NY1.com

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08/29/2009 01:44 PM

Illegally-Parked Cars Clog Up Queens Streets

By: Ruschell Boone

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Residents in several Queens neighborhoods say many commercial and personal vehicles park illegally in their area and block entire streets, crosswalks and fire hydrants. Borough reporter Ruschell Boone filed the following report.

Some tow truck drivers in Maspeth, Queens were not keen on being caught on camera Friday night, when NY1 found a number of their trucks blocking entire streets and crosswalks.

The drivers claimed NY1 was singling them out, but the station found the number of illegally-parked vehicles in Glendale and Middle Village.

Some of the cars did not have license plates. Others, like one in Maspeth with a police placard displayed in the window, were too close to hydrants. Still others blocked sidewalks, and one was parked directly in front of a crosswalk.

Armed with stacks of pictures showing cars blocking sidewalks, hydrants and driveways, local residents said they are frustrated.

"We had the car in front of the fire hydrant for 53 days," said one local.

"I can't even park in front of my house. They block my driveway. I can't even get my own car in my own driveway because they leave their own cars there for weeks," said another.

"We've had this problem for more than three years," said a third.

Neighborhood leaders said they have tried for years to get the city to do something about the problem, but the response has been slow.

"We call 311 but nothing happens," said a concerned resident.

Some people were quick to move their vehicles once they saw NY1 news cameras, but others were less cooperative. When some drivers started yelling at the camera crew, one resident called police, who towed one car and gave its driver a summons.

Residents say a lot more needs to be done.

"We're going to really make an issue out of this particular area and we are going to see if Mayor Michael Bloomberg comes through and cleans this place up," said Bob Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association.

NY1 will follow up on this story.

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