Where can I work on my car? (Chicago: coupon, 2009)

[RichMonk]

I had a list of things I wanted to do with my car today. They were change oil and oil filter, replace wipers and replace coolant sensor. After finally getting my coolant sensor off (the bastard was in a tight spot) a meter maid came up behind me and said I couldn't do that here (I was in the alley behind my apartment). After I explained to him that I didn't have a garage he was like, "well, tough luck, move." I pointed out to him that I had just created a hole in my cooling system and he let me finish replacing the part.

I am pretty good with my hands and want to do any DIY maintenance on my car that I am capable of. However, without a garage what am I supposed to do? I understand not doing that stuff on the street but w/o a garage I thought the alley would be fine since I'd only need it for a couple hours (our alley is very wide BTW). Is there a place I can go to just change my oil and do very minor repairs? Its not like I am pulling out the transmission or anything. I just need a spot where I won't be hassled for having my hood open.

[ajolotl]

Come to the south side. You'll blend right in.

[ParkerP]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Come to the south side. You'll blend right in.

*dead* LOL

RichMonk somebody must have told on you

[Lookout Kid]

I see the Latino guys around here working on their cars in the street all of the time. I'd wait for the meter maid to go away, and then get back to it.

[PokerPlayer1]

What city ordinance prevents people from repairing their cars in the parking area of a city street?
I mean, I'm sure there is one... This is Chicago after all and if there is any place that has a retarded law regulating every single thing that human beings do, it's us; but that sounds kinda like the sort of thing a metermaid might say just because they're morons.

and yeah, the correct answer is wait for them to go away and just go back to doing it. No one cares but retards in city issued uniforms who feel that it's their job to care about things no one else does, just because some random city council in 1959 passed a knee-jerk ordinance in response to some tragic news headline nobody remembers, regulating whatever it is you're doing here in the year 2009.

God, this sort of thing really chaps my ass- that a man can't even work on his car in an out-of-the-way alley behind his house. I really love Jesse Venturas idea about how all local government should declare one year in four where no new laws are passed and they spend that year reviewing and deleting old, useless ones.

[Lookout Kid]

Were you blocking the alley while doing the work? That would be the only reason I could think of that the meter maid would complain. I don't think there's an ordinance about doing work in the street. I just don't think you're allowed to park in an alley AT ALL.

[PokerPlayer1]

Yeah, that's the wild card here.
If you were somehow "in the way" and blocking a thoroughfare, then it's kinda on you. But if you were being hassled because you were 'working on your car' and the metermaid felt that such activity was something that 'should be regulated and they themselves are the designated intercessor 'by virtue of the power vested in them by the Honorable Mayor Richard J. Daley on behalf of the City of Chicago', that is total BS.

[RichMonk]

I wasn't blocking any traffic through the alley. Keep in mind, our alley is very wide. We had a U-Haul back there when we moved and cars (including a heavy duty truck) were still able to easily get by.

The fella wasn't too specific about what I was doing wrong. He said, "Don't do that here." He could have been referring to me having my car parked there but since my hood was up and I was putting a jack under the car he could have been referring to that too.

Anyway, I just got an awesome coupon from Jewel today. Any grade oil change for 19.99! Wowza! I'm returning the oil and the oil filter (total $30) and am taking advantage of that on my birthday.

[Jesse69]

City laws are so idiotic at times. I was changing my oil too, using expensive Synthetic, about a $60 shop equivalent oil change done myself in my Houston Apt complex and a tow truck guy says I can't do it because it's illegal / I'd spill oil.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

City laws are so idiotic at times. I was changing my oil too, using expensive Synthetic, about a $60 shop equivalent oil change done myself in my Houston Apt complex and a tow truck guy says I can't do it because it's illegal / I'd spill oil.

Man, I guess 60 dollars is nothing when you have a 20,000 dollar bike collection.