Council Member Robert Holden at the Transportation Committee Meeting today (CM Holden | Twitter)
Dec. 10, 2019 By Allie Griffin
The City Council Transportation Committee unanimously approved a bill sponsored by Council Member Robert Holden that calls on the NYPD to tow illegally parked vehicles that create safety hazards.
The bill specifically targets unattended vehicles that are obstructing a sidewalk, crosswalk, fire hydrant, bicycle lane or bus lane. If a vehicle poses a threat to safety or prevents MTA buses from safely passing by, it should be towed, the bill states.
The New York Police Department currently has the authority to tow vehicles at its own discretion, but often just tickets them.
The new bill would put pressure on the NYPD to tow vehicles by requiring it to issue a report in January 2021 that includes the monthly number of vehicles towed in each precinct in 2020. However, the decision to tow a vehicle is still ultimately up to a police officer’s discretion.
Holden said he drafted the bill after moving into his new Middle Village office in March 2018 and discovering a car parked in front of a fire hydrant outside his office for days. He said he notified the local precinct and only with “a lot of pressure,” they towed it after a week of daily tickets.
“Safety has to be the priority,” Holden said at a press conference, noting that the bill isn’t about towing drivers who didn’t put enough money on the muni-meter. “We need to prioritize safety and this bill does that.”
The bill is among a number of bills currently going through the Council meant to crack down on placard abuse.
The transportation committee voted in favor of the bill 9 to 0.
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7 Comments
wHat’s wiTh thE typIng? These days every third car on the road has a commercial plate and everybody is a professional driver (my foot). Most of them do not know how to put on a turn light, drive after dark with no head lights, and double park when there’s empty spot ten feet away! Excuse – “I’m working here, man!” Give me (and others) a break!
That’s right bob get em!!! Tow all the “Ponnsyvania” “Rode eye lynn” and Mitchy egan” plates illegally parked. Sick of seeing out of state plates driven by narrative correct creeps .
it’s time law breakers are punished!!! blocking hydrants is deadly to people’s lives!!!
Just fine every registered NY car indiscriminately $100 a month, why do you need a new law. After all, the reason for all this is to fill city’s coffers, isn’t it?
A common sense measure, approved by the City Council.
Translation – more money sucked out of NY taxpayers pockets! In my neighborhood – Forest Hills/Rego Park – there are always cars parked directly in front of fire hydrants, sometimes for days and sometimes blocking part of the cuttoff at the crosswalk. NYPD cars go by, but no tickets are issued, but yet when they see a UPS or Fedex truck, they get out and ticket them! Tow the cars with the out of state plates – PA, Fl, CA, Canada, NJ, etc.
To be police. Officer Or traffic agent. And you do your job Try to remember god watch over you Giving Ticket. to The poor. taxi driver ( Most black Car. ) who working for a living if He stopped to pick up someone or drop off someone Helping his client Getting in or out his car. And you give him ticket For double parking This is is abuse And the most of them they cannot defend them self so please do your job In professional way with Kindness