Demanding Answers: Co-Op City Residents Complain Illegal Parking Space Looks Legitimate
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Frustration is mounting for some drivers in Co-Op City, the Bronx, who say they keep getting ticketed in what looks like a legal parking spot.
CBS2's Brian Conybeare was demanding answers Tuesday night on whether it's a spot or not.
The corner of Asch Loop and Adler Place is the source of the confusion. Nearby cars can legally back in and park at an angle, but a bus stop installed in 2014 changed things.
"They came in and they erased all the marked parking spots," said Jimmy McPartland Jr. of Co-Op City.
All the parking spots were eliminated but one, it seems. There is a break at one point in the zebra strips with angled lines and a sign pointing away from the spot saying, "no standing."
McPartland parked his black sedan in that spot three weeks ago. He got a ticket.
"When you have a spot that clearly looks like it's a legal spot -- it's marked as a legal spot -- and you come out and you find a ticket on your car, it's kind of frustrating," he said.
McPartland fought the $115 ticket, submitting multiple photos. But he lost with the judge ruling, "Respondent's claim is not supported by persuasive evidence."
"I definitely would say it's kind of a ticket trap," McPartland said.
Closer to the bus stop there is another "no standing" sand with an arrow pointing toward the spot. But it is about 100 feet away, across a driveway.
CBS2's Conybeare asked other drivers what they thought.
"It looks like a spot, yes, to me," said Millie Dent.
"The sign is confusing," said Gloria Almond.
"It's very confusing, but it seems as if it's legal parking," said Samuel Edwards. "But I wouldn't park there."
No one from the New York City Department of Transportation would go on camera to answer CBS2's questions. But they told Conybeare that despite the pavement markings, the spot technically is not legal.
And once CBS2 started demanding answers, they are now promising to repaint the stripes this week to make it clear it is a no parking zone.
When asked how he felt about it, McPartland said, "Kind of angry as a taxpayer."
"You understand there's rules and there's regulations and, you know that if you break them, there's going to be some kind of penalty, but… they don't really seem to care," McPartland said.
At least that seemed to be the case until McPartland reached out to CBS2 to help.