Are Street Cleaning Days a Scam?

The photo above shows a large amount of Autumn leaves collected on East 19 Street between Avenue X and Avenue Y. In the late afternoon of Thursday, November 5, 2009 many of the car owners have already moved their vehicles in preparation of the alternate side of the street cleaning rule that prohibits parking from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The following picture was taken Friday, November 6, 2009 at about 10:30 a.m., before cars even had a chance to rush into some of the spots. It’s quite apparent that no street cleaning truck came by during the designated hours, because the leaves from the day before are still there.

It is quite a common occurrence to see the streets remain unswept. Meanwhile, residents who need a parking spot are forced to go scrambling or risk a swift ticket slapped on their cars at 8:31 a.m.

Over at The Alternate Side Parking Reader, blogger MJN is busy tracking his/her parking adventures around an even more remote part of New York City — the Rockaways. With the city’s many annoying and nightmarish parking regulations, we could probably turn Sheepshead Bites into a similar site documenting residents’ complaints about how car owners are being penalized for simply owning a vehicle. Fortunately or unfortunately, we have many other things to complain and brag about.

Let’s hear from you, readers: Should the NYC Department of Transportation turn over a new leaf and abolish Alternate Side of the Street Parking rules or would you prefer for them to continue cleaning up (your wallets, that is)?