Monthly Archives: March 2011
NBC 5 On The Parking Ticket Beat Again
NBC 5′s Lisa Parker, always on the hunt for a good story, is back on the parking ticket beat.
This time around, NBC 5′s cameras are spotlighting a young lady who was ticketed for an early morning rush hour violation despite no sign in sight.
She photographed the street and lack of a sign prohibiting rush hour parking and mailed the photos along with her contest letter to the Department of Revenue.
Despite documenting the lack of a sign, the driver was still found liable.
Two For Tuesday Denver Booting
Double your pleasure.
It’s two Denver boots for the price of one.
An Expired Meter reader caught not one, but two cars sporting bright yellow Denver boots, parked next to each other on Milwaukee Ave in Wicker Park last Tuesday.
I bet these easy pickin’s made that booters day last week.
The two drivers? Not so much.
Thanks to our friend Kevin P. for the keen eye and great photo.
Parking Ticket 101: Fighting Cell Phone, Texting Tickets
Back in 2005, the Chicago City Council passed a controversial law prohibiting motorists from using a cell phone without a hands free device back.
It was one of the country’s earliest municipal bans on driving while using a cell phone without a hands free device and it was not without controversy. Some people embraced the move, while others felt it was just another strategy to generate more revenue for the city.
The law was changed in 2008 to take it from being adjudicated as a moving violation and making it essentially the equivalent of a parking ticket or red light camera violation.
Since 2005, tens of thousands of drivers in Chicago have been slapped with a $100 ticket for driving with a cell phone up to their ear.
But there are ways to avoid cell phone driving tickets as well as fighting them successfully when they’re issued improperly.
Parking Meter Cash Helping Cities’ Budget Crunch
One quarter at a time, parking meters are helping cities feed their cash starved budgets– at least according to Bloomberg News.
In a piece posted Friday, Bloomberg writers take readers on a whirlwind tour of the country to show how cash from parking meters and parking lots are one important revenue source for cash strapped big cities like Seattle, Indianapolis, New York and of course, Chicago.
The Bloomberg piece has some financial scorn for Chicago’s universally panned parking meter lease deal saying:
ALERT!: Madison St. Closed For ‘Playboy’ Filming
Friday night, city workers closed off Madison Street downtown for filming of a TV pilot between Michigan Ave. and Wabash.
The one block area closes off Madison to all vehicular traffic from Friday night to 12:30 AM Saturday according to the CTA website.
The TV pilot in question is called The Playboy Club, and allegedly chronicles the early days of Hugh Hefner’s empire in the 1960′s.
Considering the material, perhaps there will be more than one thing stopping traffic in that area Friday night and early Saturday morning.
CTA Paid $340,000 In Red Light Camera Tickets
Over the past three years, the Chicago Transit Authority has paid the City of Chicago over $340,000 in red light camera violations according to CBS 2 News.
Traffic Reporter Tryouts At CBS 2 News
You think you got what it takes to be an on-air TV traffic reporter?
Well now’s your chance.
CBS 2 News has launched a public search for their next morning traffic anchor, to put one talented person on CBS 2 News’ morning team on the set alongside Susan Carlson, Steve Bartlestein and Megan Glaros.
Contestants are asked to submit a 30-second video on why they should be CBS 2′s new traffic reporter.
Parking Ticket 101: Tow Tips
What To Do When You Get Towed By The City
Where the hell did my car go?!?
Your mind races with panic when you come back to the spot where your car used to be just minutes ago.
Did I forget where I parked? Was my car stolen? Am I just confused?
The most likely answer is your car just got towed.
What Do I Do Now?
The first thing to do is not panic.
Parking Enforcement Caught Not Feeding Meter
It seems one eagle-eyed reader has caught private parking enforcement contractor SERCO not playing by the parking rules they’re paid to enforce.
Ask The Parking Ticket Geek
Mr. Geek,
I recently received a citation for Improperly Displayed City Sticker.
Which was given for a good reason there was not one on the windshield and the car is registered to an address within the city limits of Chicago.
I have been living in New Orleans for the past 6 months working for the federal government, and yes my car was with me. While there I had an apartment, obtained a Louisiana State ID, and even obtained a New Orleans residential parking/city sticker so that I could park my vehicle within the City limits of New Orleans.
So my job ended and I moved back to Chicago around the 20th of December. I was cited 01/05/11. I was wondering if I would fall within the 30 day grace period for new residents to Chicago?
What you think do I have a good argument?
Colin
What a nice warm welcome Mayor Daley gave you on your return to the Windy City Colin!
But based on your circumstances, your documentation from New Orleans and your time line, I don’t see why this wouldn’t work to have the city sticker is dismissed.
