New Yorkers may soon be able to pick up a new side hustle, courtesy of unlawful drivers in the city.
Bloomberg reports that a proposed bill in the New York City Council would allow everyday citizens to report instances of illegal parking that they see in their neighborhoods or throughout the city and get paid for it too.
The legislation, introduced by Councilmember Lincoln Restler, would create a new $175 penalty for “hazardous obstruction by a vehicle of a bicycle lane” and also the blocking of bus lanes, crosswalks, sidewalks, and fire hydrants within a quarter-mile of a school building. The bill, which was initially introduced in June alongside another proposed statute that would ban the issuance of frequently misused parking placards from city agencies, has over 20 co-sponsors in the City Council.
If made into law, the Department of Transportation would create a program that allows people to submit complaints and evidence of these violations to the agency. If the complaint leads to a successful citation, the complainant could receive 25 percent of the collected fine.
It’s unclear how likely the bill is to be passed by the Council, but the legislation has already has some detractors. In a statement to Bloomberg, an NYPD spokesman expressed concerns that the bill, if passed, could “lead to violent conflicts between drivers and civilians reporting illegally parked cars.” The sidewalks near NYPD precincts might become a flash point as well.
