The Expired Meter Helps Protect Drivers Against Broken Meters

Despite the fact that, according to Chicago municipal code, you cannot be ticketed for parking at a broken meter, in many cases, motorists are still receiving tickets for this.

Now, most parking enforcement agents and police know this rule and follow the law. However, obviously, some ticket writers (hint, SERCO) do not and others have no problem overlooking the law to slap an improper ticket on your windshield.

In order to protect Chicago motorists from getting ticketed for parking at an inoperable meter, the Expired Meter staff have designed a handy-dandy flier to help our readers prevent getting ticketed for parking at a meter that's out of order.

9-64-190 Parking meter zones - Regulations ...It is not a violation of this section to park a vehicle at a zone or space served by a meter that does not function properly...

Just download the Broken Meter flier, and print out one or more of these reminders to keep with you in your vehicle, along with a role of tape (preferably 2" packing tape).

If you locate and park at a broken meter, tape one of these fliers to the head of the non-working meter you're at.

If the Pay & Display unit is broken, slap this on the unit on the front to alert all the drivers of the problem and put one on your dashboard and/or windshield.

Although, technically, you're supposed to know to walk down the street and use another unit.

The only problem with this is, by the time you put on your hiking boots to go on your excursion into the unknown to locate another unit and you find your way back to your vehicle, you may have a bright orange surprise on your windshield.

IMPORTANT: Make sure you do NOT cover up the digital readout or the coin slot, so the PEA or cop or whomever ticket writer, can verify the meter is NOT in working order.

And don't be a dick and slap these fliers on working meters!!! This is for legitimately broken parking meters. If you're a jerk and use it on a working meter, I encourage the ticket writer to write you two tickets instead of one.

Download the Broken Meter flier PDF right here.

Check out The Expired Meter for even more information and advice about parking, fighting parking tickets and red light tickets in Chicago.