Brooklyn Heights Residents Sound Off About Lack Of Parking Spaces in Brooklyn Eagle Video

By on April 23, 2014 10:42 pm in Parking

The Brooklyn Eagle’s Dipti Kumar looks into the parking crunch in Brooklyn Heights in a new YouTube video.

Many neighborhood residents are interviewed including Nando Pelusi, Ann Peloquin and Fred Kneip. The latter observes that parking is difficult, claiming that folks try to get around the rules in that you can see “a very attractive 35 year old lady can get out of a car in spiked heels and she’s got a handicapped sticker.”

Brooklyn Heights Association president Alexandra Bowie appears as well. But while many favor permit parking in Brownston Brooklyn, she says the BHA doesn’t think it will solve the parking problem. Why? MATH — there are 6 or more cars registered in Brooklyn Heights for every parking space available she says.


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  • chris

    you know the answer to this question. new york city props up the entire state, economically speaking, and new york city is prosperous because of our mass transit infrastructure.

  • Eddyde

    As I said above, Car owners do pay for the streets through taxes on gasoline etc.
    You say “citizenry at large” yet 45% of NYC households own a car. So I don’t see a big disparity there. Furthermore, are you aware that MTA tolls on bridges and tunnels subsidize mass transit and that without them and further state and federal subsidies, your subway and bus fairs would be about $8.00? Seems like the “citizenry at large” is helping you out too.
    How is parking a car on the street “absurd” when it is a ubiquitous and accepted practice throughout most of the world? Following your logic, parking a bike on the street should also be charged for.

    “No one who lives in brownstone Brooklyn needs a car” That is the crown jewel of hubristic, ignorant statements. Who are you to jude the needs of others? Are you aware many people need a car for work and many people have frequent reasons to travel to areas where mass transit is not an option? Just because your lifestyle does not need or cannot afford owning a car does not mean others should conform to your ideology.

  • Eddyde

    New York City Is prosperous for a multitude of reasons, not solely because of mass transit. The point is, everyone benefits form everyone else in some way, it’s called, society.

  • Eddyde

    Why should bike owners be handed a 5′ x 2′ piece piece of property for free?

  • petercow

    Guess what.. everybody pays for street maintenance – just like we all pay for sidewalks. If you think what you pay in gas tax covers the cost of parking, see if what you “pay” for street parking will be accepted at your local Kinney lot.

    And as for public transit – what part of the word “public” don’t you understand? Everybody can use the subway. Is your car public? Let me know where you left the keys. I’d like to go to the beach.

  • Eddyde

    Yes exactly, everybody pays for street maintenance (Car owners pay a little more) and everybody uses the street. I don’t see any problem.
    BTW, we all do not pay for sidewalks. Sidewalk maintenance and replacement is the responsibility of the property owner abutting the sidewalk. The city only paves the streets and sidwalks on city property.

    What is the cost of parking? How much does it cost the city to allow a car to be parked on the street, besides next to nothing? To compare that to a commercial, for profit, parking garage is ludicrous. You also are seemingly unaware that the city makes hundreds of millions a year in parking tickets and parking meters. The city government isn’t complaining about parking, why are you?

  • petercow

    Really? Let’s do an experiment – ban private cars from Manhattan and see how much the economy suffers. Then let’s ban subways.

    You are either a troll, or an idiot.

  • petercow

    Free on-street parking is not a right, and has not always been around. Ditto with the East River bridges being toll-free.

    As to why complain – the more cars that are in the city, the shittier life in the city is, not to mention the environmental cost.

    As for it’s “value” – look at what private industry charges for the same privilege – hundreds of dollars a month. You have it backwards – it costs the city millions in lost revenue.

  • Eddyde

    “Free on-street parking is not a right” Um well, apparently it is.
    When was on street parking not around and when was there a toll on the East River Bridges?

    “the more cars that are in the city, the shittier life in the city is” That is your opinion, not a universal truth. Some people think the increase in bike traffic makes the city “shittier” You cannot build a perfect world for yourself when you have to live with others.

    The “privilege” is not he same, as commercial parking gives protection of your car and usually an attendant to park it for you.

    They also have to cover the overhead of running a business. the City space used for parking costs nothing extra to maintain because cars are parked on it and for the most part, does not have any better use.

  • petercow

    I believe it was the 1930s or 1940s for free on-street parking, but will have to check. The Brooklyn Bridge never had a toll. I believe Queensboro bridge was tolled originally.

    If you think there is no value to parking on the street, then presumably, if the city were to start charging, then no would pay, right? And yet, people pay, as you say, millions a year in parking meters.

    Increase in bike traffic – that’s priceless. But hey, I urge you at any upcoming meeting, to advocate for more free parking, less mass transit, and less bikes.

  • petercow

    This the amount of road space taken by 72 people on bikes, on a bus, in cars.

  • Eddyde

    I wasn’t saying the mass transit system isn’t important. Only that it certainly isn’t the only reason NYC is prosperous and that it is financially inefficient. Without massive subsidies the fares would triple. I am not saying it shouldn’t be subsidized I’m only pointing it out because car tolls are a large contributor to those subsidies. ban cars and you will need to increase transit fares or get the money from other services.
    The city actually has survived thorough two transit strikes and cars were instrumental in getting people around during them.

    P.S. My IQ is 150 so you might be the “idiot”

  • Eddyde

    So you are saying before the 30’s or 40’s parking was not free? I would like to see verification on that.
    Tolls are impractical on the East River Bridges as there are no places to put toll plazas. that’s one of the main reasons it has not been implemented.
    I never said people wouldn’t pay for parking only that it doesn’t COST the city anything to allow cars to park on the street. Personally, I would pay a reasonable fee for a resident parking permit.

    BTW, I am a cyclist and riding is my first choice for transportation, second is the subway and last is the car which I NEED for various reasons, that the other modes of transport cannot fulfill. I do a lot for biking as a volunteer at several major bike events and have no issue with adding bike lanes and Citibike (I am an annual member) stations even if removes parking spaces. However, I am sick of being vilified by crackpot extremists for owning a car.

  • Henry North

    I have nothing against owning a car – I have one, and pay to park it. But the notion that car owners have some sort of “right” to street parking is absurd.

  • Eddyde

    Well apparently car owners do have a right to park on the street, as it is legal to do so.

  • petercow

    Eddyde doesn’t understand the difference between a “right” and a “privilege”. One of many things he doesn’t understand.

  • Joe A

    But how much road space does MonroeOrange take up?

  • Joe A

    There are many NYC neighborhoods where parking is far worse than Brooklyn Heights and none of them have Resident Parking Permits why should BH? Oh I forgot, we’re “special”. Pay the $350 a month for a parking garage if you insist on having a vehicle. Seems like a small price to pay for the convenience.

  • Joe A

    Wow you are incredibly dense aren’t you.

    What I don’t understand about your argument is that you say because you own a car you “pay” for our streets and therefore have some sort of right to park on the street. Well why can’t you park on the street ? Because there is another car parked in that spot right? A car that is owned by someone who equally “pays” for our streets right? So what you are really asking for is a special privilege to park denying others that privledge to park because you happen to be a resident of Brooklyn Heights. And you have the chutzpa to call others hubristic?

  • petercow

    I think Residential Parking Permits are a good idea. They work well in the Beacon Hill and North End sections of Boston, and I think they’re in Georgetown in D.C., too.

    They’d help reduce pollution caused by people endlessly circling, looking for parking spaces. If you’re going to allow free, on-street parking, then permits are the way to go.

  • Joe A

    How do you figure bike riders are getting a piece of property for free? They put their bikes where they are legally allowed to do so and which isn’t occupied by another vehicle. Just like a car owner. It just happens that a car takes up a lot more real estate and due to that fact there are less opportunities to park. Get a bike.

  • Joe A

    Where else in NYC do residents get parking permits to get priority to park in their neighborhoods?

  • Eddyde

    I wasn’t complaining about parking or lobbing for RPPs. I was defending my or anyone else’s right to own a car if they choose.

  • Eddyde

    You seem to be the “dense” one.

    Again, I am not complaining about any lack of “free” on street parking. If you read the thread, I am defending my right to own a car. However, I do have a “right” to park where and when it is legal to do so. but I never said I or anyone is or should be guaranteed a free parking space. I park on the street, it usually isn’t too bad as I know the best times and places to look for a spot. Though I would be willing to pay a reasonable fee for a RPP if they become available.

  • Eddyde

    Apparently you don’t understand the definition of the word.

    “Right” noun:
    a moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way.

    I copied that right out of the dictionary.

    So I do indeed have a right to park on the street for free, as it is legal to do so, at certain times and places. I do not have that right where and when it is illegal.

    I do hope that cleared things up for you.

  • Eddyde

    “They put their bikes where they are legally allowed to do so and which isn’t occupied by another vehicle. Just like a car owner” Um, That was my point.. If car owners should be forced to pay for all on street parking, then bikes should also be charged accordingly.

    I have two bikes an ride about 2k miles a year.

  • Eddyde

    Not in NYC but other cities have them, Hoboken NJ has RPPs. Some parking spaces are designated for resident parking only and some are designated to allow non resident parking. It seems to work there as I have to hunt around for one of those non res spots but there always seems to be at least one res only spot on every block.

  • MonroeOrange

    that proves it, you are obsessed with me!
    You are so desperately thinking of me, that even when i hardly posted on this thread you still want to talk about me.

    Seriously Mr. Crusty, get a life…i just feel bad for you now..poor little man….

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