Is it worth filing a civil law suit over this (parking ticket)? (Chicago: 2015, condominium)

[UC18]

Originally Posted by Caldus

I live in Old Town and have a residential parking permit for the street I live on. I never have trouble finding parking otherwise. I don't drive to work. I take the El every day and leave my car parked on the street.

Oh...Sorry, I thought this happened at work rather than home, but the same principle applies. I actually have slightly less sympathy for you now-- I was thinking you didn't want to park far away and walk because you would have been late for work. Since you were just going home, though, you could have parked further away (yes, even if that means another neighborhood) and just been a little later getting home, or fed the meter until the street sweeper hours were over (the lazier option, which is what I probably would have done in this weather). This is all assuming you're able bodied, but if you're not I would hope you'd have a handicapped parking space in front of your home.

Personally, if I lived that close to downtown and was able to take the El to work, I probably wouldn't bother owning a car. If I DID own a car, I would factor parking costs (whether it be a private space, meter, or the occasional ticket when I "have to" park illegally) into my budget.

[Caldus]

Originally Posted by UC18

Oh...Sorry, I thought this happened at work rather than home, but the same principle applies. I actually have slightly less sympathy for you now-- I was thinking you didn't want to park far away and walk because you would have been late for work. Since you were just going home, though, you could have parked further away (yes, even if that means another neighborhood) and just been a little later getting home, or fed the meter until the street sweeper hours were over (the lazier option, which is what I probably would have done in this weather). This is all assuming you're able bodied, but if you're not I would hope you'd have a handicapped parking space in front of your home.

Personally, if I lived that close to downtown and was able to take the El to work, I probably wouldn't bother owning a car. If I DID own a car, I would factor parking costs (whether it be a private space, meter, or the occasional ticket when I "have to" park illegally) into my budget.

Again, I do not drive to or from work. I commute via the El. I was trying to move my car before going to work that morning. I was going to move the car to a legal spot and then head to the train but there were no spots left on the street.

[blktoptrvl]

Originally Posted by reneeh63

I'm sorry...but I have to ask - how old are you? Are you a Millennial? Why would you ever think that just because you SAY there's no place to park that it would be a legal excuse to break the law?

If you'd been willing to walk further, or pay money you could have found a space - you chose instead to be lazy and cheap - TICKET - case closed - no pouting or stomping allowed.

Originally Posted by Caldus

I provided evidence to them that several spaces were blocked off for parking because of CTA maintenance. That in combination of everyone having to find a spot on the other side of the street only during street cleaning would be enough evidence.

And I think you are missing my point ... yes, technically, I could have gone somewhere and paid to park. You know that parking downtown is not cheap. So because CTA had to do their maintenance, I was forced to either pay a fine or pay pretty much the same amount of money just to park. So either way I get screwed. Is that what they expect people to do? Just say "oh well, couldn't find parking, so I guess I have to shell out $50 today to park". Is that what you would do in this situation and not even be upset about it?

I agree with Reneeh63...

I lived in Philadelphia. In a neighborhood also with parking permits for residents. In addition, it was in a University area so students often filled parking spots and neighborhood residents could not always find a free space.

There were times when I came home and there was no parking available. In those instances, I would sometime drive around for a half hour to 45 minutes looking for something else. Once, I ended up parking about 8 blocks (about a mile) from my home - and that was only temporary because I knew I had to get up in the morning to move my car or I would get a ticket in the spot I found.

So, I rose early - a few hours after getting to sleep, and went to move my car.
On a couple occasions I had to park - not quite as far away - and didn't wake in time. Tickets.

In addition to students there was always something else, street cleaning, street repair, repair of private buildings with work trucks outside; repair of the SEPTA trolley tracks.

You grumble, you pay them, that's it.

There is no crying in Baseball. Although you can cry about a ticket, it won't make any difference so why bother.

[UC18]

Originally Posted by Caldus

Again, I do not drive to or from work.

I know. I thought I made it clear in the email to which you're replying that I fully understood this. Again, the same principle applies for parking at home as it does for parking anywhere else: If you can't find a free spot nearby, go further away (even if it means parking in a different neighborhood), or pay. This is understood by everyone I've ever known who owns a car in the city (let alone people who live as close to downtown as you do), so I'm not sure what you're not getting.

Having a residential parking permit does not guarantee you a parking space. It just means you only have to compete for spaces with your neighbors and their guests, rather than having to compete with everyone. Not finding a legal space does not give you license to park in an illegal space. You violated the law. They violated no law in ticketing you for violating the law. You have no case.

Originally Posted by Caldus

I was going to move the car to a legal spot and then head to the train

In that case, you could have driven your car to any train stop with parking nearby and taken the train to work from there; then taken the train back to that spot and driven home after street sweeper hours. You wouldn't have even had to walk home from some far-away parking spot. It doesn't get much simpler. Or, you could have driven all the way to work, and likely parked for much cheaper than the cost of your ticket. Okay, now I officially have no sympathy left for you.

[Caldus]

Fair enough. It sounds like this is a pretty standard deal for everyone with a car in the city.

[skipcromer]

Yes, file a civil suit. Please let us know how that goes.

[UC18]

Originally Posted by Caldus

Fair enough. It sounds like this is a pretty standard deal for everyone with a car in the city.

I'm curious-- not that you need to justify this to me or anyone else-- but why do you own a car when you live downtown and don't use it to get to work? Do you do road trips most weekends? If you only use it one or two weekends a month, it's probably cheaper to rent. I wish I didn't need my car for work-- I'd be happy to ditch mine.

And yes, people who want a guaranteed parking space near their residence usually just get a residence that includes parking. That's the only way to guarantee it, even in neighborhoods that are far less central and dense than Old Town. Of course, that costs more than an occasional parking ticket, though.

[Freefall18]

I want to file a civil suit against you for making me read this nonsense.

[lenniel]

Originally Posted by Caldus

I provided evidence to them that several spaces were blocked off for parking because of CTA maintenance. That in combination of everyone having to find a spot on the other side of the street only during street cleaning would be enough evidence.

And I think you are missing my point ... yes, technically, I could have gone somewhere and paid to park. You know that parking downtown is not cheap. So because CTA had to do their maintenance, I was forced to either pay a fine or pay pretty much the same amount of money just to park. So either way I get screwed. Is that what they expect people to do? Just say "oh well, couldn't find parking, so I guess I have to shell out $50 today to park". Is that what you would do in this situation and not even be upset about it?

So, let me get this right......You want to fight a ticket because you parked in a spot that was clearly marked "No Parking" and your reason that you shouldn't have to pay the ticket is that you think the city should be sympathetic that your only options were:
A) park further away and have to walk a little more than you wanted to
B) It would have been expensive to park in a garage.

Guess what, welcome to big boy life. You challenged the parking gods and lost. You will not win your case, not matter how legitimate you think your EXCUSES are.

Pay the fine and consider it a lesson learned.

[ChicagoMeO]

Caldus - pay the ticket.. you admitted you broke the law by parking in a spot where there were warning signs.. your excuse - no where else to park. you cant just park wherever you want just because you have no where else to go. you should have made other travel plans if parking is that hard. so you broke the law and then ranted that the city is just out to make money. yes it is true that the city is out to make money, but they did warn you, so you cannnot blame them for stealing when they warned you.