CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicagoans are resorting to traditional habits as they clear street parking for themselves and then try to reserve spaces by putting down items to block the spaces. In other words: Dibs.
You’d expect Chicagoans to claim “dibs” after shoveling a clear parking space for their cars after the monstrous storm we had this week. On some streets, it’s not unusual to see a car fully encased in snow, and just ahead of it, a well-shoveled street parking space with small stuffed animal rockers, a window fan, a kiddie basketball hoop, an animal carrier, a cooler or chairs of all kinds.
Martin Reyes cleared out three spaces on his corner property at 64th and Tripp, but ultimately decided against claiming “dibs”.
“I was doing it, but I can see right now that….they’re picking them up," he said.
Meanwhile, city crews continued to clear the middle of side streets and appeared to be making good headway, although that also leaves snow packed up along vehicles.
WBBM Newsradio checked out miles and miles of side streets on the Southwest Side, from Midway Airport east and south. Most appeared to be in pretty good shape. Either they had been plowed or enough traffic had gone down them to tamp down much of the snow.