Again, I warn you, something is wrong with me.

That’s because I believe EVERY parking ticket should be contested.

So, here’s a rant that may (or may not) give you some insight into my madness.

FIGHT EVERY TICKET!!!

1- You May Just Win

Even if you just contest your parking tickets by mail, your chances are at least 50/50 you will prevail. According to the Chicago Dept. of Revenue, just above 50% of all tickets contested by mail are adjudicated in favor of the driver. By including evidence like photos, documentation, and having a well formed written argument, your chances are even greater.

If you contest in person, your chances get even higher as approximately 70% of all tickets contested in person are overturned.

2-Gives You More Time To Pay

Requesting a hearing will extend your deadline to pay the ticket. If you DON’T ask for an in-person hearing or contest by mail, you have approximately 21 days to pay your violation before it doubles. That’s the initial 7 days from the original ticket and 14 days after the city issues a Notice of Violation.

Contesting by mail takes time and will buy you at least 30 days and then another 21 days even if you lose, before you have to pay.

When you request an in-person hearing, it takes 14-30 days just to schedule the hearing. Then they usually schedule the hearing about 30-60 days from when you get the hearing notice. If you lose, or don’t go to the hearing, you have at least 28 days to pay the ticket before it doubles.

In the best case scenario, you can buy almost four months of time before you have to pay up.

3-Stick It To The Man

As a Chicago driver, aren’t you sick and tired of getting picked on by the city of Chicago? You, the driver, face a disproportionate amount of extra taxation by the state, county and especially the city. Gas taxes, city vehicle stickers, parking meter, parking tickets, zoned parking, etc.

It’s time for some payback. It’s time to start fighting ALL your tickets.

If more people contested their tickets, city parking ticket revenue would slow down. In addition, more labor and resources would go into adjudicating all the contested tickets, thus making the process more costly and less profitable for the city. If more people beat their tickets, again, there is more lost revenue for the city. Use the system AGAINST the city. It’s a legal way of making your voice heard.

So I say screw ‘em!

4-It Can Be Fun

You have to trust me that there is a tremendous amount of enjoyment and satisfaction out of beating a parking ticket. Yeah, I know, it’s kind of pathetic that something like this gives me such satisfaction and joy. I freely and ashamedly admit that’s how far my life has slid–that I get my “jollies” out of beating parking tickets.

But I see it as  a bit of payback for all the times that I, and countless others, have been screwed for an erroneous ticket, or got booted, or had to shell out a wad of cash to the city. Pathetic, I know,  but really a lot of fun when you succeed.

5-Peer Pressure

Look, everyone’s doing it. All the cool kids are contesting their tickets. Are you afraid?!? Cluck-cluck-cluck!!! Are ya’ chicken?!? Just do it!