Today is Columbus Day, so Alternate Side Parking rules are suspended, though parking meter rules remain in effect. That doesn't mean you need to "feed the meters" today. In fact, it's best you don't. Because, to some people, "feeding the meters" is an illegal activity.
New York City Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Joshua Benson says there's nothing explicitly wrong with the phrase "feed the meter."
"It's not illegal to feed the meter," he told WNYC. "It's illegal to stay longer than the maximum time limit. The key point is that the time limit is not the limit of time you can buy at once. It's in fact the maximum amount of time one is allowed to park."
In other words, you can "feed the meters" up until the maximum time limit, but then you have to move your car.
If you use the city's new parking app, ParkNYC, you might've learned this firsthand. Let's say you parked in a one-hour spot and paid for it through the app—it won't let you pay beyond that hour. When the time's up, you have to move the car.
But back to that phrase, "feeding the meters. We wanted to hear from someone who has spent a lot of time thinking and caring about how New Yorkers discuss this. So we called up old friend. Soterios Johnson.
Soterios Johnson, WNYC's former Morning Edition host (and current West Coast resident), used to say "feeding the meters" on air. But he stopped when a listener wrote in to say he was encouraging people to break the law. And Soterios didn't want to mislead anyone.
"I personally feel that feeding the meter is paying the meter," said Soterios. "It's not doing anything illicit. I recognize that it does cause confusion, but in my heart of hearts, I believe feeding the meter just means paying the meter."
So, here's what we want from you. Head to Twitter and tell us: Do you think the phrase "feeding the meter" refers to something totally legal or illegal? Tweet using the hashtag #MyWrongOpinion. You can also tweet @WNYC, or at me, @shubasu.
