Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Parking

The Greenfield/Vacca/Quinn Parking Panderfest Can’t Fix This

The viral video of the day, courtesy of Dan Amira at New York Mag, is this bout over a free parking space on the Upper East Side. It's got all the hallmarks of NYC street dysfunction -- traffic backups, aggressive use of motor vehicles, honking, road rage, left jabs.

In related news, David Greenfield, James Vacca, and Christine Quinn had a press conference yesterday to announce that the City Council has addressed the urgent need for "Muni-meter reform," passing legislation to help people stop paying Muni-meters when free parking is in effect or the machine is out of paper to dispense receipts. If the mayor signs the bill, it will join the 5-minute grace period for parking scofflaws and the elimination of alt-side shaming stickers as the signature legislative accomplishments of the City Council transportation committee in the Quinn/Vacca era.

Of course, none of the City Council's efforts to make parking less of a headache have actually addressed the real source of aggravation. There's a fixed amount of curb space in the city, but almost all curbside parking is either free or underpriced, hence the chronic shortage of available parking. And the occasional outbreak of physical violence.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Just Absurd’: Adams Calls Unsafe McGuinness Blvd. Compromise a ‘Win’ Despite Lewis-Martin Bribery Indictment

The mayor sees no reason to revisit McGuinness even though the safety redesign was tainted by what the Manhattan DA calls a "classic bribery" scheme.

August 22, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Ingrid’s Side Gig Edition

The mayor's former top adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, thought she'd gotten a big acting break. But it was the beginning of the end. Plus other news.

August 22, 2025

‘Classic Bribery’: How a Powerful Brooklyn Family Crashed and Burned Over a Simple Bike Lane

Imagine destroying everything you've spent decades building to stop the city from building a bike lane. Welcome to Gina and Tony Argento's world.

August 22, 2025

Katie Wilson’s Success in Seattle Shows Again that Urbanism Is A Winning Campaign Issue

The advocate's strong early performance in Seattle's mayoral primary — following Zohran Mamdani's similar triumph — shows what you can do when you focus on transit.

August 22, 2025

Friday Video: How to Gear Up For Your Fall Bike Commute

The only must-haves for a cycling commute are a bike and a place you feel safe riding — but a few accessories don't hurt, either.

August 22, 2025

READ IT: The Argentos Bribed Lewis-Martin to Halt McGuinness Bike Lane, DA Says

Two members of a powerful Brooklyn theatrical production family bribed Mayor Adams's chief adviser to block the safety redesign of McGuinness Boulevard, court papers show.

August 21, 2025
See all posts