GRIDLOCK SAM

Friday, April - Sunday, April 1 1

ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING RULES ARE IN EFFECT FRIDAY AND SATURDAY

Time takes its toll, and so does the MTA. Starting Sunday, fees on major crossings like the Verrazzano Bridge, RFK Bridge, and Queens-Midtown Tunnel will rise from $6 .1 2 to $6 .5 5 for E-ZPass drivers, while the Tolls-by-Mail rate will jump from $9 .5 0 to $1 0 .1 7 . It used to be that drivers who didn’t have their E-ZPass properly mounted on the windshield would get charged the regular E-ZPass rate once their plate was matched to their account, but this creates processing costs for the MTA, so expect to pay a new mid-tier rate of $8 .3 6 if your tag isn’t set up correctly.

Saturday will be replete with protests. A campaign for a publicly-controlled power system will launch with a trio of rallies: at Ocean Ave. and Parkside Ave. in Brooklyn at 1 p.m.; in Queens at Rufus King Park (impacts are possible along Jamaica Ave. (between 1 5 0 th and 1 5 3 rd Sts.), at 1 p.m.; and at ConEd’s offices, 1 7 5 th St. and the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, at 3 p.m.

Avoid Fifth Ave. in Brooklyn near Sunset Park (4 1 st to 4 4 th Sts.) as the Rally for our Fair Share begins at 1 p.m.

At 2 :3 0 p.m., a protest against conflict in Ukraine will take place in front of the Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square.

On Sunday, there will be a rally at the U.K. Consulate in support of Julian Assange, beginning at 1 1 a.m. Expect slowdowns on Second Ave. in the 4 0 ’s.

Saturday and Sunday at Citi Field, the Marlins meet the Mets at 1 p.m.. Watch for congestion on the Grand Central Parkway, Whitestone Expressway, and Northern Blvd.

MAILBAG Dear Gridlock Sam,

How come during ASP days in Southern Brooklyn, drivers can leave their cars unattended, double-parked, on the legal side of the street without concerns about being ticketed? This practice obstructs the flow of traffic and blocks cars at the curb.

Dear Donald,

Donald

In some neighborhoods, for decades, the police have allowed double-parking on ASP days and now drivers think it’s their constitutional right. Many precincts look the other way except if it’s a two-way street, has a bus line or a school on the block etc., but there are no hard and fast rules. The double parkers typically leave their phone numbers on the dashboard. Enforcement is rare and usually in response to a complaint from a driver who cannot get out, even after calling the double parkers. Regrettably, I don’t expect a change in this policy soon.