"I think it's excellent, especially in Manhattan," driver Peter Cordero said.
"I think it will make a difference," resident Luis Cornier said. "It will give people an opportunity to come out and still pay the meters."
So far, it's nothing but rave reviews for a new city parking rule that gives drivers five extra minutes to move their cars for expired muni meters or alternate side parking.
The grace period law, passed last year by the City Council, went into affect Sunday.
Council members thought it a fair break in these tough economic times, though Mayor Michael Bloomberg predicted chaos as motorists argued with ticket agents over whose watch was right.
There were no angry confrontations Monday, but drivers seemed eager for any reprieve.
"If they give us that five minutes of grace, I'll be very grateful," Fola Aturn said.
There were, however, some skeptics. Delivery man Danny Cruz doesn't believe most traffic agents will even acknowledge the five-minute window before writing a summons. He showed the paperwork for $4,000 worth of tickets he's been issued in the last few months.
"Not five minutes," he said, when asked if he thought it would make a difference for him. "At least 10 or 15 minutes."
That's not likely. Still, most city drivers agree every extra minute counts.
The law does not apply to regular coin-operated meters.