Crack Down On Out-Of-State Cars
Parking is a problem in Woodhaven.
We at the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association (WRBA) have heard neighbors complain frequently in recent years about how difficult it has become to find parking in the area. And we’ve experienced the problem ourselves.
As I described in this column two weeks ago, the problem is so bad that some homeowners have decided to break the law by turning their front yards into parking spaces.
Another unfortunate trend in recent years is that Woodhaven’s scarce parking spots are being filled by vehicles with out-of-state license plates. I don’t mean cars from outside New York that are visiting temporarily. I mean vehicles that seem to belong to Woodhaven residents and have become permanent fixtures here in our neighborhood, though they bear license plates from Florida, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.
For example, one household across the street from where I live has long owned-and parked on the street-three cars with Connecticut plates.
Few who are doing this will admit to it, but this is a ploy to get auto insurance at lower rates by registering them in cheaper states. In other words, it’s a dishonest move and it should be illegal.
What’s more, New York City has failed to collect millions from parking tickets issued to vehicles from other states. Woodhaven drivers who do the right thing by registering their cars in New York will get towed if they don’t pay their tickets, but those who act dishonestly by registering out of state are more likely to be able to dodge their fines. It’s the definition of a bad incentive.
Back in 2010, the WRBA tried to do something about out-of-state vehicles. We took note of non-New York cars that were parked in our neighborhood for extended periods, then contacted the appropriate agencies from the vehicles’ official states to inform them of the vehicles’ whereabouts and to ask them to look into whether the vehicles were appropriately registered.
We were hoping that those agencies would like to know about potential insurance fraud, possible illegal misrepresentation by car owners, and the chance that there were scofflaws who should be held to account.
We were wrong. Our reports were ignored. These agencies had no interest in ensuring the owners of cars registered in their states were doing the right thing.
Worse yet, New York City doesn’t seem to have any interest in cracking down on them either. City agencies have told us there’s nothing they can do and there’s nothing in the works to change that fact-which really means they don’t want to do anything about this issue.
To those who’ve never had to drive around their block a dozen times to find a parking spot, this problem might not hit home. No doubt about it, though: this is yet another example of the authorities failing the people in Woodhaven.
In one fell swoop, city and state agencies could alleviate our parking problems, crack down on scofflaws, put a dent in sham insurance policies, and make things fairer for the Woodhaven residents who play by the rules.
But those agencies would prefer to sit on their hands and allow these problems to fester. In the meantime, honest Woodhaven residents will be worse off.
Because the agencies won’t act, someone else must. If that means our City Council Members, State Assembly Members, or State Senators must pass legislation to force the agencies’ hand, so be it.
We at the WRBA did our best to address this problem. Now someone who was elected to wield legislative influence should take action.
Editor’s note: Blenkinsopp is member of Community Board 9 and director of communications for the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association. For additional information on the WRBA, visit www.woodhavennyc.org.
