Ask The Parking Ticket Geek
Dear Mr. Geek,
Can I get a ticket for no city sticker if I am legally parked at a meter?
Sagar
Of course you can be ticketed for a city sticker violation parked at a meter Sagar.
Being legally parked at a meter does not magically project an invisible force field over your vehicle that repels ticket writers from issuing you tickets for other violations.
If your car’s license plate is expired, missing a front plate, parked over 12″ from the curb or not sporting a valid city sticker on the windshield you can be ticketed–even if you have time on the meter.
If your car has last year’s sticker and not this year’s it’s like a big sign that says “Please ticket me!”
However, if you have a clean windshield or out of state plates or stickers from another town, the chances are much lower you will get ticketed for city sticker violation.
The Geek
Dear TPG,
Back in late March, I parked in the lot on Lincoln Ave. across from the Old Town School near Wilson.
I bought enough time to take me to 8:59 PM, with parking enforcement expiring at 9:00.
The cynical part of my brain said, “You better pay that extra quarter for 1 lousy minute of parking”, but the human side said, “Would they really screw you for 1 minute’s worth of free parking?”
I’m sure you know where this is going.
Why yes, they did screw me for 1 minute’s worth of free parking. I got a ticket so I’d like to know if I have a snowball’s chance of beating it and if so, what should I do?
Art
Are you messing with me Art?
You really got an expired meter ticket at 8:59? WTF!?!?!?
Here’s some good news. Mayor Daley signed a law last year that gives every driver a 5 minute grace period on expired meter tickets.
If you came back to a ticket on your car issued 5 minutes or less from the time on the receipt, you can ask the city to throw the ticket out.
And, you don’t even need to contest it!!!!
Just call 312-744-PARK and talk to an operator and they should be able to help you. Make sure you have your meter receipt from the day and your ticket before you call in.
Now the bad news for other drivers is the law expired in April. But your ticket was issued before the law went bye-bye.
Whomever wrote that ticket is a real scumbag. They should be aware of this rule and should have just walked away. What an a-hole!
Please keep us posted on how things turn out.
The Geek
Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
I live in front of a school that has been closed for over 5 years.
However, there is a “No Parking from 7-3pm on School Days” sign on the street surrounding the school.
In the past 5 years, I have never received a ticket. Recently, however, the City has started issuing tickets. I obviously plan to contest, but is there a chance that the city can legally enforce the ticket?
Also, short of removing the sign on my own, who do you talk to about removing outdated signs? The alderman or Department of Transportation?
Carrie
A bunch of random thoughts Carrie.
First, I would guess these tickets you’re getting should be pretty easy to beat.
You will have to prove the school is no longer open. I’m not sure how you go about proving that. Maybe you have to bring in one of those CPS directories into your hearing or get someone from CPS to acknowledge in writing no school exists there currently.
Since “school days” don’t exist at that location, I don’t see how the ticket holds.
Moving forward, I think you need to reach out to the alderman’s office and see what they can do and/or contact CDOT via 311 or directly and see how they can help.
Please keep us posted on your ticket fight and your mission to remove those signs.
The Geek
Hi Geek.
Here is a quick question for you.
I received a ticket for not having paid for a parking meter.
This was on a plaza where a Block Buster Video is located (where I go get my movies). I was in and out in less then five minutes as I was just dropping off the movie.
So when I saw the guy putting the ticket on my windshield I ran over and read the ticket. There was less then five minutes in between when the ticket was issued and when I got my parking ticket. Therefore under the new law they passed I should have been liable to dismiss the ticket.
I sent my parking ticket dispute through the mail. For the longest time I did not have an answer. When I checked online today the city had issued a Notice of Final Determination and doubled the fine.
I called in the person on the phone claimed that the ticket was issued properly.
What would you suggest?
Paul
The person you spoke to on the phone was actually correct Paul.
You wouldn’t be able to invoke the 5 minute rule unless you actually paid for your parking and had a meter receipt.
So you would be out of luck anyway.
Just so you (and other readers) know, back in early April, the five minute grace period evaporated from the municipal code. 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack has proposed reviving the grace period, but so far it hasn’t gone very far.
Sorry Paul.
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 and Art….meter ticket at 8:59pm? SER CO contractor…that simple.
Deer Mr Geek can I receive a ticket for missing front plate if my park magic is expired?
Really 859pm?
@ Paul:
Buwhahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Things that make PEA’s laugh, regarding No Receipts on Meter Box streets:
But I was only inside for 5 minutes
But I was only getting Coffee
But I was dropping Suzie/Billy off to school
But I was just getting my dry cleaning
Our Standard Response:
Then Use a Loading Zone next time (and we point to one).
And you metermaids wonder why nobody likes you. You should also be fined $50 every time you make one little mistake.
You know Pete, I met a lot of ticket writers over the years, and there are some cool ones who will be cool and cut you some slack, and then there are those who allow the power to go to their head.
Pete….its not about a “power trip.”
It is about the Stupid excuses I hear each and every day, from supposedly intelligent people
You have shit luck if you get a PEA ticket in this city…what with the fact there are only 120 of us.
Ticket for NO PARKING 4-6, handwritten no photo, written at 4:02PM, my cell phone clock showed 3:58 when I returned to car. Hope to contest, any thoughts.
Regarding Art’s ticket, I received similar ticket issued 2 minutes after parking receipt expired, ticket 9computer generated) stated parking receipt time, and advised if this was first violation to call and ticket would be dismissed. I called and it was dismissed.
And Pete…
We haven’t been called Meter Maids since you were still in diapers.
Sounds like someone was standing at the car waiting for the watch to hit 8:59.
Last summer I received a Resident Parking 6 pm – 6 am ticket written at 6:00 exactly. It was a hand written ticket. CPD.
I was able to win because I stated that since it was a handwritten ticket and written at 6:00 pm, if the cop’s watch was only 1 minute off it could have been still before 6:00 when he wrote it.
Plus, through FOIA, I was able to get the log of tickets the cop had written, and shortly after my ticket was written the cop had written a couple of tickets about 2 minutes apart that were about 3 blocks away. It would have been impossible for the cop to walk that distance in 2 minutes, and because of the series of 1 way streets, you would have actually had to drive about 4 or blocks to the 2 locations, which was also impossible to do in 2 minutes. This put enough doubt in the hearing officers mind that to make him question the 6:00 time written on the ticket.
The funny thing was, when the hearing officer asked where I got the information about the other tickets. When I answered the FOIA, he just looked at me with a “Oh, yeah…” look.
The ticket at the Old Town Lot at Lincoln and Wilson was legitimate.. the Old Town Lot, unlike the street meters, are enforced 24 hours a day. The rates CHANGE at 9, but you still must have a parking strip. In fact, LAZ makes sure that one of their ticket guys is there every night by 9:15 or so to ticket all of those people that misread the very confusing signs and meter markings.
Is there any way to get a PEA to the alley of 6233 N Broadway? I see them checking the cars on the street, but never the alley behind the McDonald’s. There are over a dozen cars parked in the alley at all times of the day and CPD won’t ticket. Thanks.
Greg, you are a freaking genius. Props to you.
Dear Geek
I parked my car for 2 minutes on the yellow stripes next to the handicap parking spot outside of Walgreens. I am hypglycemic and needed to get some OJ. I don’t have a handicap sticker. When I ran out there was a police van blocking my car and a copy ready to write a ticket. He hand’t begun writing it. I let him know what happened and told him I would move my car immediately. THere were 3 other open spots and none were taken. The fact that they were blocking my car made it impossible for me to move it. What are my rights?
This is a tough area PMV.
Cops and judges/hearing officers don’t really have a lot of sympathy for people parking in a handicapped spot.
However, if you were really just parked NEXT to the spot or adjacent to the spot, you may be able to wiggle out of this one. Maybe.
The thing I don’t know is if the lines adjacent to the spot are actually considered part of the spot itself. I think in some cases those lines are designated space for wheelchair access to the vehicle.
You may want to take photos and make the case that you were not technically in the handicapped spot.
You could bring up the fact that you were confused on where the spot actually begins and ends and when you realized your mistake and wanted to move the vehicle, the cops blocked you from moving.
Perhaps the fact that you are hypglycemic and were woozy can help you here. If you realized suddenly you were getting faint and pulled into the first spot available so you wouldn’t pass out while driving and kill someone is a strategy. Get a doctor’s note or some sort of documentation of your medical condition. It seems if you stopped safely to stop driving because you recognized the danger of driving while passed out is a solid defense.
I am not confident any of this will work, but you can try.
here one, called the city during the summer and ask how you can find out if or when street cleaning would take place. I was told by the 311 oper. to call street and sanitation . HA HA HA.. well was told no street cleaning was gone to be done during the time I was in Amsterdam for work.
3 week gone and I got back too 21 tickets. now my car is gone city taken it, and they still think they should get money? this city need to get one computer system so when you have a question someone at 311 could answer you and give a correct number. has of the money get lost!! parking my new car in a private garage.
Joseph….Never call Streets and San…they don’t know Shit.
You call your Ward office and ask them where to find the schedule ONLINE and Check the calendar yourself.
I have a new comment about those School Signs.
Turns out, doesn’t matter if the school the signs are near is closed or not if it is a City Wide School Day.
The ALO doesn’t have to toss the ticket.
*sigh* I lost my expired plate sticker contest by mail. Basically I didn’t receive the sticker in time to stick on my plates even though I renewed it on time. Is it worth it to go down in person to city hall?
If my license plate from out of state is expired, I dont have a Residencial Parking permit, and I parked legally on a metered street.
What parking violation type would I receive?
Expired license plate or Residencial permit parking violation?
Is there a place to contest a Illinois Tollway ticket that is outrageous and was not created by me, but by someone else who used my car and created a bill?
Can you direct me to a resource for the cool thing a ma jig that goes over my license plate that looks like ventian blinds and is designed to break the electronic spy-beam used at Tollway booths? I saw one site but forgot where it is.
Susana:
Expired Plate ticket is a Compliance violation.
Residential Permit is Parking and only is issued on a Metered Street that also has Overlapping RPP signs Posted. You could be Issued Both tickets to be honest.
R:
Try the Illinois Tollway Website.
All Plate Covers (clear, plastic or colored) are illegal in Illinois and have been Since 1/2011.
Ami…..Expired Plate Tickets are one of the Compliance Citations that are not allowed to be dismissed under City Ordinance just because you didn’t get the sticker on your plate in time. The ticket is for a Failure to Display a current year expiration sticker…Thus the citation reads “Expired Plates OR Temp Registration.” and not just Expired Registration.
No City Sticker and the violation for Rear/Front Plate Required are other compliance violations that don’t have to be dismissed by the ALO…..because they are not considered “Fixit tickets” in this City.
Hello Geek, I got a parking ticket for parking on 825 N. Dearborn. I swiped my card twice at the Pay to Park Machine and i got the following message NO MEDIA SD RAM both times, I figured the machine was out of paper or something. I didnt know if the machine had charged me or not so I didnt want to keep sliding my card possibly racking up more charges. I saw the number on the machine to call if you had a problem but my cell phone was dead at the time. I went about my business and came back to my car like 30 minutes later with a ticket on my window. I then called the number on the machine and was told that the error message simply meant the machine was rebooting and i should have waited and swiped my card again. I didnt take a picture of the machine but now I realize i should have. what should I do now. I feel really angry because I tried to pay and the machine was messed up, which isnt my fault yet im stuck with a 60 dollar ticket, this happened a week ago so can I still contest it????? and if so how do i go about doing so???
Thanks Jay
Jay,
Crap. I think you may be screwed here.
You may be able to still contest it. If the LAZ operator recorded your report of the meter being inoperable at the time, you may have a case.
Drivers who experience this problem need to INSIST a report is taken and ask for a report number and the name of the operator.
The other, simpler solution to this is to find the next closest meter and pay there. Yes, a total pain in the butt, but you wouldn’t have been ticketed.
I would try to fight it. Explain you reported it within the 24 hours allowed by law. If the hearing officer cannot find the report, make sure you bring your phone bill showing you called the LAZ help hotline and then make your case.
You shouldn’t have to pay this ticket, but it might be hard to prove your case. Keep us posted.
Hello geek
Thank you for your time reading this email and great work on internet.
I received a RUSH HOUR parking ticket while I was sitting in my car at time around 5PM. (233 E Ohio St.) I was in a loading zone where sign posted LOADING ZONE 11-4 / 6-11pm. I had a sign on my car and the person who wrote me a ticket knew that.
The thing is, it is not for loading zone, it is for rush hour. The entire block used to have NO RUSH HOUR PARKING sign a year ago. But the city removed it, because the street is not in business district and it is very slow, and also has 5 lanes. At time of issuing the ticket, the entire block was full of parked vehicles, and the ticket is just for me and the car in front of mine (same loading zone).
Also, on ticket it says 230 E Ohio, the other side of the street. It also has no rush hour sign and had full of cars.
I know if I write something very good, I can win this. And your help is needed very much.
Thank you very much.
OD,
You have several ways to fight this.
1-Take photos of the lack of signs for Rush Hour Parking. If there are no signs, then the ticket must be dismissed. Take a lot of photos documenting the signs and the street to prove your point. Photograph the whole block if you can.
2-You should also fight this on the basis of the address being on the wrong side of the street. A weaker argument, but the more you can do to undermine the veracity of the ticket writer, the better your chances.
Fight it!
Due to the way the Loading zone sign is constructed…it isn’t operable from 4 to 6…which IS rush Hour in the city…
So it is technically a valid citation.
Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
I just got a ticket about 5 hours ago. I live on the East side of Pratt and I double parked just so that I could put some of my leftover food from the lunch I just came from in the fridge. I came back down and bam. I had a ticket for double parking. Is there anyway I can fight this? $100 seems trivial for just putting my leftovers in the fridge…
Thanks so much for all your info!
Marie
Also, I don’t know if this matters, but I did have the hazards on!
Julie,
Very odd situation. The time stamped photo is going to be strong evidence against you despite your contention there has been some sort of error.
DON’T fight this via the mail. While contesting by mail is better than not contesting at all, your odds are ALWAYS better in person.
Bring in the time stamped receipt from the store you were at (hopefully it has an address on it too demonstrating you were not at the location in question) to make your case.
Just tell your story, present the receipt as evidence and cross your fingers.
Thank u Geek for taking the time to read and replied back. The reason I know for sure the time on photo is wrong because my family from WI also parked in that same block and we all paid the meter box about the same time. My brother parked next to I and the other 2 cars parked on the opposite side of the street. All 3 cars didn’t get ticket. I guess… I parked at the wrong spot so I received a ticket through the mail 3 weeks later. We all left before the meters expired. If any I left few minutes before they did because I had to stop at another store down the street (the store has a parking lot) plus my son had to get to work at 630pm and it takes 45mintures to get home. My family threw away their parking slips but if I can get their credit card statement to proof my story will I have a better chance? On the way home right after the store I posted a picture on my Facebook at 5:07pm also another proof I know for sure we left already. This ticket makes me so angry because it’s so wrong I paid for the time I parked there and still received a ticket and don’t remember seeing a warning sign of the photo camera. Is there a law on that? Thanks again… Julie
I just got a ticket for no back plate. The plate had fallen off and was under my car. It is a handwritten citation by cpd. Is there a way I can fight it? And just for future reference, how do I use the foia to receieve the citations a cop has written out?
I just got a ticket on my motorcycle. The ticket was for blocking a driveway but I was not blocking it at all my motorcycle tire was against the curb. On the same ticket I got another violation stating that I parked somewhere where no parking or standing is allowed there were no signs stating no parking . There was a tow zone sign but I made sure I parked before it. Can I fight this ticket I dont agree with it at all ?
Arty,
I’m a little confused.
Are you saying the person who wrote the ticket issued you one ticket (one piece of paper) with multiple violations listed?
I am willing to be corrected here by some of our ticket writing friends who comment here, but I do not believe that a parking ticket can have more than 1 violation listed at a time. If two violations are listed, I would assume the ticket is defective and thus, if contested it would have to be thrown out immediately by a hearing officer.
Am I understanding you correctly?!?
If these two violations are separate incidents, based on your description you should fight both. The key in your case would be to take photos of how and where your motorcycle was parked demonstrating that it was not parked illegally. Take photos of an appropriate signs and show where your motorcycle was in relation to those signs.
Geek is right.
I can issue you tickets for Expired Plates and No Front Plate and No City Sticker Displayed and Tinted Windows and Non-Compliant Plates all at the same time if the violations all exist.
But If you are on a hydrant during street cleaning While in a Bus Stop…I got to Pick One of the parking violations and can not Issue tickets for ALL 3.
Now…the CPD issues Driveway and Alley tickets on vehicles that are within 10 Feet of the Entry/Access Point. And the Department of Finance/Revenue St Ops PEA’s are not allowed to issue for that.
If the Handwritten Ticket has more than 1 violation Code Circle filled in or checked/x’d out…it is Improperly written and just go to the hearing in person and Point out that since the ticket indicates more than 1 violation on a single ticket…how can it be properly written?
Dear Geek
I received a ticket on 7/19/12 and contested promptly within the 7 days allotted. I have still not heard a determination and when I check online the status says “Remains Due” with the amount of the ticket listed.]
How long does it typically take to get back a determination? Will I receive a notice in the mail of the decision?
Thanks
Carmen
Carmen,
Good for you for paying attention to your ticket status.
I would give a call to 312-744-PARK and see what you can find out.
There are many reasons for delays. One could be it was a CPD issued parking ticket. It could be weeks before a police officer finishes a book of parking tickets and submits it to the Dept. of Finance.
It is possible your request for a hearing actually got to the DOF before the ticket did.
But, call up and find out what’s up. Make sure the request for the hearing got lost.
Dear Geek,
What does the box “Time Marked” on a parking meter citation mean? Is the citation considered “invalid” if not filled?
On 7/17/2012, we were issued an “Expired Meter” citation w/ a 9:15pm issued time; however, we had until 9:33pm to return to our car (we even had set alarms on BOTH of our phones). We contested the citation & it was temporarily suspended pending an investigation — the investigation concluded that the citation was valid (BIG surprise!).
So now I’m wondering what other steps we can take to appeal their verdict? The letter stated that if we disagreed w/ the result that we can request a final hearing IN PERSON; however, we are from another state (makes us wonder if PEA’s specifically hone in on out-of-towners as their victims).
Thanks in advance for your response,
Sarah
Sarah,
Was this ticket issued in Chicago?
My mom park in a reserved handicapped spot on my residential street in the city of Chicago. I don’t know what she was thinking. In any case, she was issued (2) separate $200 tickets in under 2 hours. Obviously she was in the wrong for parking there however is her best course of action to contest the 2nd one by mail or should she consult with an attorney about getting the fees reduced (and if so, how much should she expect in legal fees?)
Thanks!
Natalie,
Have her contest both tickets. Request and in person hearing.
Have her fight both at the exact same time. Have her explain she didn’t understand the sign but have her essentially plead guilty to the first one. On the second one, have her ask the hearing officer to dismiss the second one because it was issued so close to the time of the first ticket. A decent hearing officer will dismiss the second violation.
Dear Geek,
I today I recieved a ticket for Stop sign or traffic signal. I have at least five feet between my car and the stop sign. I have taken the photos and sent in a request for a hearing. Can I win this?
Redlink,
Unfortunately, I think you lose this one. Cars need to be parked 20′ behind a stop sign or traffic signal. Sorry.
GEEK…
Within 30 Feet from the Approaching Side of the Stop Sign Or Traffic Signal…not 20 feet.
Yes, DoR is correct.
30 feet! I stand corrected.
I need to get more sleep.
Thanks DoR!!!!
Within 20 feet to Crosswalk, when special signs present.
Vehicle 6 ft tall or taller within 20 feet of a crosswalk, no signage required.
Within 15 feet of Fire Hydrant
More than 12 inches from the curb
Within 10 feet of railroad tracks/crossing.
More than 1 centimeter into a Restricted Zone
Those primarily are the distance related tickets we issue besides the 30 feet stop sign/stop signal one Geek.
I parked my vehicle at 7 am downtown chicago. The parking ticket said 9pm-8am overnight, then 8am 9pm daily rates and the rates were under. I thought I don’t need to pay until 8 am so I didn’t. When I came back to my car at 7:45 am, I already had a ticket. Was I ticketed wrong or I misunderstood the tricky meter directions? Thank you.
I meant “the parking METER said 9pm-8am overnight”
Svet,
It depends on where you parked downtown.
Some meters must be fed 24 hours a day. Between 9 PM and 8 AM, the rate is half the normal day rate.
Outside that Loop area where this occurs, meters generally do not have to be fed after 9 PM. So it depends on exactly where you were parked.
Where did you park? What was the street address?