Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
I got a parking ticket today for parking in an area where the sign said no parking from 2:30 to 3:30 on school days. (It's by a school.)
When I parked, the time was about 12:30, and there were many cars. The time on the ticket is about 3 o' clock, which is within the time frame.
However, I am in summer school right now, and my roommate, who is a teacher, is out of school as well. When there were all those cars parked there, and the regular school year has ended for me and even my roommate, how am I supposed to know that that particular school isn't out yet? It doesn't specify when school days are. I saw no buses, which I usually see, even around 12 and 1 o' clock.
Can I fight this?
Tracie
Tracie-
Most likely, you can fight and win this. My opinion is based on the date of your ticket and my assumption that the vast majority of public and parochial schools were out for summer vacation. Therefore, these signs restricting parking because of school do not apply.
As far as notice of when school days are, my advice is to stay out of school parking zones all the time, even during the summer, just to be absolutely confident you don't get a ticket. Otherwise, be sure you know the school schedule and abide by it.
To fight your ticket, it would be wise to check with the school to make sure there was no summer school program at this school, or this particular school is not one of those new schools with a year-around curriculum. If either situation was the case, your case is going to be much harder to make.
It sure would help to get a copy of the school's academic calendar and perhaps a note from the principal or someone in the office to support your assertion.
Present this documentation along with your testimony in a letter or in-person at a hearing and you should walk out with a smile and a dismissal.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
Dear Ticket Geek:
I've recently fallen victim to yet another in a long string of city run scams aimed at stealing our property so as to hold it for ransom.
Along a certain downtown metered street, there are signs indicating 'street cleaning' every Thursday running April thru Nov or something to that effect - which is all fine & good except that the signs themselves are entirely obscured. The first sign down the road quite a ways is quite literally IN a tree. The second is actually attached to a light post which one would absolutely not be able to see through another tree's leaves.
Anyway, they were having a ball towing the many cars whose owners lacked x-ray vision - including mine. I happened to have a camera available - snapped pictures - and sent in my contest to the ticket replete with copies of receipts, photos, and a detailed explanation.
Around 4 weeks later, I get a letter from the city that is basically just a duplicate of the violation notice. Upon calling, they're claiming they never received any correspondence from me contesting the ticket. I know Chicago mail is a joke, but really ... they never got it? Frankly, I suspect they DID get it & just tossed it in the garbage in hopes that I'd just give up & pay.
So what happens if this IS just a new city tactic to continue robbing its citizens of their money? If I just send in ANOTHER contest to the ticket - what if they throw it out AGAIN & then try to charge me DOUBLE?
Jason
Jason-
While I share your frustration and am usually someone who loves a good conspiracy theory, I don't think your situation is one of them.
More likely, it's just a fine example of the wonderful clock-like efficiency of our Dept. of Revenue. Your case is not unique. I hear lots of stories of hearing requests that are lost or allegedly never received.
That's why I would never send a hearing request or a contest letter by regular mail. Instead, I would spend the extra $3 bucks or so and send it registered mail just to make sure the geniuses at the DOR receive it. Then you have absolute proof you sent it.
But if I were you, at this point, I would run down to a hearing center with your photo evidence and any other documentation and evidence, and get a hearing on your tickets. Do this as soon as possible.
From the timeline you lay out in your note, your tickets may have gone into Determination of Liability status. This means you can still have your hearing, but you will have to file a motion to have the determination status dismissed. This is done at the same time of your ticket hearings--in fact, before your tickets will be heard.
The hearing officer will have to determine if your are within the 21 days from the Notice of Determination and if there is good cause. In your case, I can't imagine that your story wouldn't be considered good cause.
Finally, from what you're telling me, it sounds like you should be able to punt these tickets straight through the uprights. It should be an easy win for you.
Good luck, but get going before your time runs out. And of course, keep the Geek posted on what happens.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
Dear Parking Ticket Geek,
Here is my story:
I have been visiting my new girlfriend pretty regularly over the past month. She lives in Chicago by Harlem and Belmont. I live in Schiller Park; that's where my car is registered.
Now when I bought my car from an individual seller from Chicago, he left his 2001 city sticker on there, I never removed it because I didn't think it was a big deal.
Anyways, this morning I received a $120 ticket for "no city sticker/improper display".
My question is, why did I receive this ticket when my car is actually not registered to the city of Chicago?
Is it possible the cop didn't pull up my information, saw the old sticker and just gave me the ticket?
How can I go about fighting this ticket? I thought about going to the Schiller Park Police Station for more advice, but also wanted to ask you, since I have noticed that you are very knowledgeable about city laws and fighting erroneous tickets. :)
Thank you for your time.
DG
Dear DG
Another crap ticket courtesy of the city of Chicago.
If a cop wrote this ticket, they were being lazy and should have looked up where your plates were registered. Instead they took the easy way out and wrote the ticket.
But, the good news is, that contesting this will be like taking candy from a baby.
You live in Schiller Park. You don't need a Chicago city sticker.
Contest the ticket. Explain you don't live in Chicago, but in Schiller Park. Provide a copy of your current registration. Ticket dismissed. You win!
Do yourself a favor DG. Call or go down to Schiller Park village hall and look into getting a Schiller Park village sticker. Stick it where the Chicago city sticker would go, on the passenger's extreme right of the windshield. Most suburbs provide them at little or no cost so Chicago cops or PEA's know you don't live in Chicago and should not ticket you for that violation.
A Schiller Park sticker should prevent this from happening again and allow you to concentrate on spending more time hanging out with your girlfriend.
Very truly yours,
The Parking Ticket Geek
Every week, The Parking Ticket Geek doles out his insipid brand of Chicago parking ticket advice.
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