Pick-up truck in the city (construction, live, cost)

[kedstar21]

Hello everyone,

This forum has been a great source of info for me as I prepare to move to the city to begin my career. I have a quick question for you all. Being from downstate Illinois I own and easily get around in a F150 truck. My fear is I might have to part with my truck that I love so much as it might be impractical for the city. Do you think I should pretty much just give up and not even think about bringing the truck and downsize or do you think driving it could be done?

Thanks for the replies.

[lincolnparker]

def can be done

[justalicious6989]

that traffic ordinance 0-072-020-
the unposted rule relating to the prohibition of commercial vehicles on any boulevard...
so the answer is NO
even if people do it they really are not supposed to

[Lookout Kid]

Get rid of it. Here's why:

1. Impossible to park on the street much of the time. Smaller cars are easier.

2. Your city sticker will cost more.

3. You're not allowed to drive pick-ups on Lakeshore Drive or any street that's part of the city's Boulevard System (most streets called "boulevards" or "parkways". My friend has a pick-up as a second car, and has been ticketed twice for this.

4. Did I mention parking? Not only are street spaces that large harder to find, downtown parking garages are often designed with tighter parameters and many parking lots are tight. You'll **** off a lot of people with that truck.

[kedstar21]

Well it is not really a commercial vehicle. Essentially, its nothing more than a family SUV ( no construction decals e.t.c.). But I don't really want to debate that ordinance as I am a bit familiar with it. My concern and focus is the size and the ability to get around meaning parking or whatever. So if I said Ford Explorer or H2 Hummer would that change your response?

[kedstar21]

Thanks Lookout kid,

Thats more what I was thinking. Even if it can be done as lincolnparker put it, my fear is that it would surely be more of a hassle than just trading down to something more appropriate. But I love my truck.....

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by kedstar21

Well it is not really a commercial vehicle. Essentially, its nothing more than a family SUV ( no construction decals e.t.c.). But I don't really want to debate that ordinance as I am a bit familiar with it. My concern and focus is the size and the ability to get around meaning parking or whatever. So if I said Ford Explorer or H2 Hummer would that change your response?

My advice is the same as Lookout's and I can say it would be exactly the same if we were talking an SUV, minus the boulevard issue. It'd still be a beast to park and gas is heinously expensive here. As I said in another thread -- if you love your car, any car, don't bring it here. Bad things are bound to happen to it. You're better off with a dependable late 90s sedan of some sort.

[Lookout Kid]

My car is a 2007 and it lives indoors. We park it in a high-rise parking garage at home, and my wife parks it in her building downtown. And it STILL has scrapes and nicks on the bumper from the occasional street parking. We don't even bother to get it fixed because we know it will happen again.

[snoylekim]

Plus ( based on the experience of co-workers who occasionally drive their pickups in from the burbs) ...anything of value in or under the bed will grow legs and disappear . Undermount spare tires semmingly vanish into thin air in broad daylight , and for some reason, rectangular metallic boxes open at the top are always identified as dumpsters or leaf and snow receptacles ...

[Jesse69]

Unless you haul stuff often it's really stupid to drive and own an F150 gas guzzler. People should not use such vehicle for daily transportation. Just get yourself a fuel efficient Civic or a Dodge Grand Caravan to haul stuff - what I own too!