with the street cleaning vehicle. There are other players in this game, the NYPD, who can ticket, the Traffic police, who can ticket and the Garbage police who can also ticket.

Rules and customs can change one must be alert. Some of the police can be having a tough day. Keep that in mind. Where I am playing currently it is really quite simple. You go out and sit in your car at 9:00 AM. It is advisable to bring a book or newspaper, coffee, and perhaps even your computer. Sit in your car do not move. You do not have to turn your car on until you see the cleaning vehicle. It will come barreling along at breakneck speed and you quickly move your vehicle to let it pass. If you don’t there could be devastating results as a Bronx man found out as he walked his Boston terrier, Ginger. http://wcbstv.com/local/dog.street.sweeper.2.747910.html



If you are on a major two way street you can make a graceful arc, a U turn, a circle turn actually, so you end up in the exact spot you left just moments ago. This of course violates many traffic rules and could place you in deep yogurt, if New York’s Finest see this move. The other option is to skulk in your car at the beginning of a block, waiting for the street cleaner to come through. You then whip around the corner right behind the street cleaner and establish yourself in a spot. It is not as graceful or fulfilling as the circle method.

If you are in a one way street you double park and move quickly into a spot after the street sweeper comes through.

After you have established yourself you must sit in the car until the appointed time limit is up. Leaving even a minute early can earn you a parking ticket. In my case that is 10:30 AM. Remember the street cleaner may come through again which means you have to move again. The police may be in a bad mood and chase you. Wednesdays are a free Parking Day. I like to think of it as a reward for making it halfway through the week.