I agree with the OP – I certainly don’t miss alternate side parking now that I’m out of NY! Yes the street cleaners go down, but I never saw much of a difference. After 9/11 ASP was suspended for MONTHS while sanitation was busy with cleanup at Ground Zero, and I did not notice any significant difference in the cleanliness of the streets. IMHO the whole thing is just a scam to give tickets.
And saying “just move your car” is not so practical in many situations. I worked in an area with very limited parking, that was not near public transportation, so I had to drive to work. On ASP days I would have to park in an an alternate side spot, and then move my car exactly at the time that ASP began to a meter spot a few blocks away (the meter parking was a no parking zone until the time that ASP began, so I couldn’t just park there to begin with) Then I had to remember to get my car before the meter expired and return to the ASP spot which by that time was legal again. That would have been bad enough, but the meter maids started circling 5 minutes BEFORE ASP began, and would give you a ticket the SECOND the clock turned — or even a minute or two before. I even had one time that I approached my car on time, and said good morning to the meter maid standing there waiting to hopefully give me a ticket. As I was entering my care and putting on my seatbelt to move it, she scanned my registration and issued me a ticket!!! (Yes I fought it and won, but why should I have to do that?) At least the recent “grace period” rule prevents that from happening.
As far as people keeping their cars parked for weeks at a time, I’m not quite sure I understand what’s wrong with that. Presumably someone who is parking for weeks in a spot is a resident of the area, and his car would be somewhere in that area if he’s not using it — if not that exact spot that 2 spots down — what’s the difference? All ASP ensures is that he moves it to the other side of the block once a week – why does anyone care? If you’re talking about an abandoned car, ASP doesn’t help that — the car will just continue to receive tickets, but would not be moved. (Unless it eventually is towed for unpaid tickets. . .)