# If you lived in Manhattan...?



## Taylorhoge (Feb 5, 2006)

well actaully alot of people do have there own cars sometimes to go places for the weekend outside the city like the hamptons,Berkshires,or Cape Cod so yes there are a few cars in manhattan.


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## TalB (Jun 8, 2005)

Those who live in the luxury apartments usually have their cars parked in the garages and usually given vallet parking by the doormen or someone who does it on a normall basis.


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## christoph (Jul 4, 2005)

I heard the NY underground was not the best and most reliable. However, driving a car in Manhatten would make me insane.


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## hkskyline (Sep 13, 2002)

Yea, taking the subway isn't the most pleasant experience. When I'm not in a hurry I like taking the bus instead. Still better than driving though.


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## philvia (Jun 22, 2006)

isn't parking in Manhattan like $400/month? that expense alone is enough to turn me off.

i'm planning to move there in 2 years and i thought about the whole car thing because i was going to buy a Smart when they came out next year. but the more i looked into it, the less realistic it became  at least until I'm out of college and have a good job


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## nygirl (Jul 14, 2003)

I have park on my street for free.???? Who the hell is paying $400 a month to park their vehicles? Whoever is can probably fart out $400 an hour to park eitherway and doesn't care.


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## TalB (Jun 8, 2005)

Here is the facts on what to know when finding a parking spot in Manhattan or in the rest of NYC. Do not park somwhere you are not sure about and read the signs very carefully so that won't get ticketed or even towed when parking there. Keep in mind that if the sign reads a single arrow, then it reads the direction from where the sign is to either another sign or the end of the block. If the sign shows a double arrow, then it is pretty much the same except for the fact that it will be from both sides of from where the sign is. I hope this will clear up the parking issues for everyone.

No Parking Anytime: These sings indicate that you cannot park your vehicle here ever. However, the loading and unloading of passangers and cargo is permitted, but waiting isn't. A persons vehicle can be ticketed or towed if the cops catch this. On a sidenote it is very common to see these signs by government buildings, hospitals, and even religous institutions.

No Standing Anytime: These are almost similar to the no parking signs except it is only for loading and unloading of only passangers, so no cargo. Unless a no parking sign is present, it will pretty much mean the same. Normally trucks can stand at these areas if permitted, but it has to be for this block only. These signs are known to be common by government buildings as well as at bus stops and taxi stands, which I will go more into detail later.

No Stopping Anytime: Nobody is allowed to pull over when a sign such as this is present. The wording itself pretty much explains it. These signs are very common by government buildings and areas where the roads are too thin to pull over. Please do not let the police catch you being by these signs.

Fixed Hours: I could have mentioned this in the ones above, but these differ in the fact that they will permit parking and standing at certain times. On the days they are in effect, nobody can park or stand durring the hours it is said, but the can before and after. They can differ by being 8 AM to 6 PM or 7 AM to 7 PM with a number of other combinations. Schools usullay have 7 AM to 4 PM on weekdays, but it might be wise to call 311 before parking there is it's on a day that schools are closed, espcially if alternate side parking regulations are suspended that day, so that you won't get fined for parking there. On major legal holidays, these regulations will be suspened except if it's in effect all seven days (ie "Including Sunday" and "Anytime").

Bus Stops and Lanes: Bus stops are usually never open to parking and will have a sign saying No Standing on them. Bus lanes are known for being along the curb and they are usually reserved for only buses. Unless there are signs permitting parking in them when the buses are not using them, do not park there. Another reason why parking and standing is not permitted at bus stops is that buses can use them at anytime, so do not block them.

Taxi Stands: Although there are not a lot of taxi stands in NYC, especially Manhattan, parking is never allowed here. These areas are designated where taxi drivers can park or even wait to pick up someone other than looking for somone to hail them on the streets. They are pretty much the same as bus stops and lanes, so I won't bother repeating myself on this.

Alternate Side Parking: These signs are the best for parking on weekday mornings. They are set for being done on two days durring the week or others if noted otherwise. The reason for the days and times is that they can be set for street cleaning. Parking is not permitted when the block is being cleaned, and any vehicle parked there, unless with a permit, will be fined. It is a good idea to keep a calender to know when these parking regulations will be suspended on those days, but if it's not a major legal holiday, then other parking regulations as well as meters will remain in effect those days, so look carefully. These signs are very common in residential areas.

Tow Away Zones: Some areas that do not allow for parking can have a tow away zone. This means that your vehicle will not only be fined, but can also be towed to an impound lot. These signs are very common by hospitals and at some government buildings.

Parking Meters: These are known to be places to pay when parking there. They were invented around the beginning of the postwar era in a design contest to allow for spaces to be freed up durring the day. Until 1986, they took all silver coins, but only allow for quarters these days. Another thing is that one had to turn the crank when they were battery powered, but that is no longer used if they are now computerized. Most parking meters are for an hour, though there are some that can be two hours. Unlike the the other signs they are permissive in that when they are in effect, that person must place money it or they will get fined. Also, they can fined if the meter runs out on them before they get back on the cops catches them. If a parking meter happens to have a bag over it, then this means that it's out of service and that person will be fined for parking there, unless it is the entire block that will allow for broken meter parking, but the given time will still be enforced. More recently, the muni meter has been created, after being first used in Europe, to have a meter for an entire block, but please display the reciept on your dashboard for the cop to see it or you will be fined, though a number may only be for commercial vehicles durring the day. Just recently, meter parking has been supsened on Sundays in NYC. On a sidenote, meter parking is suspened on major legal holidays, so nobody has to pay them on those days either.

Fire Hydrants: There are no signs for these, but parking next to a fire hydrant is illegal. All vehicles must be 15 ft from either side of them. Some might have painted curbs in red or yellow, though they are said not be the distance in some places. The reason why parking next to hydrant is illegal is b/c the fire department could use it anytime if there was a fire on the block it is near. Please make sure when seeing a person still in their car or pulling out that they are not next to a hydrant, b/c they are not suppossed to be there either. Standing by a hydrant is just as much as illegal as parking next to or near it.

Driveways: Although Manhattan isn't very autocentric, there are still places with driveways. If you happen to see a an opening in the sidewalk that leads to a lot or a garage, then it is a driveway. The reason why it is illegal to park in front of a drveway is that it can be used anytime, and a notice is not needed (ie "Do Not Block Driveway") to tell this. Even emergency vehichles and others with parking permits cannot park here and they will be fined the same way. The only exception for parking in front of a driveway or on it if you happen to own it.

Crosswalks: Just like driveways, crosswalks cannot be blocked. Standing on a crosswalk is not allowed either. Even if no crosswalk is present, a part of the sidewalk that allows for people to cross the street cannot be obstructed. However, vehichles can park over a stop bar as long as their vehicles are not over the crosswalk.

Parking Permits: These are usually given to civil servants and other government workers. They are allowed to park wherever they choose to (excluding driveways and crosswalks) w/o being ticketed or towed. Actual emergency vehicles do not these and even have their own places that are closed off to the public. Most parking permits in NYC to non-government workers are usually given to residents of housing projects, which they need to display just so that they can enter the lots. Forest Hills Gardens is pretty much the only NYC neighborhood to only allow for street parking by permit only. This is basically a get out of jail free card, but they do not extend to No Permit Zones that exist in some places in which that immunity is lifted where they can be fined as if they were blocking a crosswalk or driveway, which they are never allowed to either.

Private Parking: There are some places in Manhattan that actually has on site parking, though not a lot. Majority is in the outer boroughs. Either ways, parking in those places is strictly for that property. The owner of that lot can have your vehicle towed if you leave the property with it still there, and signs are not need for this. Just think about this as parking on someone else's driveway when they will not let you park there.

Special Notices: On days events where they can take place, there can be streets that are not open for parking. The police will place a notice on the signs telling you that you cannot park there that day. Vehichles that are parked on parade routes or other places where events like this will take place will be subject to tow if they are not moved from there when the notice is in effect. Some places have snow emergency routes in which nobody is supposed to be parked there when there could be snow.


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