Ask The Parking Ticket Geek – 12/26/08
Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
I have received a lot of parking tickets on my car over the past year. My boyfriend told me that my insurance rates are going to go up because of all the parking tickets I’ve received this year. Is this true?
Upset In Uptown
Dear Upset,
I very much hope your boyfriend is sexy and handsome. Because, by what he told you, he’s not very well informed and perhaps not very bright.
The answer is a firm NO, your car insurance rates will NOT go up if you get parking tickets.
Now, speeding tickets or moving violations…that’s a different story. But parking tickets, a definitive no.
Just to be sure, I even talked to a few people I know who sell auto insurance.
The only thing that may affect your car insurance rates would be if you have over 10 unpaid parking tickets and the city gets the Illinois Secretary of State to suspend your driver’s license. This MAY affect your insurance rates. Just stay on top of your tickets and you should be ok.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
Hello Parking Ticket Geek:
I recently borrowed a friend’s car to run some errands, and when parking it near my home, accidentally parked in front of a fire hydrant that I didn’t see. When I parked the car, it was in the middle of a snow storm, and the hydrant was covered in snow. Also, they hydrant isn’t located near the curb, as most hydrants are, instead it is on the other side of the sidewalk, elevated, in someone’s yard. Since I had no reason to drive the car again for a while, the car sat there long enough to acquire two parking tickets.
I was wondering if it would be rightful for me to contest the tickets under the grounds that the hydrant was not visible at the time my car was parked there. Or, since I was borrowing the car, and the owner of the car was not the one who parked the car, should the owner contest the ticket under the grounds that “the respondent was not the owner or lessee of the cited vehicle at the time of the violation.” Also, is it right that I received two tickets for the same violation? I’m really not familiar with parking rules in the city, as I don’t own a car…
I really appreciate any advice you have to offer! Thanks in advance for your help!
Sincerely,
Lynsey
Lynsey-
I think you have a decent defense here.
If the hydrant was covered or obscured by all the snow, and the yellow curb markings were covered with snow, how is a driver going to know NOT to park there?
Take a photo of the hydrant covered with snow. Also take photos of the closest street signs and perhaps a few building addresses to prove that’s the address of where you parked.
The photos are the most important element in your defense. But I would also clip a newspaper story from the date of the snow and include that with your letter or when you contest in person, just to remind the hearing officer how much damn snow fell that day.
You cannot make the argument that you are not the owner of the vehicle. Ultimately, your friend, the true owner of the vehicle will be made aware of these tickets. Unless you stole your friend’s car, the ownership issue is moot.
One last thing, you are going to need a signed and notarized affidavit from your friend, stating that they are the owner of the vehicle in question and that you were the driver at the time of the violation and that they give you permission to dispute the ticket.
Good luck. Keep the Geek posted.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
GEEK!
I NEED TO KNOW HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT MY TICKETS HOW MUCH I OWE!
LINDA
Dear Linda,
What’s with the all CAPS! Is something wrong with your keyboard? Or has your CAPS LOCK been super glued in place?
Look Linda, I’m the Parking Ticket Geek. Easy questions like this are kind of insulting to a maladjusted Chicago parking ticket “expert” like myself.
But here’s the answers anyways.
The city of Chicago, to their credit, gives you many ways to find out about what tickets you have and how much you owe.
1-You can call the City of Chicago Parking Ticket Help Line at 312-744-PARK (7275). Follow the prompts or talk to a live operator. Give them your license plate number and they can tell you what you owe.
2-Go to the Department of Revenue’s Parking Ticket Search website. You can search by license plate number, VIN #, driver’s license number or notice number.
3-You can go in person to five DOR payment locations:
*City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle
*Central Hearing Facility, 400 W. Superior
*2550 W. Addison
*4770 S. Kedzie
*2006 E. 95th Street
Ask The Parking Ticket Geek is a weekly parking ticket advise column here at The Expired Meter.
If you have a question for The Parking Ticket Geek, please e-mail the Geek at: askthegeek@theexpiredmeter.com
Hi Geek; I sent a “Contest by mail” in on a ticket rec’d for Parking too close to a fire Hydrant (But i was outside the yellow line clearly!) on October 29th and i see it listed under ticket searches as “Hearing Scheduled” but no further information is there. How long until they just decide to bump the fine?
Hi Gregg!
According to Scott Bruner, the head dude at Admin. Hearings, contest by mail hearings are taking up to three months to be adjudicated. Budget cutbacks have less hearing officers doing more work and therefore the wheels of justice have ground to nearly a full stop. Just keep checking back or waiting for your response from the city. Good luck, keep us posted.
Dear Geek,
I was at a friend’s house last night and parked on permit only street. I apparently didn’t press the adhesive very tightly to my glass so it fell off. what is the best way to contest this.
sharon
Hey Sharon. Check out an upcoming Ask The Geek column and I’ll answer your question. This is a good one.
Dear TPG,
I received a ticket on my pickup while it was parked in the 2000 block of N. Oakley. Code 09-64-170 (a) states that pickups and vans are execpted in the 32nd Ward, the parking location where I got the ticket. I’m sending this in to contest, but I’m wondering how the ticket squad operates. It seems the are slapping tickets on vehicles hoping that the owners just pay and don’t research the laws. Thanks for the info.
Dave
Hi can you help me I just moved and don’t know where to look if I owe any violation I almost pass a red light like a month ago and that is the time I moved so I’m thinking if they send any parking bill to my old address thx
Hi I just moved to chicago 3 months ago from the east coast with a vehicle that is not registered under my name. I got a total of 3 tickets the first month that i was here because of different parking permit zones that i was not aware of the first few weeks that i was here. I’m contesting the first two but i’m unable to pay for 1 right now and its been over 21 days…should ask for a payment plan? is it worth the try? and before anybody criticizes me I was trying to take responsibility for the last one as it was my fault but tines are hard
Gigi,
Welcome to Chicago!!!!
Parking tickets are how the Windy City shows it love for new residents.
You still have some time before the fine doubles on that ticket.
Try to pay it before it doubles.
For one ticket, the city is not going to give you a payment plan.
I concur, the city will have zero sympathy for you. Welcome to Chicago, now pay up. If you got 3 tickets, pay them before they are considered late or you’ll be booted and towed (which will cost about $300 in addition to the tickets).
One more thing Gigi: contest the tickets by mail if you still have time left to do so. While its unlikely that they will rule in your favor, its a good way to get at least an extra month before the fines are due.
Dave….
The Ordinance is actually quite specific…and I’ll cut and paste it directly from the City Clerks website for you to reference plus the link:
Link: http://chicityclerk.com/city-stickers-parking/about-residential-parking/pickup-truck-parking/
Ordinance: 9-64-170A
It shall be unlawful to park any truck, tractor, semi-trailer, trailer, recreational vehicle more than 22 feet in length, self contained motor home, bus, taxicab or livery vehicle on any residential street for a longer period than is necessary for the reasonably expeditious loading or unloading of such vehicle, except that a driver of bus may park the bus in a designated bus stand as authorized elsewhere in the traffic code; provided, however that in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 37th, 38th, 40th, 41st, 42nd, 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th and 50th wards this prohibition shall not apply to the owner of a pickup truck or van weighing under 8,001 pounds who has no outstanding parking violations, when such vehicle is parked at the curb adjacent to the owners place of residence AND the vehicle bears a valid and current city wheel tax license emblem and a special parking permit issued in accordance with this subsection. The owner shall apply for a permit for such parking from the alderman of the ward in which he or she resides. The Alderman shall evaluate the vehicle for compliance with relevant provisions of the municipal code and shall issue a special parking permit if the vehicle is believed to be compliant.
Link to Photo of Pickup Truck/Van Residential Permit :
http://chicityclerk.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/truck-permit.jpg
There are currently only 2 Wards in Chicago that do Not issue the Permit for Pickups/Vans…. 7th Ward and 39th Ward. In the 7th Ward, the Alderman has it so that it doesn’t matter if you have the permit or not…you will never be ticketed for this Violation. In 39, it doesn’t matter if you have the permit or not; they don’t issue it, and have not requested an Amendment from the Traffic and Pedestrian Safety Committee to amend the Ordinance to allow Residential Parking and Issuance of the particular Permit at the present time. On the City Clerks website, the 38th Ward ISN”T listed, but they just passed a Referendum Vote on election day to Allow and Issue, and are waiting the passage/approval of the amendment as of Jan 1st, 2013 and as such in the 38th Ward the city is not issuing that violation.
Now, you mentioned Oakley at Armitage (2000 N Oakley) in the 32nd Ward. Valid Citation 24/7/365 if you don’t have the Permit on your windshield along with your City Sticker.
Non-City Residents can not Have or Display the Pickup Truck/Van Residential Permit without also having the current City Sticker. There are no Daily Permits issued by Any of the 48 Wards that issue the Annual Permit. Some Wards will not issue the Permit if the Vehicle is used for Commercial enterprises (regardless of it being marked for Commercial Use or not…it’s up to the Alderman’s/woman’s point of view Period on this one.)
IF you are not granted the permit by YOUR Alderman/woman….you are at risk for this Citation every time you park on a residential street outside of the 7th Ward.
Exception: Expeditious Loading and Unloading of the vehicle is permitted. But, that basically means you leave your Flashing Lights on, doors open and once you’re done dropping off stuff to where you’re visiting in the residential neighborhood, you have to then find a Business Street to Park on.
Here are the Definitions of a Business Street verses a Residential Street straight from the Cities Municipal Code Title 9:
“Business street” means the length of any street between street intersections on which more than 50 percent of the entire frontage at ground level of the street is in use by retail or wholesale businesses, hotels, banks, office buildings, railway stations, or public buildings other than schools.
“Residential street” means the length of any street between street intersections when 50 percent or more of the occupied frontage of the street is in use for residence purposes.
What that boils down to is that you can get a Residential Truck Parking Ticket on Logan Blvd or Ashland or Kedzie or Devon or Montrose or Roosevelt or Michigan Ave or State Street or etc…
Now….if you are able to get the permit…GET THE PERMIT. You’ll have to Eat the 1 ticket (25 bucks sucks, but it could be worse) but you’ll never get another one Legally unless the permit is expired (annual Permit just like the City Sticker…expires June 30th Every year.).
And the Permit is FREE.
Good luck and I hope the Information I provided Helps.
Pete, I have to have a mild disagreement with you here.
Gigi, I strongly believe an in-person hearing is the best way to go. Your chances of winning are greater with an inperson hearing over contesting by mail. If you cannot do the in-person hearing, by all means, do it by mail.
But Pete’s strategy is an EXCELLENT one. If you are broke, request a hearing (or contest by mail). This extends the payment by weeks if not months. Even if you request a hearing and blow it off, you get another 3 weeks or so to pay after that before fines double.
But be careful NOT to miss the final payment date or the fine WILL double. OUCH!!!!!
You could even take the extended time to work out your own payment plan. By that, I mean, making online payments of $10 or $15 bucks every week until you’re paid off–instead of coming up with the entire fine amount all at once.
This takes discipline, but it softens the blow a little bit.
Capt. M-Plate,
First, thanks for the freakin’ doctoral level thesis paper on truck parking in the city.
Holy crap!
That’s perhaps the most extensively written piece on this issue EVER!
Secondly, this is a crazy piece of legislation. It needs to be rewritten. It’s a cluster-f@#k.
It needs to be simplified, cleaned up, etc.
There’s got to be a way for pickup trucks or vans of residents, who use them in their daily lives to park without having to worry about getting ticketed or getting some special freak’n permit.
In addition, when contractors need to park on the street to work a job, or a delivery guy needs to park to make a delivery, they should not have to fear being ticketed.
The law is outdated and cumbersome.
Chicago’s pickup truck parking ordinance is obviously written to discourage pickups as much as possible, since Chicago hates the working class people who often drive these trucks.
No such restrictions exist for SUVs, many of which are built on the same truck frames.
Actually Pete…it’s written for 2 reasons:
1. Seen those Scrap Collector/Junk Dealer Pickups? Reason 1.
2. It actually makes conducting business harder for Non-City Contractors.
Absolutely no reason to not support City Resident Owned Businesses in this tough economy. That’s why the damn permit is free.
I don’t see how it makes things harder for the scrappers. I still see them all around the city, and they don’t exactly PARK on the street – they just stop long enough to throw the junk in their truck. As for the non-city contractors, perhaps. But the ordinance is so clunky it causes plenty of pain for city contractors as well, even if they have the stupid permit there are still plenty of places they can’t park that cars can.
Pete…you need to know the wards to look in.
This is going to sound racist…but I don’t mean it that way.
The Majority of Junk/Scrap Hauling Pickups are parked in the heavy Latin Wards of this city. And I don’t have any issue with the way they earn money…but the simple fact is that by Ordinance, that type of Commerce use Vehicle is not allowed to Park on any city street (residential or business) for longer than is needed to load and unload…Period.
125.00 fine
Not allowed to have the Truck/Van Permit per letter of the law of 9-64-170D.
And on the other point,
There is a standing Restriction for how long you can park a 2nd Division Vehicle on a Public Street (business street or residential) in Chicago AND in Illinois.
Thus the reason this city came up with the Pickup Truck/Van Residential Parking Permit program.
Since ALL Pickup Trucks and certain types of Vans are 2nd Division vehicles (Vehicles which are designed for carrying more than 10 persons, those designed or used for living quarters and those vehicles which are designed for pulling or carrying property, freight, or cargo.) they are considered BY STATE VEHICLE CODE to be Commercial Vehicles regardless of Plate Type Or Intent of Owners Use.
Is it logical? Not Really. Is it the Law? Yup.
Hello. My sister is a heartless piece of shit. She got over 5000 in traffic/parking tickets under my moms car. My sister isn’t paying a penny not bc she doesn’t have money but bc she just doesn’t care. My mom needs the car to travel for work and is scared to drive it around bc of the tickets it is unregistered and has too many fees. My mom is a housekeeper she can not afford this. Is there anyway I can help her transfer these fees to my sisters name. Please I need help. I live in ca
Lea,
I’m sorry, but I don’t have any expertise in California’s laws. Try speaking to a pro bono legal service which might be able to give you advice.