December 1 law sees 244 cars towed on first day as drivers fight $235 fees and to get their vehicles back from impound
On the first day of a winter parking restriction, hundreds of drivers had their cars towed overnight, leaving them stranded with a minimum fine of $235 while they battle to retrieve their vehicles from impound lots.
Every December, the parking ordinance goes into effect, but several motorists failed to relocate their cars in time to avoid being towed early on Monday morning.
The yearly regulation prohibits vehicles from parking on 107 miles of Chicago’s main street between the hours of 3 and 7 am between December 1 and April 1.
However, because Sunday fell on the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the city permitted a grace period.
Rather, the city posted warning flyers on cars that were parked illegally before enforcing the restriction beginning early Monday.
According to CBS affiliate WBBM-TV, the city reported that 244 cars were towed overnight.
READ MORE ON PARKING LAWS
Drivers are also hit with a $60 ticket, a $150 towing fee, and a $25 daily storage fee.
If automobile owners fail to pick up their vehicles, the daily storage cost will increase the charges by $25 on top of the minimum $235 punishment.
Drivers wake up to discover their automobiles gone from their parking spaces as tow trucks haul them to one of the city’s two impound lots.
Keileh Callahan, a resident of Chicago, told WBBM-TV, “I have to get up really early because I’m a teacher, and my car was towed.”
Since I’ve only been here three months, I was unaware.
“I learned my lesson.”
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To find out where their vehicles was taken, residents who had their car towed can call 311.
Some cars failed to see the warning signs put on the streets affected by the law, which is in effect every day regardless of snowfall.
Connor Wheeler, whose car was towed, told WBBM-TV, “I went to the gym, went to go have a workout, had my bag in my hand – and then my car was gone.”
“Kind of a burden in my day, and now I’ve got to figure this out, and God knows how long this is going to take.”
What to do if your car is towed
Whether done correctly or not, getting a towed car back can be difficult.
There are a few procedures to follow if your car is towed after you parked in a “No Parking” area or for any other justifiable reason.
What to do if your automobile is being towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
You can challenge the action by taking the following actions if you believe your car was wrongfully towed:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: National General, Oregon Department of Justice, and Rak Law Firm
In the event that snow begins to fall, the crackdown guarantees that emergency vehicles, snow plows, and buses can navigate Chicago’s congested streets.
When two or more inches of snow are predicted, Chicago extends the parking restriction to prohibit automobiles on 500 kilometers of city streets.
Cars parked illegally may be penalized or moved when the two-inch ban is in effect.
CHICAGO’S PARKING RULES
The yearly parking prohibition coincides with the implementation of another traffic ordinance that will affect Chicagoans on December 5.
Drivers who park in bus or bike lanes will be automatically ticketed as part of the city’s Smart Streets plan.
Read More on The US Sun
When drivers are caught parking illegally by newly placed cameras throughout the city, they will be fined $250.
For the first 30 days of the new measures, written warnings will be sent out.
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