I think the real issue is that the meter times were recently shortened and more motorists are getting ticketed because many of the parking signs no longer include the meter time period like they once did. For example on New Dorp Lane the meter periods were shortened from 30 to 20 minutes. But the signs just say "2 Hour Parking 9am to 5pm" with no mention that it's now 25 cents for 20 minutes, so people get caught because they are used to the longer time period.

It's also hurting businesses on the Lane because shoppers are getting tired of paying more to park when you can drive to any shopping center or the S.I. mall and park for free. I park a block or two away where there are no meters and walk to the Lane. But not everyone can do that especially drivers with small kids or older drivers.

I'm calling BS. No "daily NYC bike-commuter" could possibly say that the "[t]raffic Police . . . are very aggressive when it comes to writing tickets."

What about all the cars and taxis double parking in bike lanes?

What about all the livery trucks clogging up bus lanes, which also make for good bike lanes?

I saw about 7 towncars illegally parked in front of Goldman Sachs office yesterday, in the no standing zone, while 2 police officers, who are there as part of general extra security in the FinDist, just stood there.

And open a GRE prep book and/or a history book or something. If you want to call someone out for being "narrow-minded," then say, "man, streetsblog is becoming real narrow-minded." But Facist, really?

Message would be: "We gave you an inch, you took a mile. Now pay up and STFU!"

Word. They're definitely a one-note bunch. But that's also the _point_ of a blog. I come to Streetsblog for my political-bicyclist's view of the day's events.

Anyway, I'm not about to believe exactly what Streetsblog tells me to. I clicked and read, like you did.

But I guess I also RSS up Streetsblog 'cause I sense they agree (and are trying to say) that this here parking kvetching is a symptom like sneers at street diets are a symptom, of a cultural sickness (or sadness at any rate), that we maybe stand a shot at curing via nudges to friends, demonstration to citizens, and proper American politics.

So it ain't always literature you'd want to link to all your friends. They're moderate-output vertical-interest bloggers; some of it will be shrill. It's not like they're /actual fascists/.

Fair enough, but when the filter doesn't engage the real issues, then it becomes worrisome.

Actually, if it were possible to block moving lanes, and if the City Council rather than Bloomberg and the Police would be blamed for what ensued, I think I might like to see that.

This article is a response to the Traffic Police who are very aggressive when it comes to writing tickets.

Meanwhile, the facts are that ticketing is down. You'd prefer that the traffic police weren't aggressive?

<blockquote.This blog is becoming a bit facist (defined as making things conform to a singular world view)

That's a very broad definition of "fascist." Fascism is making everyone conform to a singular worldview. Streetsblog is expressing its own, fairly consistent, worldview, not imposing it on anyone else.

Nowhere near done with Streetsblog,

Blogs inflate articles to be something they are not. In this case, Streetsblog is taking this article and the City Council members who are in it to be supportive of car rights, to the detriment of other forms of transportation.

That is not the case.

This article is a response to the Traffic Police who are very aggressive when it comes to writing tickets. And it really isn't the people itself, its the agency and the drive (no pun intended) for revenue.

This blog is becoming a bit facist (defined as making things conform to a singular world view) and rather shrill. I understand the need for content, but this isn't creating an intelligent dialogue.

Sorta done with Streetsblog.

Signed,
A daily NYC bike-commuter

I assume the time extension will not connect to no parking anytime no standing anytime, and parking on sidewalks, and double parkers, they will get tickets immediately... well i mean, they should.

also with the city in dire need of income, when they hired like 30k more traffic/ticket agents, and with a mayor who is pro bike, pro congestion pricing. there is no way he will bend and give a longer grace period. i thought in the times it was mentioned that the city is now making a lot more perhaps double what it was making 6 years ago, in parking tickets. whatever. i give up. i am no longer reading your opinionated garbage, thinly veiled as news.

But I don't think they'd take it. I believe they want their boroughs declared suburbs.

Let's let them have their wish. Let's rip out the parking meters in the Bronx and Brooklyn. And reposition the police from their streets for more productive use here in Manhattan.

In exchange for granting their wish let's set up ZONE pricing for the subway and bus system - and congestion pricing.

Happy Now?

I'd be willing to make a deal. I'll give them the grace period if they agree to double all parking fines in the city. Five minutes extra is free, but that sixth one is gonna cost you.

Oops I mistook Felder for Fidler; unfortunately they agree on bridge tolls. At least, as far as anyone can tell from the clownish quips NYC pols offered as responses to Ravitch's plan to relieve the MTA of otherwise unavoidable service cuts and systematic deterioration.

And lo, it was merely a year ago that drivers inc. were championing $1000 parking tickets and stricter enforcement ("of existing laws" was the refrain?) as a solution to congestion. The were full of it, but I would not like to see how much worse our streets function with a blanket authorization to stop for five minutes wherever you dang well please, to drop your animal off for grooming. For serious, Lew? Or is this a ruse to distract Streetsbloggers while you try to undermine the real congestion relief that we in Brooklyn have coming our way in the form of bridge tolls?