Brooklyn Rabbi Wants City To Allow Legal Double Parking

NEW YORK — Some Brooklyn residents claim they’re facing a double-standard when it comes to double parking.

Rabbi David Niederman, the head of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg said he doesn’t quite understand the reasoning.

At issue are tickets issued for double parking on street cleaning days.

Niederman said that “overpopulated” neighborhoods like Greenpoint and Williamsburg have a shortage of parking spots and are forced to double park to make way for sweepers.

However, Niederman said drivers in the aforementioned neighborhoods are always getting ticketed for the violation, while drivers in neighborhoods like the Upper West Side and Bushwick often get a pass.

Niederman wants to know why.

“Our health is as important as the people in other communities, where that’s allowed. And we’re asking that we should get the equal treatment that allows to keep our streets clean and allow us to double park when the sweepers go through,” Niederman told 1010 WINS.

Because the ticket for double parking in New York City is $115 and the fine for being illegally parked in a space during a street cleaning day is $45 in Brooklyn, Niederman said some people just leave their cars where they are and deal with the smaller fine.

“I’d rather stay on the side that I can’t park,” Niederman said. “It’s just common sense.”

Niederman said in the neighborhoods where authorities allow for double parking while sweeping is done, the results of have been “Cleaner streets and better health for the residents.”

“If you do allow the double parking, what will happen is the city will be cleaner, the community will be cleaner and the city will be saving money,” he said.

The Department of Sanitation said legalizing double parking on street cleaning days may not be the best idea, but that it will look into coming up with a new policy that works.