Illegal Car Washes Becoming A Real Nuisance In NYC
Angry New Yorkers are expressing frustration over the activities of illegal car washers who are causing problems by occupying parking spaces, using fire hydrants, and exploiting taxpayer utilities.
These illicit car washers charge customers anywhere from $20 to $35 per wash and take control of sections of roadways like Webster Avenue in The Bronx, advertising their services with red and blue signs that say “car wash” and “auto detail.”
Throughout the day, these unauthorized cleaners spray vehicles covered in dirt with various cleaning chemicals and water from tanks connected to fire hydrants.
Cliff Jones, a 53-year-old resident of Webster Avenue, laments the scarcity of parking spaces in New York City, exacerbated by these car washers, sometimes forcing him to spend up to an hour searching for parking.
Complaints about unlicensed car washers have risen by 22% this year, reaching 419 by June 30 compared to 341 during the same period last year, as reported by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, the entity responsible for licensing car wash operators.
Matt Cruz, the district manager for Bronx Community Board 10, reveals that his office frequently receives complaints about the unauthorized car washers, with many residents worried about these operations blocking hydrants or wasting water by leaving them running unattended for hours.
City Councilman Rafael Salamanca Jr. (D-Bronx) has introduced a new bill to address the issue, aiming to educate the illegal car washers about obtaining licenses with DCWP (Department of Consumer and Worker Protection). The bill would also grant the city’s Sanitation Department the authority to impose fines on these unauthorized mobile cleaners and tow or remove any vehicles or equipment used for washing vehicles.
Salamanca emphasizes that these illegal car washers are utilizing the city’s water without contributing to the city’s funds, and the chemicals they use might be detrimental to the sewer system. He points out that some areas in his district, such as between Brook Avenue and St. Ann’s, have as many as eight of these unauthorized car washers in a single block.
Despite the concerns raised by the community, many of the sweat-covered car washers on Webster Avenue defend their actions, claiming that they are simply trying to earn a living by cleaning nine or ten cars a day.
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