CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Every year on the first of December the City of Chicago rakes in tens of thousands of dollars towing cars on the first day of the overnight winter parking ban. Today looks to be no exception. WBBM’s Mike Krauser reports.
Every year on the first of December the city of Chicago rakes in tens of thousands of dollars towing cars on the first day of the Winter Parking Ban.
Wednesday was no exception.
Many of the towed cars have been coming in two at a time at the auto pound at 103rd Street and Doty Avenue. There have been mostly private flat-bed tow-trucks with one car on the bed and one towed behind.
That’s going to cost about $500 for the owners to get them back.
People are caught every year with some saying they forgot and others saying they were unaware despite the signs on just over 100-miles of main streets.
Cars are also towed to a pound at 701 N. Sacramento Avenue in Humboldt Park.
People have expressed frustration and anger and some tears as they showed up to retrieve their cars.
One guy took it in stride when WBBM Newsradio asked him about not being angry.
“Not really, I just hate it because I have to miss a couple of hours of work. But at the same time, it’s like, what can I do about it at this point?" the man said.
Some see this overnight winter parking ban as unfair, a cash grab by the city especially when there’s no snow.
But the city has always argued, if there were a snow event and cars were lining the main streets, traffic would come to a standstill.
Those who are missing their cars can find out the location by calling 311 or searching the towed car database: findyourvehicle.cityofChicago.org.
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