People are told to stay home … except to move their cars!

BOROUGHWIDE — With people being asked to bunker down and stay home in order to avoid exposure to the coronavirus, some residents are fuming that alternate side parking has not yet been suspended.

In light of Mayor de Blasio having signed an executive order limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to food take-out and delivery, closing schools, movie theaters, catering halls and gyms, local pols and community leaders are being inundated with pleas from residents requesting the suspension of alternate side parking.

Call for temporary suspension of alternate-side parking

City Councilmember Justin Brannan, a Democrat who represents Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Bath Beach, has been calling for the suspension of alternate-side parking.

“And you wonder why people joke about how the world could end but alternate side parking rules would still be in effect,” said Brannan. “Is worrying about alternate side parking during a time like this silly? Absolutely. And that’s my point!”

Brannan continued that there were much more important things for us to worry about during the coronavirus outbreak and offered a few suggestions.

“We can work with DSNY to clean the streets on a modified schedule if need be but it is ridiculous to have New Yorkers worrying about moving their car twice a week while we are all dealing with this virus outbreak. Since last week, I’ve been calling on the Mayor to suspend NYC alternate side parking rules and I won’t stop until it’s done,” he added.

Worried about senior citizens

Bay Ridge resident Tommy Mayrose is worried about senior citizens, including his parents, who are more vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus.

“The elderly are the most at risk and my parents and many other elderly at risk residents are leaving their homes to move their cars,” said Mayrose. “I get that it’s a revenue stream for the city but it needs to be about more than that now,” he added.

Assemblymember Nicole Malliotakis, the lone Republican lawmaker in Brooklyn who represents parts of southern Brooklyn and Staten Island, told this paper that she has written a letter to de Blasio urging him to temporarily suspend alternate side parking at least until the end of March.

“You can’t move your car if you are under mandatory or precautionary quarantine,” said Malliotakis. “Let’s make things easy for people during this state of emergency!”