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

A Round and a Roundy: The Gods Have Spoken: ‘Pay for Parking’

Cartoon: Bill Roundy

City & State NY is hosting a full day New York in Transit summit on Jan. 30 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. This summit will bring together experts to assess the current state of New York’s transportation systems, break down recent legislative actions, and look towards the future of all things coming and going in New York. Join Keynote Speaker Polly Trottenberg, commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation, along with agency leaders, elected officials, and advocates. Use the code STREETSBLOG for a 25-percent discount when you RSVP here!

Editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy
Editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy
Editorial cartoon of Bill Roundy by editorial cartoonist Bill Roundy.

Free parking is a psychosis. Urban residents who don't really even need cars end up buying them anyway, emboldened by the subsidized free space the city gives them at the curb. And then, when the city changes — Fresh Direct trucks! Same-day deliveries! Bike lanes! Garbage bags filling the sidewalks! — those car owners refuse to give up the public space they've commandeered for free so that our streets remain safe and livable.

Cartoonist Bill Roundy has had enough of the hypocrisy. In today's toon, he shows that even the Parking Gods are smart enough to realize that unfettered free parking is not sustainable. Yet car drivers are willing to sacrifice anything to hold onto their entitlement.

It's a hot take you'll see only in Streetsblog.

Bill Roundy's weekly cartoons are archived here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Gateway’ Drug: Trump Is Holding the Second Avenue Subway Hostage

The president block funds for the Second Avenue Subway during the government shutdown in October — and the MTA has still not received the money, sources said.

January 28, 2026

TRAIN IN VAIN: Amtrak Pulls Plug On Metro-North Expansion

All aboard? Not so fast. Amtrak is putting the brakes on an expansion of the Metro-North that would have extended service to Albany.

January 28, 2026

Bushwick Panel Opposes NYPD Cycling Crackdown — But Board Chair Slams Newbies

A community board chair is calling into question the very role of community boards by saying his board doesn't speak for the community. Yes, he said the thinking part out loud.

January 28, 2026

Survey: Most Americans Are Open To Ditching Their Cars

Automakers have spent a century and countless trillions of dollars making car-dependent living the American norm. But U.S. resident still aren't sold, a new survey suggests.

January 28, 2026

Wednesday’s Headlines: Plowed In Edition

It was still a mess out there. Plus other news.

January 28, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines: The Storm Before the Calm Edition

What a mess (was Gersh actually right?!). Plus other news.

January 27, 2026
See all posts