New Westminster is old by Lower Mainland standards, and it shows in the streets. Much of Queens Park, Sapperton and the West End was laid out long before two-car households, so driveways are short, lanes are narrow, and street parking is tight. Getting a non-running car out of a century-old lane takes a bit more thought than pulling one off a suburban driveway.
The Royal City is also steep. The drop from Sixth Street down to the Quay is significant, and a vehicle with failed brakes parked on one of those grades is not something to move casually.