‘Too high,’ fumed officer after city towed 7,700 vehicles in four months — he’s calling for an end to a little-known rule

MORE than 7,700 vehicles have been towed due to a little-known parking rule, and a city official is fighting to put an end to the driving drama.

In Chicago, Illinois, drivers can be towed for parking on public curbs during the winter months despite severe weather.

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Many states in colder climates prohibit overnight parking on certain streets during a snowstorm to allow snowplows to work.

During the ban, which typically goes into effect if more than two inches of snow falls, people are asked to park in designated areas for certain times.

If they don’t move the car to make room for the snow plows, drivers could receive a $230 parking ticket.

In Chicago, however, drivers can be towed immediately – resulting in hundreds of dollars in towing and storage fees.

The Windy City has received below-normal snowfall this year, lulling drivers into a false sense of security when it comes to the nighttime ban, CBS News reported.

The nighttime ban begins on December 1 and states that vehicles parked between 3am and 7am on selected streets can be towed without notice.

Even if there is no snow on the ground, the city patrols the streets that are part of the ban to enforce the law.

The ban doesn’t end until April 1 — leaving 121 days for drivers to be careful where they park, whether it snows or not.

Only 15 days of the ban period were there snowfalls that required the use of emergency snow vehicles.

Between December 1 and April 1, the city towed nearly 8,000 cars during the ban.

Councilman Scott Waguespack said the little-known law, which hasn’t been changed since 1980, is expected to undergo some modifications.

“That number of 7,700 seems very high,” he said.

“We have a lot of things that the old system, as it stands, could definitely use an update, amendment or complete dismantling and starting over.”

After reviewing other policies employed by other cities across the country, such as Minneapolis, Minnesota’s policy of issuing a 48-hour warning to drivers if more than three inches of snow is forecast should be considered.

What to do if your car is towed

Unfairly or not, recovering a towed vehicle can be a hassle.

If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are some steps you can take to get it back.

Steps to follow when your car is towed:

• Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
• Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
• Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
• Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.

If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:

• Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
• Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
• Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
• Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
• Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
• Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm

The city also allows residents to return their vehicles to their locations after the plow removes the snow.

Waguespack said people should only move their cars if there is measurable snow to be removed.

“They should be allowed, I think, to remain in those locations until there is a real emergency,” he said.

“It doesn’t take much effort to do a comprehensive study to realize that the system is broken.”

Waguespack sits on the Transportation Committee and plans to bring the issue up for discussion.

He also indicated that, if necessary, he would take the matter to the City Council for review.