No VIN on Parking Ticket in Chicago

[jfrbb]

I live in Illinois.

My parking ticket (for $50!!) in Chicago for today, Marti Luther King Day, was issued without a VIN number.

Can I contest this ticket? Mind you, this is not a typical small town frivolous ticket of $10. If so, how can I do so and win? It would be great to have advice from someone who really knows how this is done.

I'm asking because I think it is just ludicrous that the City gives out tickets for $50 on a holiday . By the way, how was I supposed to know that today was a parking meter day? Please don't say, "the newspapers report this", since I rarely read the newspapers; the parking meter certainly didn't say so. Could I contest it using this defense?

Your help is very much appreciated.

John

P.s. why does this posting mechanism change <Marti(n) Luther King Day> to <****** Luther King Day>?

[Zigner]

Pay the ticket. Based on the facts presented, you have no defense.

[fairisfair]

because the word M@rtin is associated with one of the administrators.

Pay your fine, happy holiday!!

[moburkes]

The assumption is NOT that since its a holiday, you don't have to feed the meters. The assumption is that, absent a sign otherwise, you MUST feed the meter.

[wirry1422]

I issued parking tickets for the city for several years, so that should be enough experience for you. No, you cannot contest the ticket based on the fact that a vin was not recorded. In chicago, as in most cities, a vin number is not required to be recorded unless the vehicle's license plates are absent. In chicago, tickets must be issued with ONE of three identification numbers listed on the citation: license plate number, VIN number, or Chicago city sticker number. If your ticket had one of those three numbers listed, then the other numbers are not required to be listed. As for how you were supposed to know that today was not a meter holiday, the answer is: ignorance of the law is no excuse. The way you should have approached the situation is that you should have assumed that today was not a meter holiday until you have proven to yourself otherwise, either by talking with someone trustworthy, asking an official, calling the city, checking the paper or hearing a newscast, etc. The City of Chicago official parking meter holidays are: New Years Day, Easter (in areas that have Sunday meter hours), Memorial Day, Independance Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, & Christmas Day. You can appeal the ticket, either in-person or by mail (simply follow the instructions on the orange ticket [in small print]). Make sure that you either pay the ticket or send for an appeal within 21 days of receiving the ticket, or that $50 will double to a $100 ticket and will eventually be sent to a collection agency, which will affect your credit, along with possible booting and towing of your vehicle (if this becomes your third unpaid ticket.) So don't ignore the ticket.