A City Councilman has a proposal that might turn the swollen feet, achy back and raging indigestion of a difficult pregnancy into a pretty sweet perk: free parking.
“New York is a tough place to get around,” said Councilman David Greenfield (D-Brooklyn). “If you have a difficult pregnancy, it’s even tougher. This should make it a little bit easier.”
The councilman plans to introduce legislation next week that would grant special parking placards to pregnant women whose doctors say they have physical or mobility challenges.
The women could then park for free in no-parking or no-standing zones until 30 days after their expected due dates – a cushion of time for those whose deliveries come later than expected – or who need to recover from childbirth complications.
“If I’m on a train and a pregnant woman walks in, I stand up and offer her my seat,” Greenfield said. “I consider this legislation to be the same thing – standing up on the City Council for women who have difficult pregnancies.”
He decided to introduce the bill after watching his wife struggle through two tough pregnancies. It’s similar to laws on the books in at least two states – Georgia and Oklahoma – according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
But critics warn that the bill could further entangle the city’s mess of parking laws – or even contribute to discrimination against expectant mothers. “Parking privileges for women experiencing difficult pregnancies is a thoughtful idea,” said Sonia Ossorio of the National Organization for Women in New York City. “But I don’t want to see a short-term privilege like easy parking … create an environment that further stigmatizes pregnancy.”
Workplace discrimination against pregnant women is on the rise already, Ossorio said, and if women say they need special parking spots, it could feed the perception that they’re weak. “A lot of bosses just don’t think you’ll be as dedicated, that you’re as nimble or fast, mentally or physically,” Ossorio said. “You see women’s career paths completely take a wrong turn as a result of getting pregnant and becoming mothers.”
Paul Steely White of the transit advocacy group Transportation Alternatives said the city already has too many special parking permits – and too many people abusing the system with fake placards and scams. “This would create another group entitled to park on curbs where there is no room already,” White said. “Until we have effective enforcement, additional carveouts are only going to create more problems.”
The bill would not grant pregnant women the right to park in handicapped spaces in parking lots or give them the right that people with permanent disabilities have to park all day without feeding the meter. “Pregnancy is not a disability,” Greenfield said. “It’s a temporary condition … This is the city providing a common courtesy.”
(Source: NY Daily News)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
10 Responses
I don’t think this will be fair, Chasidim will then have free parking all year long.
This bill would cause havoc on the streets of Boro Park. The parking situation is currently out of control there. If this bill ever passes, say goodbye to ever parking in Boro Park again, 90% of Boro Parks women are constantly pregnant. The parking spots will be taken up by them indefinately!!!!
“The children of Israel were fruitful, teemed, increased, and became strong-very very much so and the land became filled with them”
Exodus 1:7
How about a temporary handicap card for pregnant woman issued for a year
What about temporary placards for those with the flu? They also face temporary physical and mobility challenges? Why stop there. Let’s add those with bad arthritis, strep, a bad case of hay fever and maybe even those who are very overweight to the list as well. All face temporary physical and mobility challenges.
Dave, your a bright guy, with one very dumb idea.
I’m surprised that the previous comments are all negative about pregnant chasidim, the non-chasidish frum families also have a constant flow of pregnant woman with many children. This would benefit our mothers/wives/daughters equally. The law however should not be about “free” parking ie not paying the meters since its not about the money rather it should be about permitting parking for them in otherwise unavailable parking spots such as alternate side or no parking during certain times & use of handicap designated spots no different than handicap plates.
Wow! I didn’t know that Litvishe control their birth rates, in other words: ‘Chasidim’ are the only people left that leave their birth rate in the hands of Hashem.
וכאשר יענו אותם כן ירב וכן יפרוץ
What are you all so worried about? Chassidish women don’t even drive!
If this bill is passed, it would spell doom for the community. In his district, cars are predominantly driven by men and not women. This would mean that upon the husband imploring his wife to sign up for one of these placards, they would be granted the card while it would not even benefit the person for whom it is intended. This would then lead to chaos on the streets of Borough Park and increase the instances of Chillul Hashem that we have so often seen on the news. This idea is another awful, not thought out idea, on the part of the councilman. I honestly feel that these ideas are sometimes a joke.