Chicagoist: Parking Tickets: Lucrative, Unfair

Chicagoist Margaret

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:06:23 -0600

Guest 13, I have no idea what you're talking about--I didn't strike any comments.

guest

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:52:35 -0600

Thanks for striking the comments of Spook and I, Margaret. Do much Communism lately?

guest

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 11:45:49 -0600

Don't understand the "musclar" comment. You should make fun of other religious icons...but I bet you won't.

Bekki

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:42:28 -0600

Any one know what's going on with that I-pass-like thing for the parking meters? I thought it was going on sale this week, but haven't seen nor heard anything about it since it was announced a few weeks ago.

thirdshiftdave

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 01:39:12 -0600

I definitely won't contest by mail again. I got a residential zone ticket on my street which is not a residential zone. I sent them photographs and a polite letter and was denied. They don't even give you a reason to wrap your head around, just a form letter. In any case, if you can't afford the risk of losing for no reason, I would recommend contesting in person.

guest

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:46:00 -0600

Wait, some people didn't know to contest a ticket if they think it's wrongly issued? Oh Chicagoist, whatever would we do without you? Great tutorial on this too. Really walks someone through the system.

guest

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:26:08 -0600

Actually, the cops or bodies that issue the tickets are never in court. Why? Because there is no court for tickets. They send you to a hearing officer and you present said hearing officer with your evidence. This is if you do not contest by mail. Ferdy, you're such a Chicago expert. On a side note, if you get a traffic ticket and you request a court date, you will walk. That is, you'll walk unless you're a total jag-off to the cop when he or she pulled you over. You see, you go into the court room and wait. The judge calls the case. You and the officer approach the stand. Judge asks cop if he or she remembers the violation. Cop says "no." You walk. Again, this is unless you are a total jagoff to the cop, which is what most of you on this site probably are, seeing as you're anti-po pos and all. Either way, the cop gets overtime for showing up to court.

Ontology

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:07:46 -0600

I know it's not really the best idea to question the fine men and women of the Chicago PD on Chicagoist, but sometimes I really have to wonder what they're doing. I got two tickets last month for out of date plates. I received them within a week of each other. They were from two different officers. My plates weren't out of date. Sticker clearly reads "08/08". I'm contesting the tickets (via mail), but I'm left wondering how such a weird mistake gets made twice. How many of those 2 million tickets are wrongfully issued? That's what I wanna know.

xlprq

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 16:20:39 -0600

Sweet, muscular Jesus?

E

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:59:05 -0600

Hey, no-name #2, I'm guessing that a defense of "A lot of tickets get dismissed" won't get you too far...

guest

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:56:29 -0600

You can also contest via mail. I've done it successfully four or five times. On only one occasion was my request was denied. None of the incidents ended in a court appearance, so it was well worth the time and effort. Always contest if you've been wrongly cited.

guest

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:36:08 -0600

"most tickets are dismissed because the cop who issued them did not show up in court." Not true, you take many steps to contest before a court date. I've gotten two bogus tickets; its a matter of calling a number and going over all the info with the people. I'd imagine a small percentage actually go to court and even a smaller percentage are dismissed becuase of it. As a side note, there is a whole city department devoted to just responding to people who contest tickets and answering phones.

Jess D'Amico

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:20:14 -0600

I just got a car in the city, and I'm so afraid of getting a ticket. So when not if it happens, I'm going in with this article.

Ferdy

Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:08:39 -0600

First, it's Zekman. Have some respect for a seasoned veteran. Second, just because 53 percent of tickets are dismissed does not mean they were wrongfully issued. Most tickets are dismissed because the cop who issued them did not show up in court to testify.