Jackson Heights Life

Will-

Your suggestion makes complete sense. However, that is probably why it will never happen. Logic and reason do not a city government make.

The city makes much more revenue by NOT having delivery zones. This way they don't lose the income that the delivery zone takes up (2-4 parking meters) AND they get to ticket all the people who are double parked in order to make deliveries.

Bureaucracy at its finest. Unfortunately. For all the logical-minded of us.

I would encourage anyone who is disappointed with this Daily News article to write a letter to the editor.

The author's email is rschapiro@nydailynews.com

Letters to the Editor can be sent to: voicers@edit.nydailynews.com

I would like to share the "Letter to the Editor" that I sent today:

Dear Rich Schaprio,
 
Your Daily News article today entitled "Jackson Heights Angry as city's Parking Ticket Capital" is utterly irresponsible. I am asking for an immediate correction of the heavily biased and inaccurate tone of the article. Please forward this email to your editor.

I am a Jackson Heights resident. I started a group (Western Jackson Heights Alliance) with fellow neighbors last year to combat traffic congestion in our neighborhod. One of the fundamental problems contributing to traffic in our area is illegal parking. We have thousands of cars and trucks who double park, block the box, park in bus lanes, delivery zones, and crosswalks.

Our group, like many others, has asked the local police precinct to increase enforcement of parking violations to help reduce traffic congestion. These tickets are a measure of the level of parking abuse and dysfunction, not some attempt by the local precinct to create busy work. It is a direct response to a request from the community.

I am disappointed that this article is titled "Jackson Heights angry as city's parking ticket capital" while not quoting a single Jackson Heights resident. A more accurate headline would be "Jackson Heights Angry about Traffic Congestion, Relieved about Increased Enforcement". 
 
The tone of the article suggests that residents of Jackson Heights are "angry" about these parking violation tickets. However, the reality is that many Jackson Heights residents are encouraged by the increased enforcement of parking violations in our area. Jackson Heights has the lowest car ownership ratio in Queens. The vast majority of Jackson Heights residents do not use or own a car. Unfortunately, our area still suffers from severe traffic congestion because of overwhelming demand, poor street engineering and lack of parking management.
 
In an attempt to address this issue with city officials, our group worked with transportation and traffic experts to identify remedies to the problem of traffic congestion. The three 'E"s have been identified as essential to fixing it: Enforcement, Education, and Engineering. We are happy that the NYPD has increased enforcement for the second straight year in our area. We have recently received $800,000 in city and federal funding to study traffic engineering in Jackson Heights. The study is underway and results should be forthcoming. A key part of reducing traffic congestion is educating the public about parking violations and how they contribute to traffic congestion. Your article sadly undermines the tremendous effort to educate the public about how their behavior impacts the community.
 
Please reconsider the title and tone of this article. I expect a full and fast response about how this article was constructed and how it can be repaired. Thank you in advance for the consideration.
 
Will Sweeney

WIll - good job. You are right on and as a JH resident and business person I totally agree.  :rockon:

NYCMacUser - try to relax and put on a positive face. After, we in JH want a happy, peaceful, safe and polite neighborhood. By the way, do you live in JH? Your bio says you are from Astoria.

Will Sweeney is a respected member of the Jackson Heights community.  I feel that the work he does through the organization he started, the Western Jackson Heights Alliance, is essential for our community.  The WJHA is an organization that is always working toward improving quality of life issues here.  I feel very confident that Will’s work is geared toward looking out for our best interests, and I’m happy that someone is speaking up for us….especially since I have aging parents that find it more and more difficult to walk the commercial strip safely.  I fully support all the work he does on the community’s behalf.  I also know many Jackson Heights residents who share this sentiment.

There is definitely some tension in this thread but I will add my two cents anyway.

I have gotten my share of parking tickets over the years and most were justified.  I was either negligent or over slept in most cases.  I think enforcement is necessary.  I do see police riding on 37Th avenue ordering double parkers to move.  If the double parker is in the vehicle and they move they are not ticketed.  I don't think you should pick and choose and give tickets to corporate trucks but not to local business owners.  I also see the parking enforcement agents giving tickets 1 minute after 8:00 AM if the sign says no parking from 8:00 - 9:30.  I am also OK with that. If someone says they should have a ten minute grace period the next person will want a 20 minute grace period.

I do think the ticket prices are high.  I recently got  a ticket by parking on Northern Boulevard and 85Th street for parking at a meter on the eastbound side from 4-7 which is a no standing time and it was $115.00.  I paid the ticket because I was negligent and didn't read the sign.   I thought it was a good space and fed the meter because every spot was taken on that side of the block.  Loading from trucks during off hours may be an option but it may be noisy for homeowners close to businesses.

Some problems don't have easy solutions - just my two cents.

Thank you, Will.

My two cents:  NYCMac = tension. 

Mac, stop trying "to stir the pot".  You just love to fight, don't you.  For those who don't know that about you, you'll make that fact loud and clear yourself.  This is a different board than you're used to -- you'll be arguing with yourself.  Why do you feel a conversation has to have conflict?  And I'm not saying everyone has to agree with everyone else but you're always "reacting" and looking for a reaction from others.  It's a bit drama-rama.  And I'm not going to fight with you here.  Probably no one is.

DAMN! It's such a good way to have fun.

Okeedokeepokee, you win. Since I can never get a ticket, I really shouldn't give a crap.