Reader Opinions
The following opinions are not necessarily those of the Chicago Dispatcher.
Tips for contesting a fly ticket, and possibly moving violations.
1. Chicago police department, Office of Emergency Management that is in charge of traffic aides, and the Department of Revenue obviously know their legal responsibilities in issuing parking tickets. According to Ordinance number 9-64-220 Parking Violation - Enforcement - Prima Facie Responsibility Designated: “(B) Whenever a vehicle is parked in violation of any provision of the traffic code prohibiting or restricting vehicular parking or standing, any police officer, traffic control aide, other designated number of the police dept, parking enforcement aide or other person designated by the city parking administrator observing such violation may issue a parking violation notice and serve the notice on the owner of the vehicle by handing it to the operator of the vehicle, if he is present, or by affixing it to the vehicle in a conspicuous place. The issuer of the notice shall specify on the notice his identification number, a particular parking regulation allegedly violated, a make and state registration number of the cited vehicle, and the place, date, time and nature of the alleged violation and shall certify the correctness of the specified information by signing his name as provided in section 11-208.3 of the Illinois vehicle code.”
I am personally aware of the fact that when traffic aides write a ticket on a taxi or any vehicle and they actually drive off when the ticket is written, they are required to fill out a form stating that in fact the vehicle drove off and they are also required to turn in the written ticket. I'm assuming that the police department and the Department of Revenue have a policy that is comparable because of the serious problem “fly-tickets” have been in our business. The city officials in charge of these departments deserve credits for the dramatic reduction in fly-tickets to taxis.
2. Here are more ordinances that a driver may also read to a hearing officer when a fly ticket is being contested:
9-48-060 Taxicabs - Stopping, Standing and Parking: “(B) No driver, involved in the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers, shall be charged with a violation of any parking ordinance contained in this code, unless such driver fails to move his vehicle after having been directed by a police office or traffic control aide to do so.”
9-64-020 Parallel Parking - Obstruction of Traffic: “(B) Shall be unlawful to stand or park any vehicle upon any street in such a manner or under such condition as to leave available less than 18 feet of the width of the roadway for free movement of vehicular traffic on a two-way street or less than 10 feet of the width of the roadway for free movement of vehicular traffic on a one-way street.”
The following is usually given a moving violation, so this information may also be beneficial, but this kind of ticket is not known as a parking fly ticket:
9-40-130 Obstruction of Traffic: “The operator of a vehicle shall not sole operate the vehicle as to form an unreasonable obstruction to traffic.”
Good luck to all my fellow cabdrivers in fighting your fly tickets. May all this information be of help to you. Please clip and save for future references.
