A Gorgeous Tuesday

So here I am, a stranger in a strange land, wearing jeans, a short-sleeve tee shirt and no coat. New Yorkers are still bundling up in their parkas and scarves, so I look pretty strange taking my 'paseo' dressed for spring. Cut to the afternoon...now I know why New Yorkers are dressed up. The weather changed pretty rapidly and it is quite cool outside. I'd still rather be cold than wear a coat.

This takes me to Thursday. Move the car by 11:30 day. The system in New York is that you have certain times when the street sweepers and/or garbage trucks come down your street. These times are scheduled and you must move your car to accommodate them. There is a whole science to this and it takes a while to get it down. Parking in NYC is not for sissies or idiots. Now I'm going to take back that last pronouncement. I personally feel that many (too many) of the people who drive, and therefore park here ARE idiots. This is easily observable on the street where you see cars parked with absolutely no regard for the amount of space left between one's own car and the car in front or behind. Also, cars frequently are left five feet away from the crosswalk line; not enough space to park another car but way more space than is necessary. Thus, a line of cars might number four where six could have been parked. In the city, this is criminal negligence. (In my opinion.) Want to see me turn bright red? Talk to me about the parking public. I have had to search for up to an hour for a parking space. That day it was because NBC was filming Law & Order and they marked off six or seven blocks for their trucks and trailers. One time they blocked off the entire length of Central Park North for a movie. During those times the murder rate probably increases due to people being angry-they're just hiding the data.

Parking strategies:

First of all, you must know that there is a schedule. Parking evacuation goes according to this schedule. Monday/ Thursday or Tuesday/Friday. Nothing has to be moved on weekends (unless there's a parade or a filming) or on Wednesdays. Also, no moving cars on holidays or snow days. (consult you NYC DOT website for more information.) The times vary from place to place and have a span of one and a half hours when cars cannot be parked.

If you're in an 11:30-1:00 Monday/Thursday spot, move your car at 9:30 to an 8:30-10:00 Monday/Thursday spot and if the street sweeper has gone by, sit in your car with a book or crossword puzzle until 10.

If you are on the 8:30-10:00 Monday/Thursday side, you can move your car over to the other side of the street and double park until 10:00 and then move your car back at 10:00. However, if you are parked on the other side and someone double parks beside your car, don't expect to get out and drive until 10:00. You must know on which streets this is the custom, so as to keep from being hemmed in for a couple of hours.

If you had to move your car at 10, just go to Fairway (the grocery store with a parking lot AND bathrooms!!!) and shop for an hour, then return, park if the sweeper has gone by, and sit there until parking is legal again. Don't forget your Sudoku book.

If you get a good parking spot, either take the bus or change your plans so as to not move your car unless absolutely necessary. This also saves on gas.

Always note where you left your car. It takes a lot of walking if you have to go searching. So far, my range of parking spots has about a half mile radius, or 25 different blocks.

Okay, I'm a bit calmer now and you probably have stopped reading, so I won't go into any more parking strategies, laws or irritations. Anyway, I have to walk down to the elevator and go to the laundry room to get the clothes out of the dryer. Next post: people who do three months worth of laundry at once and take up the whole laundry room for the whole day!