Ask The Parking Ticket Geek
Dear Geek,
Last night when going out with my girlfriend we left her car parked and fed the parking meter but we overstayed for 6 mins (paid until 8:48pm, ticketed at 8:54….9:00 p.m the time you don’t have to feed a meter anymore on that area).
She got a $50.00 ticket and she was really upset, we read the 5-minute grace period note at the bottom of the ticket but we are thinking that it will not apply (as it was a 6 min overstay).
1) Do we call the 312 number listed on the ticket and try to negotiate with whoever answers for a 6 minutes grace instead of 5?
2) Do we pay it 
?
3) Do we not pay it and see what happens? She never gets tickets but I’m a bit hesitant recommending her not to pay it as I’ve heard horror stories about the yellow boot in the city. Do you think that she can get a yellow-boot if she does not pay this ticket?
4) Do we contest it? (the ticket was issued correctly so I’m not sure if we have a shot)
Thanks for your response Geek,
Carlos
1 minute Carlos?
You’re killing me here.
Personally, I think your friend is screwed here.
I would try contesting by mail and invoking the 5-minute grace period defense and claiming she was within the five minutes. Maybe, if you’re friend gets lucky, the person looking over the mail will have flunked grade school math and will just shrug and give her a pass.
This is a longshot, but what the hell? It’s worth a try.
If this doesn’t work, I would not recommend blowing off paying the ticket. Otherwise, the fine will double to $100.
Honestly, I would prefer to pay $50 than $100.
However, if she unwisely decides not to pay it, she can’t get booted for a single unpaid ticket. The boot threshold is two unpaid tickets more than a year old or three unpaid tickets in Final Determination status to be booted immediately.
Sorry Carlos.
The Geek
Hi TPG,
I just got one of the “Park/Blocking the alley” today while unloading a table I had just bought for 5 minutes.
You think its better to contest these in person or through mail? I have evidence using emails and cell phone logs that I actually got the table around that time, but how can I prove to them that I was there for 5 minutes?
Just wondering from your experience which method of contesting something like this is better. I have been screwed contesting in the mail before….so kinda wary of that.
Thanks!
Johnny
I vote for in-person hearing on this one Johnny.
If you can, see if you can find your receipt for the table you purchased to use as evidence you were doing what you say you were doing.
Also, is there someone who lives at your apartment or who was with you that can write a letter backing up your claim? Have them get it notarized for best results.
Cite the municipal code which allows for the expeditious loading and unloading of people or goods.
The main part of your defense is your own testimony. Just be sincere but firm. Explain what you were doing and provide any and all evidence/documentation you can.
You should win.
The Geek
Hello geek,
I just received a parking meter expired ticket in the mail and I know 100% that I paid and displayed the receipt in my front window and that it was not expired.
The problem is that I threw away the receipt and now I have no proof to show. Is there anyway that I can get out of this ticket???
Thank you,
A.
Dear A,
I am really hoping you paid for that parking meter time with a credit card.
Because if you did, you can locate the payment on a credit card statement and perhaps give Chicago Parking Meters a call to see if they can look up your receipt details.
If you can get the details, then you have objective proof that you paid and beating the ticket should be a cinch.
But, even if CPM won’t or can’t get you that info via your credit card statement, I bet your credit card company can get you the exact time of the transaction. Using the time of the transaction and the amount you paid, you should be able to figure out the time you were allowed to park.
Again, with this type of proof, you should be able to win.
Now, if you paid for your time in quarters, you are probably out of luck on this one.
I would still fight it, tell the hearing officer you didn’t get the original ticket and therefore didn’t keep your meter receipt. Just be adamant in your testimony. Your chances of prevailing are poor, but it’s worth a try.
In my opinion, one of the advantages of the new pay boxes is the ability to pay by credit card and therefore provide impartial documentation of payment in situations like this.
It’s kind of like an insurance policy.
If you’re paranoid like me, when I have to pay for street parking, I use my credit card for any stays over 15 or 20 minutes.
Good luck A.
The Geek
Ask The Parking Ticket Geek is a semi-regular parking ticket advice column.
If you have a question for The Parking Ticket Geek, please e-mail the Geek with your query at:askthegeek@theexpiredmeter.com
Geek, just a note to all your loyal readers; if you receive a red light camera ticket you have the right to request a copy if the still pictures and video from CDOT. You can do this by sending a e-mail, stating “This is a Illinois Feeedom of Information Act request, give license plate number, state you are the registered owner and giveg your address. I will supply the CDOT email address in the next blog.
You can send the request any one of three ways;
For Transportation FOIA requests, write to:
Email: CDOTfoia@cityofchicago.org
Fax: 312.744.1200
Mail: 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1100
Chicago, IL 60602
A copy of the RLC citation will be sent on a DVD.
why bother with all that when you can just watch the RLC video and see the stills online ?
I use my credit card for every meter transaction, no matter how short. Let CPM eat the transaction fee on a 25 cent purchase, and I get a quarter cent cash back!
I wish I would have read your “Parking/Blocking the Alley” post. I got a ticket for double parking . . . when I was moving! I wrote a letter contesting the ticket but wish I would have cited the municipal code that allows for expeditious loading of goods. Having my roommate (who called down from the window as the cop approached my car) write a letter would have been a good idea. Can I get my money back after I already paid?
Moe…
In regards to Double Parking/Double Standing…there is NO allowance for Expeditious Loading or Unloading.
You can be sitting in the car or truck or van and we can Cite you where you stand..Not required to tell you to move, don’t have to take into consideration your blinkers.
Its a Parking/Standing Violation. Period.
The Alley is the Only place we take Blinkers into consideration…and even then…you’re not allowed to be there all darn day.
City doesn’t issue refunds on Municipal Code Violations. Sorry
Now for the memo: Buy one of those self-resetting “atomic” watches. Pay $50 for the watch and when it saves you from ONE parking ticket/tax bill it pays for itself.
And, if the time clocks where you work also self-reset you can get really good at being a clock watcher.
Hi Geek,
I got a $60 on my NEW CAR for parking in a residential parking permit area.
I just MOVED into a new apartment. My License and registration has the old address on it. So, my friend who has been living in my new apartment previously gave me a guest parking permit. I had put a wrong (post-dated) start time and date on it.
So, I was ticketed for having an “IMPROPER POST-DATED” Permit on it.
DO you Think I could contest this ticket? If so on what terms?
thanks in advance
You can always contest. The question is do you want to waste the time. If a photo was taken showing the violation, the City does accept Checks, Credit Cards, and Cash.
Speaking of Temp RPP’s
Remember….the Permit states Clearly “Must Be In INK” and there is a perm Exp Date on them…
So even if your Temp RPP has the Correct handwritten Date and Time on it…if the Permit Series Expired June 30th of Last year or the year before, you can get a Ticket for it.
hi i got a double parking ticket in the mail i was never at that location and i never recived any original ticketon my car so how to i contest that ticket
Tammi,
This is always a hard one.
The best optimum way would be if you had proof you were somewhere else at the time. IE: A dinner receipt out in the suburbs, an airline ticket to Australia, motel receipt from New York, etc.
Or perhaps a friend or spouse can be a witness for you saying you were playing Bridge at the country club at the time.
Have a friend type up a letter backing up your alibi and have it notarized so it becomes sworn testimony.
Of course, argue this at an in person hearing.
Double check the other data on the ticket and see if there’s anything else that raises a red flag.
Otherwise, without documentary evidence, you just need to very sincerely and strongly insist you WERE NOT THERE at the time and date in question.
Tammi -
Just a word of advice.
Think a lot about the date and time of the ticket. Look in your calendar. Look closely at the address.
You may have been there even though you don’t remember it.
I got a notice a few years ago for ticket I did not receive the original ticket for. It was somewhere around 5700 S Cicero. I could not for the life of me figure out where the hell that was or what I may have been doing there. I wracked my brain and finally looked at my calendar – I had on that date and time a note to pick someone up at Midway airport. That address is the location of Midway.
The problem is when you don’t get the original ticket, you often can’t remember a month or 2 later where you were when you get the notice in the mail. Luckily, I got a administrative officer who said she always dismisses tickets at airports because they are so huge there is no way to assign a specific address to the location the vehicle was at, so therefore it is essentially wrong information on the ticket.
I’m not saying you were there, I’m just saying dig deeper to try to decipher where the location was and what exactly you were doing at that time and date.
Good advice Greg.
That’s happened to me as well.
Although, I have a real problem when the original ticket is not issued at the time and place where the incident occurred.
Because it could be weeks later before the notice comes in the mail. At that point, you may not remember the situation, may have to go back to the scene of the “crime” to figure out if you can or should fight it or not, and in the meantime the parking environment or situation may have changed.
Overall it puts the driver at a great disadvantage.
Plus it undermines the driver’s trust in the system. Often people assume some sort of fraud is occurring even though it may have been a legit ticket originally.
Dear Geek,
I recently recieved a disabled parking ticket for $200.00 (9-64-050). There are 3 things that bother me with the ticket.
1) There was no sign in clear vacinity specifying that the parking space is reserved for disabled motorists (no sign within 10 feet, and the parking space was not colored in any special colors)
2) I paid Chicago Meters for 3 hours to park at that spot (the meter was located right where I parked, and again no specification that it is reserved for disabled motorists).
3) Eventually I found the sign that says “Disabled parking”, more than 40 feet away. The sign says fine of “$150″, which is more than my ticket.
What should I do here? Is there a law specifying how far away signs should be? I have pictures of where I parked, I have my ticket copy, and I have my Chicago meters pay stub as well.
Greg, I can tell you what the Midway ticket was for. You likely pulled up to the curb to pick someone up, in the Arrivals section. Some fine revenue agent recorded your license plate number and wrote a ticket without handing it to you (since it would slow down their overall ticket writing) leaving it as a nice surprise for you. I have heard multiple people describing this same exact thing happening to them.
Apparently there is some Revenue asshole working at Midway that just tickets every car they see pulling up to the curb, never mind the fact that the vehicle was never left unattended and the driver was only stopped long enough to pick up their passenger. What exactly would be the point of an Arrivals area if it is not permitted to stop long enough to pick up a passenger? This is why you received the bogus ticket and this is why the legit hearing officers routinely dismiss these tickets since so many are bogus.
Dear Geek,
I recently received a parking ticket in downtown Chicago. I am from Michigan, and was driving my parents’ vehicle. I am rarely in chicago and was there just to help my friend move out. What would happen if I never address it? Can they reach me or get my car out of state? Would they report it to a credit agency? Would this adversely affect my parents? Thoughts? Thanks Geek!
AC
Pete…2 things…
First…regarding the “Fine Revenue Agent” comment….Kiss my Ass
Revenue doesn’t work the Airports…That’s the Traffic Aides and CPD.
Now having said that…..I used to be assigned to Midway and Ohare as a Traffic Aide with a ticket book.
I maybe wrote 30 tickets a Month….and you had to do something really Stupid to get one from me and my co-workers….like Leave the Vehicle Unattended….that one is sort of a no brainer at a Post 2001 Era Airport.
It wasn’t about writing tickets at Midway or Ohare as a Traffic Aide while I was there. When they wanted us to write tickets…we went into the Parking Structures and Checked Plates and City Stickers and restricted spaces or Disabled Spots.
But that was years ago before the mass insanity that took over in 2009.
“But that was years ago before the mass insanity that took over in 2009.”
Which was?
All the Full Timers were Canned remember? There are ‘maybe’ 20 Full Time Traffic Aides left in the entire City….all the rest went to Detention Aide or Revenue or failed the Drug Test to get the Detention Aide Job and got fired a second time.
The part time (no more than 999 Hours per year per contract terms) Traffic Aides are in a unique position in Unit II…..and basically live in fear of being terminated for any or no reason despite being ‘union’….and as such they tend to respond with “How High” when a Supervisor tells them to jump.
For that matter, OEMC traffic management has 4 superintendent making 60,000 to 70,000 a year…and there are 3 Deputy Directors making almost 100k a year on top of their CPD Pensions.
Its about time the city started to cut SOME useless jobs.
The OEMC is Full of Useless People doing 60k+ a year jobs.
Pete, Drew -
I can tell you exactly what happened, because I remembered it all once I realized where the ticket was from. And this was several years ago – it was one of those grumpy old women who seems to hate her job and takes it out on everyone.
I pulled up, looked around, and saw the people I was picking up coming out of the terminal. At that moment Mrs Curmudgeon told me to move my car. I said the people I am picking up are right there, walking toward my car. She again told me, in her gestapo voice, to move the car. I again said the people I was picking up were walking toward the car. She started yelling at me to move, so I pulled forward a few feet, just as the people got to me. I got out, opened the trunk, put their luggage in, and drove away. It was probably right after I moved forward and stopped the car she started writing the ticket.
Once I sorted out what the mailed notice was for, it didn’t surprise me that she did this.
Yep, that’s what I thought. Greg’s story is not an isolated incident. People I know had the exact same thing happen to them. Hopefully this bitch got fired eventually. Sadly, she probably got promoted to a do-nothing office job just to get her off the streets.
Vladimir,
That sounds like one really screwed up parking ticket dude.
I would STRONGLY encourage you to fight this. Do it at an in-person hearing.
First off, you pretty much have an outline for a defense in your comments/questions. So you have a strong start.
Here’s what I suggest, based on what you already listed.
1-Take photos of where you were parked compared to where the sign prohibiting parking in the disabled parking spot.
Take photos of the signs and a panoramic view of where your car was parked compared to where the spot is. Take photos of the spot showing there’s no pavement markings like you describe. Take photos of the parking meter and the signs showing it was metered parking. Use the photos at your hearing.
2-Keep your receipt as proof you paid for parking because it was a metered parking spot. Contend in the hearing that it was a metered spot NOT a handicapped spot.
At worst, the signs are confusing and therefore no ticket should have been issued.
3-While a weak argument, show a picture of the sign with the erroneous fine as another indication something is seriously wrong at this location.
Keep us updated on your fight.
Aaron,
If your car is registered in Michigan and you rarely come into Chicago, I would just blow it off.
What can they do?? Nuthin’!
Just make sure your parents know what’s going on. The only reason to pay it is if your parents were not cool with the situation. Otherwise, ignore it.
Pete,
10+ years ago I also had a similar incident at O’Hare. We were outside one of the hotels at O’Hare picking up someone. We were in the vehicle and it was running. The enforcement person told us we had to get moving or be ticketed. So we made a loop and came back just as our friend was coming out. We pulled over and began loading his luggage into the car when the ticket writer came back over and began writing the ticket. He was very agitated, but I challenged him (politely of course) but he became more agitated and started being a jerk.
I began losing my temper a bit. Mainly because I thought it was unfair to ticket someone who was clearly picking up a passenger in a fairly expedited manner.
So I calmly said to him as he was haranguing me while handing me the ticket, “Do you need a Kleenex?”
Flustered and confused, he sputters, “What?!?”
“Do you need a Kleenex?”, I asked again. “Because it looks like you’re getting ready to start crying.”
As he began melting down, we pulled away.
While satisfying, I admit it was a petty way to engage an equally petty person. Now, I never, ever complain if a ticket writer hands me a ticket, I smile and politely say “thank you.”
My revenge comes when I usually beat the ticket at a hearing. My success rate at fighting tickets fluxuates between 85-90%.
That response was awesome, Geek. Love it!
Geek…that was great.
The one I usually get is “oh we know all about you” to which I politely respond “and yet you still parked illegally?”
Like I said Drew, in retrospect, I probably didn’t handle that situation in the best manner.
I’ve been trying to be a better human being. Key word is trying.
There is something to be said for knocking the chip off the shoulder of a power-mad petty bureaucrat who is abusing his meager authority. Those people thrive off of meakness and it nice for them to realize that some people really will throw their shit right back at them. The way I see it; you’re getting an undeserved ticket anyway, might as well piss them off while you’re at it. Don’t let them have all the fun.
I definitely see your point Pete. I’ve just been trying to be the better person. But, the thing is, I often fail.
No no Geek… I think that was handled perfectly.
I will agree with Pete that in regards to the TMA’s at Midway there certainly were a fair share that had the proverbial stick/ass problem… I like to think that I was better than that at Ohare.
I’ll admit I was loud and extremely boisterous..but I happen to believe that most people preferred getting yelled at (through closed windows of course) to hurry up and move instead of a ticket.
Now that I’m in a different city agency…I do admit to missing my ticket book from time to time… But the new job has its own perks and power.
They have to put the ticket on the car and hand it to you, they can’t do “fly by” tickets, those were ruled illegal in Mashal v City of Chicago
That’s what I thought, but once when I got a notice in the mail but never got the actual ticket, I brought that up and the ALO said that wasn’t true.
Dear Geek,
A question on double parking. There were absolutely NO parking spots in front of my sitters house and I was in dire need to pick up my child. So i double parked. I honestly walked in and then ran out because apparently they were beeping. I come out and they write me a ticket. Is there any way to contest the ticket cause this Guy was honestly being the biggest asshole alive. Excuse my language but honestly if he had just explained nicely I would have taken the ticket and left. Unhappily but I would bebokay. But this is outrageous. I’m just wondering if theres anything I can do.
Ellie,
Was your ticket issued in Chicago or somewhere else?
I would try contesting it and providing the following defenses.
1-You were not parked, you were standing (the engine was running) and you had your blinkers on.
2-You were pulled over to expeditiously allow a passenger to get in your vehicle–your child.
Not sure if these will hold up, but that’s my best advice. Try it, contest it and report back!
Good luck!
Hi guys
I found your website a few months ago and thought how nice this is, and genius too, but too bad I will never need it again, as I have been VERY careful not to ever get another ticket. Now I am a stay at home mom and hardly leave the house…. Saving parking ticket fees for diapers and spit up cloths..
HA HA! What a joke!
I have a similar scenario as Ellie…
I came home with the baby and there wasn’t a legal parking spot anywhere within a block of my home, and I had my baby to get in the house, and didn’t dare go to far especially with ice and snow outside, not to mention carrying a big squirmy baby! Half a block away is the corner with the No Parking zone sign.. It doesn’t say no parking no standing, just no parking, so I grabbed the spot and used my blinkers. I took baby out and carried her home via the semi-snow plowed street.. Took her in to grandma and went back to the car to find a crisp new ticket in my window and no police officer in site
Poop I drove around once and found a spot just a couple of minutes later as someone left:-(
No Parking Tow zone is what the sign says.. Does that mean no unloading and no standing either?
FYI, I live in a permit parking area that starts after 5pm, so during the day we have lots of people parking on our block
HELP
I appreciate your expertise and everyone’s input 
Happy Ticket Free Spring!
Dear Ellie….
In the City of Chicago…Double Park/Double Stand is the violation.
And it is regardless of the vehicle being Occupied or Not.
Sorry about your luck.
The Exact wording is:
9-64-110 Parking prohibited – Roadways, sidewalks, bridges and similar locations.
It shall be unlawful to stand or park any vehicle in any of the following places:
(a) On the roadway side of any vehicle stopped or parked at the edge or curb of a street;
We get this one a lot with the FedEx and UPS and Beer or Soda Delivery vehicles…and for the most part…we get to choose between the Double Park/Stand or Obstructing Roadway charge.
While the Admin Law Judge ‘can’ dismiss the ticket…they are not required to do it.