Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
After attending a party at a restaurant in Chinatown on Saturday, 9 Aug 2008, I came back to my car and found that I had been ticketed for parking at a bus stand. I have to admit I was guilty of trusting the restaurant staff who stood at the door, telling me that it was all right to park there.
I was resolved to pay the $100 fine, until I realized that the "Issue Date" was for 8 Aug 2008. I have an invite for the party and a photo taken at the party of the 9th, but I cannot prove that my car was not parked there on the 8th. If I contest this ticket, do I have a chance of getting it dismissed for the incorrect date?
Does the fact that I live in Naperville, work in Downers Grove, and very very rarely visit the city help me in any way?
Thank you for your help. Love your website.
Regards,
Sandy
Dear Sandy,
Let start by getting the scolding out the way. First, don't park in bus stops! Second, when it comes to parking advice, trust yourself and no one else (except for me, of course). If your gut tells you not to do it, the spot is probably not worth the risk.
OK, down to business.
If the ticket was dated wrong, your ticket defense falls easily into one of the city's seven approved defenses, specifically:
5-The facts alleged in the parking or compliance violation notice are inconsistent or do not support a finding that the specified regulation was violated
Because of this error of the date, you are not liable and the ticket should be dismissed.
That being said, getting it dismissed has a tad bit of difficulty. It basically comes down to your word against the ticket writer's. It certainly helps that you have the invitation and this could be the key to your success.
If you can, I would suggest contesting this in person. I know you live and work out in the suburbs, but you can make a much more impassioned case in person than you can in a letter.
Either way, testify you were NOT in the city the day the ticket was issued, but were in the city on the 9th and show the hearing officer (or mail in a copy of the invite) the invite. Point out the address of the restaurant on the invite is the same or close to the address of the ticket.
Make sure you tell the hearing officer, like listed above, "The facts alleged in the parking or compliance violation notice are inconsistent or do not support a finding that the specified regulation was violated."
DO NOT admit you were in the bus stop. Just state you were not at that location on the 8th, and therefore the ticket was issued improperly.
This should work. Good luck and please keep us posted.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
Hi PTG,
I really need your help, I am in a tight financial situation as the rest of America. As of yesterday I had five tickets that had a notice of seizure connected to them. I paid three of those off. Now that leaves me two.
With two tickets remaining shouldn't I be out of the seizure situation? Please help, I am afraid to move my car.
Iman
Dear Iman,
Dude, my ass is broke, too. So I understand your pain. In fact, this Ticket Geek gig pays SQUAT!
But unfortunately, the answer to your question is NO, you are not out of Seizure Status if you only paid three of the five tickets in Final Determination.
Sorry to say, you still need to pay those remaining tickets to avoid being booted.
According to Ed Walsh, spokesperson for the city's Department of Revenue, once your vehicle is in Seizure Status, you need to pay ALL tickets in Final Determination to lift that status.
Now, understand that Notice of Seizure is not the same thing as Seizure Status. The Seizure Notice gives you 21 days to either appeal (which probably 99% people lose) or pay your tickets before you can be booted.
The key advice to everyone is this: Make sure you NEVER have more than two unpaid tickets in Final Determination. Once you get that that third ticket, pay it right away so you don't go into Seizure Status and have to pay ALL your tickets.
I would advise checking the city's parking ticket search site once a month. And make sure you check by license plate AND your driver's license number. Because it's technically not the number of tickets per vehicle, but tickets by registered owner. In other words, if you own three vehicles in your name, and you have a single ticket on each car, each of the cars could be eligible for the boot. It used to be hard for the city to link all the vehicles together, but the city's database technology is getting faster and better. So be careful!
Iman, if you're still short on cash, do what I do and sell some blood or do whatever you have to do to pay those tickets by the deadline given on your Seizure Notice so you don't go out one day and see the dreaded boot on your car.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
Every week, The Parking Ticket Geek doles out his insipid brand of Chicago parking ticket advice.
If you have a question for The Parking Ticket Geek, please e-mail the Geek at: askthegeek@theexpiredmeter.com
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