Citystickers anybody?

Hi Andreas,
When I used to live in a town, I would trim the sticker down to a point where it was identifiable by the town name, year and the tag number. Just enough to be legal without being too hideous and obstructive of the view.

Bill

 

Luckily,in Oakbrook Terrace,where I live. They aren't even required at all. No fee's. No "Sh*tty Shtickers".

 

Not to mention the pain in the Ass that it is to take it off. Razorbalde scraper and some Goo Gone always worked for me,usually on a really,Hot Sunny Day!

 

Finally caved in and bought this year's city sticker. Hate to put that ugly piece of crap on the wind shield, but with the newly changed law about parking garages...

Anybody else from the city with this 'badge of honor' or am I the only one?

Sheesh, I really hate this ugly thing. Wouldn't mind too much if they just raised the tax on the license plate and wouldn't make me put this sucker on the front windshield.

Opinions?

 

Actually. In most of the Western 'Burbs that I've lived in. They required a City Sticker,or,Village Sticker. Usually charged $10.00 to $15.00. But,in Oakbrook Terrace,the "listed population" is only 2300. So,at say,$10..00 each,I don't think that the City of OBT thinks that it would be worth all of the B.S.,Hassle,and complaing by us residents,for a lousy $23,000.00 dollars! It would probably cost as much to make and distribute and enforce them! I love this town! And,for more reasons than just that. We have a huge tax base,with all of the big office buildings,commercial property, and shopping centers. So, private home taxes are low. And,they are constantly throwing big parties, Holiday parties,BBQ's ,Fireworks,ETC... for the residents,all Free of charge. All brand spankin' new roads,sewers,city water. Alot of Parks,Perk's,etc... Just a nice little town, Minutes to EVERY major X-way,shopping,great restaraunts,(you've seen my girth!), lots of places to work,in all fields, Off Track Betting,nice big Home lots. They take really good care of the residents. There's a local saying...once you move here,you never leave. What more do you need?

 

Well, the Chicago sticker costs a whopping $ 75 or $ 110 if you're late like me. Nice, isn't it?

The new law allows the police to go into public parking garages and check cars. So far those places were safe heavens. Also I have personally heard from a case where a Chicago car was parked in a suburb without a sticker and some overly zealous suburban cop run a check on it and informed Chicago police about the car without a sticker. Sheesh, sounds almost like Switzerland.

 

Now THAT is crazy! Almost like in, that instance,there would be so many holes in that,that it would be almost like.....(you know whats coming next)...Swiss Cheese! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Andreas, I haven't bought one and I won't. I refuse, on principle, to pay that much money for a car I keep in my own garage and drive sparingly, relative to others. Our other car has one, since it parks on the street. On top of that, we need a sticker for living in "Zone 383", which is another $25. I don't mind that as much, since it eases the parking situation. I just didn't appreciate the hoops I had to jump through to prove I lived here and thus earned the priviledge of buying the sticker. What bugs me most about the city sticker is that it buys you absolutely NO residential considerations. There are no "Chicago Resident Only" parking areas. Having lived in River North, and now Wrigleyville, something like that would go over big in the city.

 

Interesting and good point you have there Jack. Yeah, split some of those handicapped parking into 'Residents only parking' and I'll gladly fork over the cash for my ugly sticker.

I was probably too chicken to get it, because so far I haven't seen one single cop in a parking garage doing a check. Who knows. It is probably also a logistical issue for them: They need PC access for that which they only have in the cars and those can't easily get in and out.

Anyway to console myself I came up with one good thing about the sticker: I wear it as a badge of honor proofing that I do drive my car in the city...

 

When I was younger,I LOVED living in the city.The Nightlife,the restaraunts,most accessable by walking,Bus,or short cab ride,if neccesary. But,now,I cannot believe all of the Freakin' cars all over on the street. Unbelievable!! WAY too many. Who owns all of these cars? Where do they come from? Last time that I actually lived in Chicago,was 1984. And,it was bad then,but,not TOO bad. You could always find a spot,but,sometimes a block away. I lived on the Far West/Northwest side,though. I had some friends who lived in Old Town,DePaul,Lincoln Park,Roscoe Village. And,it got so bad,you could NEVER find a place to park when you went to visit. We finally gave up,and had to stop. My friend in Lincoln Park actually just gave up and sold his car. He said he hardly used it,and when he did,lost his spot,and it took him 2 weeks to get it close to his building. And,paying the insurance,HIGHER in the city,but,never barely using the car. He finally said,"I give up. F*ck it!". Now that I'm "spoiled",and have wide open spaces. A very long driveway. My OWN garage. I can NEVER go back! I love and miss the City,but,just "visit",and come back out to my wide open spaces in the 'burbs. NEVER any parking shortages,or hassle. Lower insurance rates. No City stickers...yes...I am spoiled!

 

All true, but my ride home from The Room is a lot shorter.
:b

 

Before the 328, I went 4 years without a car. I lived a mile from work and walked every day. We were downtown, so anywhere too far we would just take a cab--another nice aspect of the city.

 

Yep. Thats what I'm talking about. When I lived in the city,I was half a block from North Av. Took the "Green Limousine" all the way down. For instance. To go to the old "EXIT",just get off at Wells,and walk a half block. No driving,No D.U.I. on the way back. No Parking hassles. Also,if I wanted to go Downtown,just go to LaSalle,and transfer to another bus,South. Or,I drove my Motorcycle alot. No problem parking with the Bike. Went to see "David Johansen" at the Park West one night. Parked the bike almost right in front.( and you know how hard it is to find parking in that neighborhood! Well,I suppose,all of them,really!) BUT...it is VERY scary driving a Motorcycle in the city. I'd get "cut off" really bad,every single day. Until,I ultimately did get hit...by a BUS!! No doubt,alot easier in the city to get some where. But,driving does suck. All of those old,out of date,single lane streets. Some with no,left turn lanes,etc... Getting stuck behind a slow bus. I do not miss that! Out here in the 'burbs.. wider streets,easier to "Motor-vate" through to get some where. But... thats also the problem. You MUST drive to get ANYWHERE! So,if I am in my Ferrari,it's O.K. .THATS for sure! But,no parking problems,or Hassles AT ALL. So,each has it's good and bad points! Too bad that we couldn't have it both ways everywhere! The World would be in a Zen mode. Less crabby,frustrated and Anal people,too!

 

I always thought you had to be a little nuts to ride a motorcycle in the city. I used to get cut off in my Cherokee, so how would people see you on a bike? Anyway, I was glad to see that the city is getting rid of the accordion buses. Every time I drive up LSD, one cuts me off. Not even one of those deals where you're catching and passing it, but just riding along next to it and he decides he likes your lane better. I tried reporting one of these guys, but I decided my time was better spent sticking pins under my toenails.

 

Well I guess it is all relative: I loved the accordion buses as they guaranteed me a seat to work. Now it is a 50/50 gamble whether I stand or not.

 

DEFINITELY have to be nuts to ride a Motorcycle in the city. It's like asphalt Motocross!! Fun getting through where no one else can. Dodging cars. It was a lot of fun for me back then. (Early 80's,my early 20's) I was inebriated 24/7! A "functioning Vegetable"! A Crazy MoFo! Like a bicycle messenger,dodging sh*t constantly. Until,one day,the inevitable happened. I KNEW it was imminent. Just didn't know in advance just how MUCH it would hurt! (OUCH!!! BIG time!!!) That was the start of my route to becoming disabled...and ,as with all of the accidents that I was in,not my fault!