Understanding Confusing Parking Signs

Parking in NYC is never easy. There are limited spots, and when you find an open parking spot, it’s almost impossible to determine if it’s legal to park there. Parking signs are confusing, and if you don’t know what they mean, you may wind up with hefty fines or a towed car. 

Let’s go over the most common signs found on NYC streets and explain what each of them means for you. 

• No Standing Anytime – This sign indicates that you cannot only park in this area, but you cannot idle here as well. Do not plan to park your car here and sit in the driver’s seat while waiting for someone. 
• Street Cleaning – These signs highlight a specific day and time during the week that you cannot park. Spots with these signs are subject to street cleaning rules. 
• Parking Meter – Certain spots in NYC are legal only if you pay a meter while parking there. The parking meter sign will indicate how long you’re allowed to park in the spot and the days and times you need to pay the meter. If you are outside of the designated times, you may park in this spot for as long as you need. 
• Taxi Stand – Spots with these signs are designated for taxi use only. 
• No Parking Anytime – This is probably one of the easier signs to decode. You may not park in this spot at any time of the day. 

Parking Garages in NYC

As you can see, even if you find an open spot, there’s no guarantee that it’s a legal one. Avoid the hassle of parking on NYC streets altogether by utilizing a parking garage in NYC.

Street parking has never been easy in NYC. We are sorry to say that the pandemic due to Covid-19 has made things worse. If you’ve recently driven to NYC, you did not imagine things. Street parking in NYC is getting worse, and there are a few factors for this occurrence. 

There are fewer commuters on public transportation. 

Due to Covid-19, many people avoid crowded places. Mass transit has always been a bustling mecca in the City, with hundreds of thousands of riders every day. The pandemic put a stop to this. When individuals need to travel throughout the City, they are more likely to use their cars for safety reasons. 

Outdoor dining has created fewer available parking spots. 

When the City shut down indoor dining, many restaurants took their seating outside. This switch is great for diners but not so great for drivers. It’s estimated that outdoor dining took up 10,000 parking spots. 

More people own cars. 

Many New Yorkers turned to driving their own cars when mass transit seemed like an unsafe option for traveling. While some city dwellers owned a car already, many did not. In Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens, the number of cars registered between August and October increased by 37 percent compared with the previous year. 

Parking Garage NYC

With more cars on the road and fewer available spots, parking in NYC has become a nightmare. Avoid the hassles of driving around and attempting to look for legal spots to park your car. Use the services of a parking garage in NYC to ensure your car is safely and legally parked when you’re in the City. 

After making a successful trip to NYC in a car or van, a person feels like they truly accomplished something. Once you have driven and parked in NYC, you can practically do it anywhere in the world. Between the heavy amounts of pedestrians, bikes, and car traffic, there is a lot a person must always be aware of. Learning some tips and tricks for parking and driving goes a long way in easing the tension and difficulty of bringing a car to Manhattan.

Circling the block does not always work. It is rare to come to NYC and find a spot right away. If you do, make sure to cherish that moment because they are few and far between. When you circle the block, you waste gas and run the risk of damaging your car. In many cases, you’ll give up a spot because you were moving and missed it. You can sit by a hydrant for up to 15 minutes. In that time, you might get lucky and find a spot that opens. Regardless of how you find a spot, it is typically stressful. Use the best parking garage NYC has to offer to avoid this hassle.

Do not just park at the first NYC parking garage you see. The rates of a parking garage NYC are often based on the area in which they are located. If you are willing to walk a few blocks or even take the subway one or two stops, you can drastically reduce the parking garage cost in NYC.

Parking a car in NYC is not always easy. Between the traffic, parking laws, and limited amount of street parking, it is only a matter of time before someone goes crazy. Certain times of the year are even more difficult, such as the winter holiday season. From Thanksgiving until a few days after New Years’, New York City streets are hectic and overrun. The Department of Transportation of NYC has even created special parking rules for this time of year. The more you know about holiday parking regulations, the less stress you experience. Using the best parking garage NYC has eliminates the stress and hassle of parking your car.

On major legal holidays, alternate side parking rules are not in effect, and meters are not enforced. It is important to note that all stopping, standing, and no parking signs are still effective. A vehicle gets a ticket or towed if it illegally stops in these spots, so if you see these signs make sure you keep moving. The best parking garage NYC has to offer allows you to avoid the troubles of reading street signs and finding a spot.

On other legal holidays, most rules and meters are in effect. Only alternate side parking rules do not need to be followed. Make sure to follow all other rules during these times.

When traveling to NYC, you can first call 311 to get a parking report for the day. If you are ever confused with parking rules, you should always play it safe. Illegally parking a car in NYC can be a small fine, but it can also end up costing hundreds of dollars.

It is common for drivers to get tickets during the winter. You must know NYC winter parking rules and regulations, or you may be subject to being ticketed or towed. Below, we want to highlight some important tips for keeping your car safe this winter. If you use the best car storage NYC has to offer, you can avoid all the problems associated with snow and winter travel.

Once the transportation commissioner declares a snow emergency state, you are not allowed to park or stand on any street designated as a snow street. These signs are red, with a white border and text. They read, “SNOW ROUTE, NO STANDING.” To avoid this issue, you should always carefully read signs before parking. Section 4-07 (i) of the DOT parking code states that you cannot park on prohibited shoulders adjacent to roadways and exits and entrances of parkways and expressways. These rules remain in effect until the transportation commissioner ends the emergency.

When it snows in Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs, the city sends out snowplows to clear streets. Cars parked on city streets tend to get trapped by the snow being pushed off the road. A heavy snowstorm can make it almost impossible to get your car out.

To avoid the hassles of tickets and snow, you should use the best parking garage NYC has to offer. Not only is it safer, but they are also warmer. You can take a moment to get your things together when you park without freezing. When the weather is bad and days are short, car storage NYC is a much better option than street parking.

Parking Garage NYC

For more information on locations and prices, you should not hesitate to give us a call.