Carole Radziwill Defends Parking Habits Amid Ticket Controversy
The 'RHONY' star claims she's a neighborhood parking enforcer despite accumulating thousands in fines.
Former "Real Housewives of New York" star Carole Radziwill has asserted her role as a vigilant parking enforcer in her SoHo neighborhood, even as she faces scrutiny for accumulating approximately $8,000 in traffic violations since 2020. These violations include 17 tickets for failing to adhere to alternate-side street cleaning regulations.
Radziwill, 63, shared her perspective in a recent interview, stating she actively ensures compliance with New York City's alternate-side parking rules. "I'm the one who, if people are sitting in their car and they don't pull out, I will bang on their window and be like, ‘No, no, you’re not just sitting here. You gotta move because we need the streets clean,’ " she said.
Her own parking methods have drawn attention, including the use of an expired FDNY placard and traffic cones. The New York Post reported last week that two orange ConEd cones were found in the trunk of her red Jeep Cherokee, along with the expired placard. This practice was highlighted on an episode of "Real Housewives of New York," where Radziwill discussed using cones to deter parking enforcement officers.
Despite the exposé, Radziwill remains defiant about her parking practices, stating, "I'll never change the way I park." She explained that her choice is not driven by cost but by convenience, as she utilizes her car almost daily. She also argued that the accumulated fines, averaging around $100 per month over six years, are significantly less than the estimated $800 monthly cost for a garage in SoHo, which would amount to nearly $60,000 over the same period.
Radziwill characterized her 17 alternate-side parking tickets as a "legendary" record, suggesting it equates to only three tickets per year over six years. She contrasted her situation with that of other drivers she described as not moving their cars and not caring about tickets, expressing her dislike for such behavior.
"I love the city. I love my car. I love freedom of having that car right outside my door," she added. "And as the New York Post has shown, I’m really f–king good at alt sides, OK? There you are."