Shady Chicago Parking Tickets and Towing! (to buy, price, shop)

[ChiGirl33]

I'm fairly new to Chicago and I unfortunately have to have a car here because I work out in the suburbs. I have witnessed the horrors of having a car in Chicago already!

A couple Fridays ago I pulled into a parking spot on the street according to my Verizon Wireless Phone at exactly 6:30pm. The sign just said no parking 4:30-6:30pm M-F so I figured I was completely fine. Note there were multiple cars ALREADY parked along the street. I continued to walk down the block to meet some friends and looked back and my car was fine. The next day I go back to get my car and IT'S GONE!! I figured out that it had been towed and I called to ask why. They told me they had towed me at 6:28pm!!!! UNBELIEVEABLE!! This is completely shady because I know this was not true.. $240 later I got my car back. Needless to say I have purchased a parking spot since then so I don't have to deal with shady Chicago parking!

My question is: Has anyone else witnessed an unfair tow or ticket like this? Is there anything you can do about it or is it just their word against yours?

[PokerPlayer1]

It's crooked but unfortunately, it's standard.

[Costa Rica Chica]

Yes. I parked on a street with parking meters, paid the meter, adn ran into a coffee shop for approximately 2 minutes to buy coffee. When I came out, my car was in the process of being towed. I told the guy I had paid the meter and he said there was no meter parking on that street between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. I asked where the sign was that said that, and there was one tiny sign, on the corner at the beginning of the block. You would have to walk almost a whole city block to see the sign. It was February and my gloves were in the car and the guy wouldn't even let me get my gloves out. $250.

[long101]

Yes unfourtanetly it is the norm. Ive received countless tickets most were my fault, but some were just shady and bs. They should really just increase the sticker cost to 200 bucks and not issue bs tickets and tow you for bs reasons. It would wind up costing us the same $ but would be less of a hassle.

[Avengerfire]

As far as I know a street that is no parking 4:30-6:30 is very rare. No parking 4:00-6:00 is the norm.
What street and block was this at?

[dementor]

Originally Posted by Costa Rica Chica

Yes. I parked on a street with parking meters, paid the meter, adn ran into a coffee shop for approximately 2 minutes to buy coffee. When I came out, my car was in the process of being towed. I told the guy I had paid the meter and he said there was no meter parking on that street between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. I asked where the sign was that said that, and there was one tiny sign, on the corner at the beginning of the block. You would have to walk almost a whole city block to see the sign. It was February and my gloves were in the car and the guy wouldn't even let me get my gloves out. $250.

I was visiting my friends and stayed over night to find my car ticketed. (N/W Chicago)
It turned out that in some parts of Chicago they posts street cleaning/no parking sign on trees No, really, they actually nail them to trees every time they clean the street. You can't really see them and since they are made of paper some of them are gone before the end of the day but the ticket will be there no matter what....

Chicago is famous for being disorganized and crooked... but it is a great city

[Costa Rica Chica]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

As far as I know a street that is no parking 4:30-6:30 is very rare. No parking 4:00-6:00 is the norm.
What street and block was this at?

It could have been 4:00 - 6:00, it was months ago - I don't remember that well. It was just off of Michicgan Ave., a few blocks south of the Spertus Institute. It might have been East 11th Street because there was a BestWestern there - they helped me call a cab.

The yellow tow trucks are like sharks, looking for prey. I have seen them wait while someone runs in somewhere for a split second. Then they swoop in. I hate them.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Costa Rica Chica

...It was just off of Michicgan Ave., a few blocks south of the Spertus Institute. It might have been East 11th Street because there was a BestWestern there...

What about you ChiGirl33? What street was this on and what block?

[long101]

Originally Posted by dementor

I was visiting my friends and stayed over night to find my car ticketed. (N/W Chicago)
It turned out that in some parts of Chicago they posts street cleaning/no parking sign on trees No, really, they actually nail them to trees every time they clean the street. You can't really see them and since they are made of paper some of them are gone before the end of the day but the ticket will be there no matter what....

Chicago is famous for being disorganized and crooked... but it is a great city

I hate those damn temp signs! I parked my car on Sunday at a spot that has street cleaning on the 1st thursday of the month (which was 2 weeks away). On tuesday I get a ticket, I guess some idiots posted signs on trees on Monday for a street cleaning on Tuesday. Since I dont drive my car everyday I got fcked.

[dementor]

Originally Posted by long101

I hate those damn temp signs! I parked my car on Sunday at a spot that has street cleaning on the 1st thursday of the month (which was 2 weeks away). On tuesday I get a ticket, I guess some idiots posted signs on trees on Monday for a street cleaning on Tuesday. Since I dont drive my car everyday I got fcked.

Yup. There you go. Why can't the city put up a real sign, let people get used to the schedule as opposed to ambushing them with last minute, hard-to-see signs. For me, I have never seen a "no parking/street cleaning" sign stapled to a tree so I did not even look there. I paid my price.

I can't believe the city can get away with this...