Let's share a little about cars

To the editor:

Street parking in Riverdale has always been a problem. Spaces are limited, and often a distance from one’s home. Alternate side, although reduced, adds to the problem. And garages are expensive.

With the possible change in bus routes, more cars may be added to this mix. Parking limited even more.

Did you know, do the police know, do the local officials know that New York City actually limits the number of days a vehicle can park on a city street, whether it has alternate side signs or not? Take a look at the traffic rules for the city’s transportation department, more specifically Title 34, Chapter 4: “Street storage of vehicles prohibited. When parking is not otherwise restricted, no person shall park any vehicle in any area in excess of seven consecutive days …”

Yet, if you walk through our neighborhoods, you can see cars parked for the season. Someone with old, vintage cars, for example, uses the streets as his private lots — his yellow taxi, his old sedans, his car mover, a trailer, and many more.

On West 246th Street for more than a month now, there is a red Honda collecting debris, a sunshade on the front, parked probably for winter. I reported it, but nothing has been done.

Last season, someone covered his car for the winter near the 600 block of West 246th Street. Probably he was in Florida. Nothing was done. Often handicappers leave their cars for weeks at a time.

Whether it is true or not, I was told people have access to sites all over the city where they can park for long periods of time, for free. This affects us all.

We live here and work here. You might say they are “our” streets.

What can we do about this? One resource might be 311 — if they follow up. Reporting to the neighborhood precinct might help if enough of us do it and they familiarize themselves with this law. Our local representatives should be told and encouraged to act, if they know the law.

Last year, I attended the 50th Precinct community meeting. For all my efforts, one deserted car got removed. The rest were ignored.

Let’s get involved and make our complaints known.

Judith Veder

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