Monthly Archives: April 2008
Red Light Cameras Invade The Western Suburbs
The Daily Herald is reporting that west suburban Warrenville is just one of many towns out that way, that are embracing red light cameras.
Naperville already has cameras rolling while Aurora, Carol Stream, Lisle, Roselle and Wood Dale all seem on their way to adding their own red light cameras as well.
Here is the story.
Red-light cameras coming to Warrenville intersections
Ask The Parking Ticket Geek – 4/20/08
NOTE: Full disclosure. Below are excerpts of three e-mails from “Kathi.” I have not edited, doctored or corrected any of this writer’s correspondence.
Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
i just moved to chicago two months ago
from that date onwards i got more then 10 parking
tickets ..i didnt payed any one of them
b.coz i really dont have any job …
1st thing is car got registered from another state not
in chicago and 2nd thing is title is still not
transferd on my name it is still seller name only ..now car title is not on my name still now
and it is registered other then chicagomy question is now if i transfered title on my name
all the tickets also get transferd along with the new
title ..or the parking tickets what ever exist on the
old title will stay remain the same
1.license plate from MN
2.i didnt recieved any copy of the title till now
3.i baught it 4 months ago ( i came to chicago two
months ago the car number plate is as same MN
i paid 50% of the amount only ..i have to pay 50% once
i recieved the title ..but it is taking so long to ge
the title meanwhile i got too many tickets
iam just getting confusse even i dont have job to pay
the tickets at this time
i didnt get any letters from chicago
i only got the tickets ( almost 9)
i took the two months ago and i moved to chicago
from chicago i got the 9 tickets since two months
i dont have any title. ( i have proff that he applied
the title to MN …and i have one more proof where he
brought the car from one guy
Kathi
Dear Kathi,
I tried my very best to understand all the intricacies and nuance of your eloquent and flowery correspondence. So, after much effort, I believe I have deciphered and comprehend the gist of your inquiry.
Good news! I don’t think you have to worry about the tickets you received.
Since the license plate is from Minnesota, and not registered in your name, these tickets will not be going to you–they will be going to the former owner of the vehicle and to wherever and whomever is registered to that Minnesota license plate. This is why you haven’t received any notices from the city.
So, as of now, you don’t have to worry about the parking tickets. From what I can tell, parking tickets do not follow the title of the vehicle, but the license plate.
In other words, the tickets will NOT get transferred to you when the title is transferred.
Of course, when the former owner starts getting nasty letters from the city of Chicago regarding a bunch of parking tickets his car received, you may have another problem on your hands. But there’s no easy way for the city or the pissed off former owner to hold you liable for the tickets. And, there’s really not much the city can do to collect on their tickets with someone who lives out of state. They’re not going to send a crew to Minnesota to boot a car in Minneapolis. If the former owner actually does get notice from the city, he can contest the tickets and just explain that he sold the car, he’s not the current owner, and show proof, the city will most likely dismiss the tickets.
However, as far as the title goes, you have to get the title from the former owner. As soon as possible. Mainly because, if you don’t get it soon, the owner may change their mind once they get wind of the crap load of tickets you’ve racked up.
Once you get the title from the former owner, take it down to the Illinois Secretary of State office, and get license plates in your name.
One (someone of dubious moral character) could make an argument to keep the out of state plates on the vehicle until they expire, so future tickets would continue to go to the former owner. However, in the long run in is probably more trouble than it’s worth.
I would also strongly suggest, you stop getting any more parking tickets!!! 10 parking tickets in 4 months?!? You’re making me look like an amateur.
It will be even more important to avoid parking tickets when the vehicle is finally licensed in your name. And if you do get tickets, fight them or pay them so they don’t double and/or you get your new car booted.
Now, if I can follow my own advice, life would be good.
Welcome to Chicago. Good luck with everything.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
If you have a question for The Parking Ticket Geek, please e-mail the Geek at: askthegeek@theexpiredmeter.com
If we publish your question, you get an Expired Meter T-shirt–FREE!
Hybrid Cars Get Preferred Parking?!?
I was over at the Independence Park fieldhouse taking my four-year old to a birthday party a few Saturdays ago.
I pulled into an already crowded parking lot and noticed a parking sign I had never seen before. It read, “This Space Is Reserved for Low Emission & Fuel Efficient Vehicles Only”
What the hell?
I called someone at the fieldhouse to ask them what they knew about it, and a nice young man told me, “I don’t know, all of a sudden, one day last fall, it just appeared.”
“We still don’t know what the policy is on this,” he continued. “We haven’t heard anything from anyone on how to handle this.”
I asked him if they had to tow anyone out of the space. But he said no, because they don’t know how to handle enforcement. He went on to explain they have a very small lot and they are more concerned with policing the handicapped spots.
I checked the Chicago Park District website…zilch.
I also called the main park district office downtown. The young lady tried to keep referring me to 311 or the police. I think she thought I was some sort of retarded hippie. So that went nowhere.
A beehive of question buzz around my pea brain. Who and how would this be enforced? Do the police write tickets or does someone from the park district come out in sweats to write a ticket? How do you define what a “low emission or fuel efficient vehicle” is? Who the heck can tell the difference? What’s the fine if you get a ticket?
I say this is a lot of bullshit eco-fag posturing by the city to look like they are environmentally conscious.
I’m going to take my 1982 V-8 Chevy van (that gets 6 miles to the gallon highway) over there, park it in the space and see what happens.
Expired
A woman who had a great sense of humor.
Here’s the full story.
Checkout the closeup of the meter at the link. It lists her birth and death on the head of the parking meter.
Trooper Talk Saves The Day
I stumbled upon this interesting blog the other day called Trooper Talk.
It’s written by Illinois State Trooper, Master Sgt. Randy Ness.
It’s a very informative advice column specializing on driving issues in the state of Illinois.
One thing I’ve always liked about Illinois State Troopers was how utterly professional they were. Cops can be jerks. Some cops were cool, but others seemed to relish being smart asses or just acting like a bully when they pull you over.
State troopers are a different breed. I have never been treated disrespectfully by a state trooper. Even when I was caught speeding. They were polite, professional and courteous.
Do you know how I handle being treated with politeness, courtesy and respect? I return it.
Look, to all you cops out there. I know your job is difficult and you deal with a lot of idiots (like myself) and scumbags. I understand that and know you put up with a lot of shit. You deserve all the money you earn and then some. Thank you for protecting our city.
I know the majority of you are decent guys. But some of you could learn a thing or two from our fine Illinois State Troopers. Can you at least start your interactions with citizens politely and with respect? Just give it a shot.
And, if someone gives you lip, then have at it. If someone acts out, then be my guest, and slap them around. Just try to start out on the right foot please. I think you might be surprised how well people will respond.
Here is a recent ticket related topic from Trooper Talk.
Out Of State No Front Plate Chicago Parking Ticket
Greetings,
I recently received a $50 parking ticket from the City of Chicago for not having a front plate. I take issue with this only because I live in Michigan where they only require one plate (since the 1970s). I was only visiting Chicago and parked on a street in the Lakeview area. My car is registered in Michigan, I carry MI no-fault insurance, my plates are MI, my driver’s license is MI, and my permanent address is in MI. I can’t even get two plates in MI anymore. Can I really be ticketed for not complying with an Chicago municipal law?Thanks, Dave
Good Afternoon Dave,
Since your car is registered in Michigan, and no front plate is required there, you are not required to display one when driving in Illinois. It sounds like your parking ticket was written under some kind of ordinance in Chicago. Although I am not familiar with all of the City of Chicago procedures, I believe there is an option for you to contest the ticket via mail. I would write a letter and explain this situation to them. If it cannot be solved by mail, I would appear on the designated court date and take your MI registration card in, along with any other documentation you have. The Judge in the matter should dismiss the ticket once he understands the situation. Hope that information is helpful.
Randy
Officer Ness is pretty much spot on.
If you have Illinois plates, you have to display both front and back.
But license plate display laws are different in other states. Some don’t require a vehicle to display a front plate. Chicago police or parking enforcement officers cannot enforce Illinois law on a vehicle registered in another state.
So if you have out of state plates and are ticketed for failure to display your front plate, you can contest it by mail. Just send in a letter with a copy of the out of state registration and perhaps even a photo of the license plate on the car. You may want to even send in a copy of your state’s license display law just for fun.
This should get dismissed if the hearing officer has a brain. However, this is Chicago, and many hearing officers reviewing these matters do not have brains, despite the fact they have law degrees.
You can opt for an in-person hearing, but that takes more time.
Either way, someone with out state plates should be able to beat a ticket like this with no trouble.
If you have a question for Master Sgt. Randy Ness you can e-mail him at:
Randy_L._Ness@isp.state.il.us
Parking Ticket Geek Pays Ticket Online
I was a virgin until today.
I had never paid for a parking ticket online before.
I usually don’t pay parking tickets at all, but I’ve had a few tickets go the wrong way on me recently.
The main reason I was checking out the ticket payment website was that I was broke. I had to pay this ticket and I was broke from a cash point of view. But I did have a smidgen of room on a credit card.
City of Chicago Parking Ticket Payment Website
The front page asks for the number of the ticket you need to pay. If you don’t know, you can also go to the city’s Parking Ticket Search Website and start the payment process there.
Surprisingly, I actually enjoyed making the payment online!
Just follow the prompts, key in your credit card info, etc. It’s pretty easy.
I liked the anonymity of the process. I mean, paying the city is buzz kill enough. I didn’t want to have to stand in line at a Dept. of Revenue payment center for 10-30 minutes (or more) and then feel embarrassed and chagrined facing a human cashier, whom I imagine to be barely holding in their sneering contempt for me; an idiot, loser, parking ticket scofflaw.
Obviously, I didn’t enjoy having to pay the damn city dollar one. But, if you have to do it, this is much faster, easier and enjoyable than driving to a payment center and going through that fresh hell.
Like former Indiana University and Texas Tech college basketball coach Bobby Knight famously once said, “I think that if rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy it.”
The City of Chicago Parking Ticket Payment Website?
Highly recommended!
(Pass the lube Bobby!)
The Parking Meter Fairy
MTV’s hipster prank show, Jackass, shows us how to pay it forward…in a fairy costume.
Th show’s Ehren McGhehey, plays(?) an effete young man prancing through the street, feeding the expired parking meters of complete strangers, just before the parking enforcement officer can issue a parking ticket.
We need meter fairy’s in Chicago, perhaps an entire army of them–that’s for damn sure.
The Parking Meter Fairy is subjected to the frustrated wrath of local law enforcement who insist that it illegal to feed someone else’s parking meter.
Again, I pose the question: Is feeding someone else’s parking meter illegal in Chicago?
We will explore this question and other related topics in the near future.
Stay tuned.
Ask The Parking Ticket Geek – 4/12/08
Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
I was parked at a meter on N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park and received a parking ticket for an expired meter.
I knew I screwed up and forgot to feed my meter. But the fine was for $50, not for the normal $30.
Did ticket fines go up for parking meters? What is the “Central Business District” and the “Non-Central Business District.”?
What the heck is going on? I am confused!
Wondering in Wicker Park
Dear Wondering,
This is a great question.
To be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure until I looked it up myself.
And no, parking ticket prices for expired meters did not go up.
The Central Business District is basically downtown and its borders are Division on the north, Roosevelt on the south, Lake Michigan on the east. It gets a little more confusing on the western boundary. Between Division and Chicago, LaSalle is the western boundary. But from LaSalle to Roosevelt, Halsted is the western limit of the boundary.
Tickets for expired meters within that zone are $50.
Metered spaces outside those borders (basically every where else) are considered the Non-Central Business District and an expired meter will cost you $30.
But here is something you need to know.
You are not responsible for the fine.
I repeat, you don’t have to pay this fine. You can beat this ticket pretty easily. But you need to contest it.
You see, the facts alleged on the parking ticket need to be accurate. If not, the ticket should get thrown out.
As example, if you park at a hydrant, but are ticketed for parking in a loading zone, the ticket is not factually correct. Even if you were violating another ordinance, you can’t be held responsible if the ticket is factually inconsistent.
So, Central vs. Non-Central is easy to prove. If the ticketed address is outside the zone defined by the law, then the ticket should be thrown out.
Make sure you actually cite the law to the hearing officer or in your contest letter.
9-64-190 (b) Parking Meter Zones- Regulations
It’s my belief that this mistake is made all the time. That’s because enforcement officers and cops don’t understand the geographic distinction between the two zones and drivers have no idea either.
It is possible that some enforcement officers write these tickets inaccurately on purpose just to put an additional $20 in the city’s wallet every time they write a ticket.
Make sure you check your ticket every time so you don’t get screwed.
This should be a grand slam if you cite the law in your hearing and you don’t have a goof for a hearing officer.
If you have a question for The Parking Ticket Geek, please e-mail the Geek at: askthegeek@theexpiredmeter.com
If we publish your question, you get an Expired Meter T-shirt–FREE!
Red Light Cameras Coming To Palatine
The Daily Herald is reporting that suburban Palatine will have new red light enforcement cameras up and running at seven village intersections very soon.
In fact, the first ones will be up within a few weeks.
The Palatine village council unanimously approved the cameras on Monday. Of course, council members claim it’s only about safety and not about the revenue. Sure guys, whatever let’s you sleep at night.
Here’s the story.
Palatine OKs plans for 7 red light cameras
Here are is a list of the seven intersections to avoid or be careful at.
• Plum Grove Road and Illinois Avenue
• Rand and Hicks roads
• Rand and Dundee Road
• Hicks and Dundee
• Algonquin and Roselle roads
• Northwest Highway and Quentin Road
• Northwest Highway and Palatine Road
Just another reason to stay out of the suburbs.
Chicago Parking Ticket Gets Extreme Makeover
Here’s the new parking ticket I got today. CRAP!
I should be able to shove it back down the city’s throat because, as usual, it’s another wrongly issued ticket. But me receiving a parking ticket is hardly news.
When I went to retrieve it from my windshield, I didn’t recognize it at first.
Unbeknownst to me, our always popular Chicago parking ticket has gone through an extreme makeover–a graphic transformation.
No, it’s still that bright, mocking, flourescent orange color.
But instead of being solid orange, reversed out in white from the orange are lines of type that read “Pay online: cityofchicago.org/revenue” repeating over and over and over, ad infinitum.
It looks like the graphic designers from Target decided they needed it for a TV ad.
Somehow, I think the city is trying to communicate a message with this new design…I’m just not sure what it is.
Perhaps I’m just nostalgic old coot (“In my day, the tickets were SOLID orange, not this fancy schmancy type-oriented design!!!”), but for all the pain it has given me, I’m going to miss the solid, bright orange parking ticket.
