UPDATE!: WGN TV, ABC 7 and WBEZ radio are all reporting that the city plans on having even more tow trucks out on the streets tonight for enforcement of the winter parking ban.
It’s not like we didn’t try to warn you.
But, according to Streets & Sanitation spokesperson Matt Smith, city tow trucks nabbed 234 cars parked in violation of Chicago’s winter overnight parking ban which began at 3 AM this morning.
“In fact we saw a lot more cars we could have towed,” said Smith explaining that time ran out for the tow trucks when the ban ended at 7 AM. “We saw blatant scofflaws parked right under the signs.”
The 234 towed vehicles is a 40% increase from last year when 167 vehicles were towed on the first night of the ban in 2008. In 2007, the city towed just 145 cars.
Smith also explained that his department has been conducting a public information blitz over the past few weeks getting warnings out to the media and posting fliers multiple times on cars along all 107 miles of streets covered by the ban.
“We want to make sure people know we’re serious about the ban,” said Smith ominously. “We’ll have more (tow trucks) out tonight.”
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This seems less about traffic management or safety and more about taxing via tickets/tow/impound fees . . . correct?
Richard “Revenue” Daley
Can someone fill me in on the signs that read only, “no parking over 2″ of snow”. How long is that in affect after start of snowfall?
A better quote from a city official would be: “We’re serious about making money on the ban”. (so we don’t have to answer about the TIF slush fund…)
One problem I have is determining what is covered. Near me, for example, is Damen Avenue. On the West Side of Damen from Berteau to Irving Park there are NO 2 Inch Snow Zone Signs. On the East Side, there are NO 2 inch snow zone signs from Irving to Warner, and then ONE sign in the block between Warner and Berteau. Is the WEST Side of the street also a snow zone? What about the blocks South of Warner to Irving Park on the East Side? It seems strange that the Snow Zone wouldn’t run all the way to the arterial? Its not practical to avoid Damen Avenue for the winter. Can I rely on the signs?
No, you can’t rely on signs.
Those who ticket will decipher them as they see fit.
I once got a ticket on Lake St in the Loop at 6:15 pm when I was parked right under a sign that said no parking till 5:00 pm.
I also once got a ticket parking under a viaduct on a Saturday night parked right under a sign that said no parking Mon – Fri till 6:00 pm.
And I have often seen 2 signs that completely contradict each other posted one below the other. I have no doubts that someone would write a ticket for the law based on the sign that says you are breaking the law, and ignore the one that says you are not breaking the law.
Hey Lance,
The only thing incorrect about your statement was the word “seems”; change “seems” to “is”.
Amazed-
Check out this link for Snow Route lowdown.
http://theexpiredmeter.com/?p=1088
I’m going to update it next week.
Hope this helps.
David-
Here’s a few of my important Geek tips.
1-If the signs are confusing, don’t park there.
If you’re confused, most likely the ticket writer may be too. Don’t risk it.
2-I avoid parking on busy arterial streets whenever possible. I know the area you are speaking of, and I know it’s tough there.
But I would avoid Damen just to be safe.
The problem isn’t the confusing signs, it is a total lack of signs. And that’s the problem. The City doesn’t post a “This isn’t a snow route sign”. How am I (well now I know) but how is ANYONE parking supposed to know that it is a Snow Route if there are NO signs for a four block period on one side of the street and ONE sign for a four block period on the other side of the street.
What confused me was not the signs, it was the fact that other parts of Damen were clearly snow routes but I only know that because I travel up and down Damen. An equally reasonable conclusion was that the City decided that since Lincoln runs essentially through the same blocks, and since its a snow route, that part of Damen was not deemed to be an arterial. As indicated by the signs.
I have now found the official map and note that not all of Damen IS listed as an arterial snow route (although this part is listed on the map). But I would suggest that this is deceptive, at best, on the part of the City and that in a FAIR ticket hearing (not that the hearings that we get in Chicago are fair, they are not) that such tickets should be dismissed. This isn’t a violation of a general City law (no parking under Viaducts, next to hydrants, and so forth) it is a violation of rule relating to parking on a specific street under specific conditions that do not apply to other streets around that street. In such case the absence of a sign is important. Its like writing me a meter violation ticket in the absence of a meter box in a block because they have decided to meter that street and haven’t bothered to tell anyone.