MANHATTAN — Alternate side parking was suspended for Ash Wednesday, but that came as little consolation for Manhattanites angered about having to move their cars in Tuesday's snow.
The suspension of the rules came a day after many drivers were ticketed for not moving their cars during a storm where snow fell for almost the entire day and left some streets covered in black ice.
Many took to Twitter and blogs to complain about the parking mess.
"Can't believe NYC had alternate side parking in effect 2day with all this damn snow on the ground. Any reason to give a ticket. #shameonNYC," tweeted a user called ceeshan.
Another Twitter user identified as nedcoyle said he wasn't paying a fine, no matter what the city did.
"I'll move my car only if they let me shovel the snow up Mayor Bloomberg's ass (and they ain't gettin $45 off me)," he wrote.
The Department of Sanitation said they needed to preserve alternate side parking on Tuesday because they had to get into the gutters to clear the build-up of snow and ice.
Wednesday is traditionally not a day that Manhattan drivers have to move their cars from neighborhood streets.
"Never mind that so few places have street cleaning scheduled for Wednesdays," the Alternate Side Parking Reader posted on its blog.
"The important thing is that this small consolation has been offered us by the Department of Sanitation: O.K., you and everyone you know are going to be reduced to ashes, but think of it this way: at least you didn’t have to move the car."
Another Twitter user #Ethoz1970 complained if they were going to move their car, they wanted some additional services from the city. "Really Bloomberg?! Alternate side parking on today? Btw when can you get around to garbage collection!"
"Alternate side parking is in effect this morning, because I'm soooo sure they're going to sweep the streets with piles of ice everywhere ugh," Twitter user #twitee vented.
