Parking in Manhattan

They don't make it easy to deal with a car in Manhattan, or anywhere in New York City for that matter.

First there's the alternate side of the street parking rules, and the absolute dearth of on-street parking in nearly all parts of the city (the only part of Manhattan where I never seem to have a problem parking is way the heck up on Riverside Drive, above Columbia University--not exactly helpful since I live and work at the extreme other end of the borough).

Although now with NYC potentially passing a "congestion tax" sometime in the next few years, perhaps this problem will get better.

Then there's the exorbitant cost of parking in a garage. The cost for an indoor parking space can be $300 a month (for a cheap and inconveniently located place), or as much as $400 to $500 a month (for someplace less inconveniently located).

Note that there are also ways even a simple (and tiny) vacant lot can "create space" for extra cars:

Photo taken on Gold Street between Maiden Lane and Platt Street.