The exception would be police who park wherever they want and taxis that hop from spot to spot.
It's such a "New York" thing, that it's a bit of a ritual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gfCNTRIJsw
Again, this should not exist.
Huh, actual space between cars? I was told New Yorkers' cars all have scratched and banged bumpers from parking bumper-to-bumper.
Most blocks in NYC have street sweeping twice a week. Some people move their cars to another block the night before. Some sit in their car, move it when the sweeper comes, then put it right back. Both groups are getting permanent parking that costs some amount of time but no money.