The parking meter revolt rolls on? Chicago getting fed up

The parking meter revolt rolls on? Chicago getting fed up

www.examiner.com

"Meters clogged with expanding foam and super glue, stolen meter heads, and parking meters knocked over by cars."

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.wbbm780.com

Chicago is known by many as a city of corrupt politicians. So what do you do when your politicians aren't listening? Take the matter in to your own hands apparently. On the North Side of Chicago, residents are revolting against the new spike in meter parking price. Some have used putty to fill the meters coin slots and some have out and out ripped them from the ground!

This may seem like a small "revolt" if you even want to call it that, but this has not happened in a while, especially in Chicago, a city that is not used to standing up to their "chosen leaders". I strongly disagree with the idiot(s) leaving messages such as "KILL COPS" etc. That is not how you are going to get them to listen. But to those Chicagoans refusing to park at a meter or performing non-threatening protests keep up the people's work.

www.examiner.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I wonder what happens to the folks who just happen to park in a spot with a vandalized meter?

If an entire block has been vandalized they realistically cant drive around until they find a working one.

So, do they get a ticket? Do they get accused of vandalizing the meter? Can you get away with parking at a working meter, vandalizing it, then fighting your ticket by claiming it was busted when you parked there?

Block every meter across the country. They dont have enough wreckers or boots for everyone I dont imagine.

I dont live anywhere near any parking meters though. The closest one is like 50 miles away.

Anything to keep money out of government hands is a good thing. Any amount of money any government.

I live in Chicago and the parking marking situation is horrible. Yes, we have very corrupt politicians, yes the Chicago machine is highly effective. But with regard to meters specifically those were sold to a private company a few years ago, over time the rates have gone up exponentially, Sundays used to be free, not any more. I agree the "kill cops" graffiti is wrong, on many levels including the fact the cops are not responsible for the meters in any way. I, personally, would not vandalize the meters but I definately do not use them. Now, the city and the state both want to raise taxes because of a roughly 20 billion dollar deficit, yet sources of income, like the meters, have been outsourced to the private sector. Its a mad mad world.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere



Yes, you will get a ticket and if you question it, they will give you a number to call to clear up the "broken" meter issue. Usually, there is no answer at the number provided and you end up either going to court or simply paying the fine.

[edit on 6/5/2009 by greeneyedleo]

reply to post by greeneyedleo


Should this result in an increase in taxes and meter fees the key is to continue refusal to pay.

Keep refusing no matter what.

The best thing that can happen to these bankrupt cities filled to the brim with corrupt politics and dependent people is complete collapse.

expanding foam

seems like a good plan to me, in principle i agree with paying for parking but if the money isn't being ringfenced for use in the upkeep of the streets and is instead going to private companies.........expanding foam sounds like a plan.

does america have speed cameras on the roads yet? if not you gonna love those.

reply to post by MR BOB


Some areas do.

Speeding cameras on the highways and redlight cameras at intersections.

They're starting to add new ATM parking machines allover the north side. $1 an hrs parking, you gotta love it!!! Two tickets and you get the big yellow boot.

reply to post by MR BOB


Yes we have speed cameras, and in Chicago we also have those nifty random cameras that simply record you going shopping or walking or whatever. They are supposed stop or reduce crime, yet our crime level has increased even with the camera, and in violent crimes have not lead to an increase in arrests of the perp.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Speeding cameras on the highways

there's the issue, speeding on a highway........common but not really bad
speeding outside a school....uncommon but really bad.

if the camera is to make life safer, the cameras would be outside a school, if they're there to make money from fining people, they're on the highway.

reply to post by pieman


Passing laws and the subsequent "enforcement" of laws has always been more about making money than about safety.

If people are going to break a law they are going to do it regardless of the law or how many laws are stacked against them. They're either insane, not expecting to get caught, or just dont care. Pretending laws deter or prevent is ridiculous. All they do is create dependents through imprisonment and provide a revenue stream through "fines."

If the government were really concerned about safety repeat offenders would just get put down and every citizen would be free to arm and protect themselves as they see fit.

Originally posted by searching4truth
reply to post by MR BOB

 

Yes we have speed cameras, and in Chicago we also have those nifty random cameras that simply record you going shopping or walking or whatever. They are supposed stop or reduce crime, yet our crime level has increased even with the camera, and in violent crimes have not lead to an increase in arrests of the perp.

Those ugly blue cameras are somewhat working. I lived in one of those areas and the crime rate did come down after the cameras went up.

Originally posted by searching4truth
reply to post by MR BOB

 

Yes we have speed cameras, and in Chicago we also have those nifty random cameras that simply record you going shopping or walking or whatever. They are supposed stop or reduce crime, yet our crime level has increased even with the camera, and in violent crimes have not lead to an increase in arrests of the perp.

That would be because the cameras job isn't to help with crime.....its used to track people of interest.

A good way to protest without vandalism, is to simply not do any commerce in those areas.

We don't NEED trifles of material things if we feel strongly enough about the meter issue.

That purse, pair of shoes, etc...isn't worth giving up our fundamental liberties and deeply held convictions.

Explore alternatives.

reply to post by GENERAL EYES


That's good and all but what of those who work in the area?

I used to work in a metered city for the citys 2nd largest employer. The only options were pay lots and pay garages.

Of course those who were able to and were pissed off enough would park outside of town and bike or walk a mile or so in.

Since most cities cant impose their own income tax as the state and fed can they bill you for the audacity of having a job through pay lots and meters.

How dare people work for a living.

Originally posted by GENERAL EYES
A good way to protest without vandalism, is to simply not do any commerce in those areas.

We don't NEED trifles of material things if we feel strongly enough about the meter issue.

That purse, pair of shoes, etc...isn't worth giving up our fundamental liberties and deeply held convictions.

Explore alternatives.

Originally posted by ddacunha
They're starting to add new ATM parking machines allover the north side. $1 an hrs parking, you gotta love it!!! Two tickets and you get the big yellow boot.

Yesterday i had some business in the loop to attend to, i ended up parking across from the art institute on columbus drive. I nearly took a rock to the new credit card accepting meter... 5 minutes per quarter!

I can confirm the two tickets and on the third you get a boot. Every day i see at least one boot on a car and always a hand full of tickets on others. Just about every block has signs claiming street cleaning, if not every week at least once a month, so whether they clean or not, if you are parked on the wrong side of the street... you get a $50 ticket.

This past winter in the middle of the night, the city moved a bus sign on my street... myself and three other cars received tickets. Lucky for me, I went to the alderman's office and one of their interns wrote a letter on my behalf which nulled the ticket.

This year i'm having trouble passing my emission test due to some main computer malfunction and my state license sticker expired so i have been picking up temporary license permits and placing them in the rear window... because it's now required to show proof of passing your emissions test before you are allowed to renew your license. Well, just last week i receive a ticket in the mail with a digital color picture of the rear of my car and license plate (talk about creepy) stating that my license expired... turns out they didn't bother to look in the rear window for the permit.

These ticket-trigger-happy racketeering vultures are so money/quota hungry... no wonder people are taking out their frustrations on the meters... better the meters then the meter-maids.

btw... anytime i come across a dead or malfunctioning meter i tie a plastic bag over it, and i haven't received a ticket yet... knock on wood

[edit on 5-6-2009 by The All Seeing I]