City Boots 3,493 Vehicles, Threatens Seizure Of 183,293

Chicago Sun-Times:

Scrounging for cash to erase a threatened $300 million year-end shortfall, Chicago is going after motorists with two unpaid tickets older than one year with a vengeance -- by mailing 183,293 seizure notices and booting 3,493 vehicles.

Read the whole story: Chicago Sun-Times

Comments

[mergina]

Ticket tow boot fine tax Ticket tow boot fine tax Ticket tow boot fine tax Ticket tow boot fine tax. This is ALL our illustrious mayor and his band of merry thieves can ever come up with to MISmanage a city's finances.
WELCOME TO SHIKAHGOH!

[garystartswithg]

Ok so I am not from Chicago but if you park a car and don't pay then i think you are supposed to get a ticket just about anywhere. a couple tickets and you get a boot. It makes perfect sense to tow cars that haven't paid. A car is a responsibility and you should park it responsibly -- other people like to park their cars too. If you have a good spot and expired meter that isn't exactly what you were supposed to learn about sharing in kindergarten.

[mergina]

So you are not from SHIKAHGOH. Here you dont have to be illegally parked to get ticketed or towed. THAT IS THE SHIKAHGOH WAY.

[47th]

Exactly! You can certainly be ticketed or towed in Chicago while legally parked.

[ChiGuy]

Follow parking regulations, and you won't have any trouble.

Period.

[mergina]

B.S.

[ChiGuy]

Really?
Because I do, and I've had one ticket in the past 15 years, and it was because I had to stay over out of town one extra day.
I paid the fine immediately, rather than wait over a year like the cl owns the city wants to go after..
(And by the way, I park on the streets overnight)

[robbor]

Last January my 25 cent parking meter expired up on the north side. When I returned to my car I was welcomed with a $50.00 parking ticket. This was just days before the city sold it's meters to a private enterprise for a couple billion dollars. Soon expect multi-dollar an hour street parking rates 24/7.

[qwerty47150]

Seizing vehicles for two unpaid tickets? BS


http://web.mit.edu/dryfoo/www/Info/boot.html

[ChiGuy]

Why is it BS? If someone breaks a parking regulation, do they NOT deserve a ticket?

If they ignore the ticket (and the 2 subsequent notices over the course of 3 months sent by mail from the City), and then go and put themselves in position to deserve another ticket which they again ignore, why shouldn't the city, any city, be allowed to use means to force people to pay their fines?

Yes, yes, I understand that some people cannot afford the steep fines. But the city will set up payment plans with anyone who asks.

Personally, I like driving through my neighborhood and seeing that the boot crew has been through in the past day or so. The pretty yellow devices add wonderful color to my day.

The bottom line is, if you ignore the regulations that everyone knows are in place, be prepared to pay the price.

[nemain]

Remind me to look you up when i run out of $16.00 worth of quarters for the meters.

[serpentinista]

your argument would hold if the city was fair about their issuing of tickets. I got a ticket bc my plate fell off and I put on the windshield temporarily. Ticket! It's a money operation! The fundamental ideal of enforcing parking laws is being abused and there seems to be little accountability.

Also sounds like you are happy with the city, so why bother posting your comments... just go about your happy day...

[serpentinista]

It's time for the Daley administration to get the boot. It might sound extreme, but the 'city' is making it difficult for many people to make Chicago a place to live (long-term, raise kids here, &c.)! Some measures the city has taken are well intended, but they are extreme for the average person with an average income! Seizing your vehicle for two unpaid tickets is an extreme and draconian measure.

[ChiGuy]

See my reply to qwerty above.

As for Daley? yeah, he has got to go. But for FAR more important reasons than this.

This situation is no one's fault but those who ignore the parking regulations, and then ignore the city's multiple notifications/ warnings.