The City Council overwhelmingly approved a bill on Monday that would provide a five-minute grace period to drivers who are late to feed a meter or move their cars on street-cleaning days, setting the stage for a showdown with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who vowed to veto the legislation.

Despite Mr. Bloomberg's criticism of the measure, which he said was misguided and would lead to chaos, the Council approved it by 47 to 2, a vote well in excess of the two-thirds support needed to override a veto.

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Paul Steely White, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group, also opposed the grace period, saying it would increase illegal parking and make it impossible for traffic agents to do their jobs. "This is irresponsible pandering that will lead to more arguments at the curbside," he said.

[more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/nyregion/17parking.html]