For immediate release...
"Parking Expert" Erik Feder gets a NYC parking ticket - on
purpose!
Is it possible that the City has rigged some kind of system that
detects when a motorist has left their car at a meter without
paying? Many readers of PARKAZINE ("Parking Expert" Erik Feder’s
free NYC parking e-newsletter) complain about how fast NYC police and
traffic officers write parking tickets - especially at parking meters. These
drivers lament the fact that they only left their cars for a minute and
BANG! - there was a parking ticket on the windshield.
The experiment: The Parking Expert tries it for himself
After getting dozens of emails complaining about this type of thing, Erik
figured that either A.) People were exaggerating and they were really
gone a lot longer than a minute or B.) Something funny is going on. With
that in mind, he decided to conduct a little experiment. Feder parked at
a meter on 2nd Ave in Manhattan, didn’t put money in the meter,
started his stopwatch and ducked into a pizzeria. With no police or
traffic officers in sight; the "Parking Expert" decided he’d wait up to 10
minutes and leave if he didn’t get a ticket.
The result: Faster than you can say "Except Sunday"
The first minute passed uneventfully. Suddenly, a police car zoomed up
and stopped alongside Erik’s car. The officer sat there for a few
seconds, hopped out, slapped a ticket on the windshield and sped
away. The time on Feder’s stopwatch: 93 seconds!
Coincidence? While some may think so, the "Parking Expert" is skeptical.
As for the parking ticket, of course he was planning to pay it, but even
though the ticket was created with one of those new hand-held
computers, the time of issuance, date of offense, parking meter # and
parking ticket # are all either missing or illegible. You KNOW that Feder
is fighting this one!
Copyright 2006 Rhythmo Productions
As seen/heard on ABC’s Eyewitness News, CBS News, The WB-11
Morning News, GoodDay NY (Fox-5), 1010 WINS, WOR Radio and in
New York Magazine, Erik Feder is "The Parking Expert" and
author of "The Feder Guide to Where to Park Your Car in Manhattan
(and Where Not to Park It!)" series. He has done extensive
research on the Manhattan parking scene, including driving on every
single street in Manhattan and compiling a comprehensive database of
the parking regulations on each and every sign. Feder can provide
information on various parking-related topics that is perfect for use as a
graphic or sidebar. Erik is available for interview, commentary or
quotation.
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