Shoutout to that lawyer who told me parking tickets were cheaper than private lots

I used to fight every $60 ticket I got in Wicker Park until my buddy who handles traffic court said just pay it because private lots here run $35 for two hours. After adding up what I spent on SpotHero fees last year I finally get his point - anyone else figure out the math the hard way?

3 comments

3 Comments

kai_chen24d ago

I read somewhere that Chicago's parking enforcement makes something like $60 million a year from tickets alone. Kinda makes you think they set those private lot prices just to mess with us all.

wilson.olivia3d ago

Oh totally @kai_chen2, it's like every part of city living is designed to nickle and dime you until you just give up and go with the flow! The whole system feels engineered to make the "easy" choice the more expensive one in the long run.

the_jake3d ago

Are we sure the city's really the bad guy here though? Think about it - if you park on the street for free, you're taking up a spot that could be used by a paying customer at a business or someone who actually lives there. The high lot prices just force people to be more responsible about where they leave their cars. And those parking tickets? They're basically a tax on laziness. If you can't be bothered to read a sign or feed a meter, maybe you deserve to pay a little extra. Plus the money from tickets goes right back into city services like fixing potholes and keeping the streets clean. It's not a scam, it's just basic economics.