Skip to content

Merry Christmas Chinatown

A Streetsblog tipster snapped this photo yesterday afternoon. Note the Starsky & Hutch-style siren on the dashboard of the SUV hanging off the back of that tow truck. The photographer reports that NYPD tow trucks have been racking up the hours in December clearing the streets of Chinatown, and as you can see in the photo above, they are finally "towing their own".

A Streetsblog tipster snapped this photo yesterday afternoon. Note the Starsky & Hutch-style siren on the dashboard of the SUV hanging off the back of that tow truck. The photographer reports that NYPD tow trucks have been racking up the hours in December clearing the streets of Chinatown, and as you can see in the photo above, they are finally “towing their own”.

When we last reported on the 5th precinct’s parking situation two weeks ago, placard abusers were filling up the empty parking spots as quickly as the tow trucks could clear them out. Now, the tipster claims that over 90% of placarded vehicles have been removed from Chinatown’s clogged streets. Ho ho ho!

Photo of Aaron Naparstek
Aaron Naparstek is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Naparstek's journalism, advocacy and community organizing work has been instrumental in growing the bicycle network, removing motor vehicles from parks, and developing new public plazas, car-free streets and life-saving traffic-calming measures across all five boroughs. He was also one of the original cast members of the "War on Cars" podcast. You can find more of his work on his website.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog New York City

NYPD Commissioner Tisch Declined To Punish Cops Who Used Force So Other Cops Could Park Illegally

September 16, 2026

A Chat With John Surico About His New QueensWay Gig

September 16, 2026

Opinion: NYC’s Curbside Bus Stops Treat Passengers Like Dirt

September 16, 2026

Wednesday’s Headlines: The Streetsblog Effect

September 16, 2026

UPDATE: Mayor Mamdani Offers Bold ‘Vision Zero Reimagined’ But Details Are Few (And NYPD Reveals Its Priority: Bikes)

September 15, 2026
See all posts