NYC Has the Dumbest Snow Policy in the Civilized World
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I suspect one consideration is that we're a heavily pedestrian city and if the plows go right up to the curb then not only is it dangerous but all the snow's going to get thrown up onto the sidewalks. Sidewalks that are heavily used, narrow, and are bad enough when buildings don't clear snow. There's no strip between the sidewalk and the street to act as a collection/buffer zone.
Plus I've noticed that when they finally do plow the parking lanes, they plow the snow into the street to melt, not onto the sidewalk.
This is the only place in the world where street parking restrictions are suspended when snow buries us. Everywhere else it snows, you are expected to move your car so they CAN ACTUALLY CLEAN THE STREET. I'm not sure which genius it was who thought it was a good idea to let people block the plows with their cars so that the snow never gets cleared until it gets warmer or rains continuously. Meanwhile there's nowhere to park BECAUSE THEY DIDN"T CLEAN THE STREETS.
Not to mention that trash hasn't been picked up in a week because the garbage trucks were turned into makeshift plows and felt the need to plow the middle of the same streets 50 times an hour for 3 days straight even when all the snow was already buried onto the side up against the parked cars who aren't being asked to move out of the way anymore
In spite of the haters on the site, this is worth repeating - I always get a good laugh after a storm when the city says "to facilitate snow removal, alternate side parking is suspended" lol. Yeah, let's not move any cars so we can't actually clean the streets
Suspending it gives people time to dig out their cars. It seemed everyone was out yesterday digging their cars out, some for hours due to the snow piled up... Had people been forced to adhere to ASP, I can only envision the cars that would have been stuck or in the way of plows trying to get through the streets.
Suspending it gives people time to dig out their cars. It seemed everyone was out yesterday digging their cars out, some for hours due to the snow piled up... Had people been forced to adhere to ASP, I can only envision the cars that would have been stuck or in the way of plows trying to get through the streets.
That's what a lot of people said after I started the thread last year, and actually I agree with you. ASP should be suspended right after the storm. But look, the storm ended Tuesday morning and ASP is now suspended through Saturday. They have no intention of cleaning the streets, they're just hoping it melts away. The cars need to move so the garbage truck plows can just move the snow up against the sidewalk. If it stays cold parking becomes almost completely impossible under current conditions
That's what a lot of people said after I started the thread last year, and actually I agree with you. ASP should be suspended right after the storm. But look, the storm ended Tuesday morning and ASP is now suspended through Saturday. They have no intention of cleaning the streets, they're just hoping it melts away. The cars need to move so the garbage truck plows can just move the snow up against the sidewalk. If it stays cold parking becomes almost completely impossible under current conditions
In many cities they institute a parking ban on all streets during a snow emergency. You either pay to put your car in a parking garage or a lot or you get towed. Period.
Good luck with them with melting away.Supposed to snow at least a couple of inches tomorrow night into Friday,then into the real deep freeze followed by a potential major snow on Sunday Night/Monday.
cars need to GTFO of their parking spots or they get towed and then the plows come in. NYC would probably evolve to that point if there was as much snow. The only reason the city gets away with not cleaning the street is because these snowstorms are rare
One reason why street cleaning is suspended after snow storms is that the DSNY trucks are doing removal (fitted with plows), and the street cleaning trucks cannot cope with snow and ice, well not in large amounts anyway.
You notice however meter rules are hardly ever suspended for long if at all. They were in affect Tuesday even though ASP was suspended and again today.
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