When you rent a car in New York, you could discover some unusual signs that you have never seen before. Trying to figure out what they mean while keeping your focus on the road can be distracting. Figuring out common signs before you rent a car in New York can save you a lot of stress once you get on the road. We want our customers to be at ease behind the wheel (and while renting a car). Here are eight common street signs you’ll see while driving around New York.
Do Not Park Here When You Rent a Car in New York
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If you see a sign that has a red arrow and those words across a white background, it means “No parking anytime.” However, you can make quick stops to pick up passengers or load/unload cargo.
This is not to be confused with the “No Parking” sign. This is a white sign with red text and symbols. On it you’ll see the words “No Parking” and the dates and times that it is closed for parking. A double-ended arrow indicates the areas that are closed for parking.
Watch Out For Street Cleaning
Cleaning up after millions of people takes a lot of coordination. The simplest way to communicate when the street is being cleaned is with a sign. The “Street Cleaning” sign has a circle with a “P” and a broom with text telling when the spot is unavailable for parking. The sign will tell you when the area is to be closed on certain days (and the hours of the day) for cleaning. It is a white sign with red text and symbols.
The No Standing Signs
This sign means business. It is a red sign with white markings and contains the words “No Stopping Anytime.” This sign has a double sided arrow that will indicate where you may not park when you rent a car in New York. However, it takes into account a broader definition of the term “park.” Not only can you not park here, you also cannot wait, load or unload cargo, or drop off or pick up other people for any amount of time.
Something you’ll notice when you rent a car in New York is that the trucks and commercial vehicles get all the love. There are two separate signs that are both red with white text and markings. One will say “No Standing Except Commercial” and the other will say “No Standing Except Trucks”. If you are not a commercial vehicle or a truck, you cannot park here. The signs also have a single-headed arrow showing the spot that is unavailable.
Make Way for Buses and Taxis
When you rent a car in New York, you’ll find that the buses come quite frequently. As such, bus stops often come equipped with a “No Standing” sign next to the bus stop sign. Bus stop signs are blue with white markings and the “No Standing” sign will be red. The sign will show a white bus and handicap signals and an arrow pointing in the direction of the stop. This shows the bus where the stop is, the destination, and the address of the stop. The “No Standing” rules apply at all bus stops, but you may stop to drop off or pick up passengers.
With the “No Standing Anytime Taxi Stand” sign, you may not park in these spots at all when you rent a car in New York. The sign is red and has white markings, and taxis are the only vehicles allowed to occupy the area.
Don’t Forget the Time Limits
If you see a white sign with green markings, that sign indicates that the parking space is a “Time-Limitation Parking Spot.” The text on the sign will indicate how long you can park in the spot when you rent a car in New York, the hours of the day you can park there, and on what days. There will be a double-ended arrow on the sign that will indicate which spot you can park in.