I have a permit for parking (south side of Rt. 59). My work hours used to be later than most and I was frequently taking the 8:12 train in the morning. The problem is they over-sell the permits. One day I pulled into the lot and there were no spaces remaining. Frustrated that I missed the train looking for a space, I drove into Chicago and then called to complain. I was told, "When the lot is full, you need to find a lot attendant to direct you where you can park." The people in that office are obviously unaware that the trains will not wait for you while you try to seek out an attendant and park your car. The 8:12 is the last express train, so this was not a good solution for me.

Having figured out where they let people park when the lot is full, I started parking there when the lot was full or seemed full or I was in a hurry and didn't have the time to drive up and down every row seeking out a spot (driving at a pedestrian-safe speed, this takes quite a bit of time).

One day, I got back to the station having parked in the overflow area and I had a ticket on my car. The reason stated on the ticket was basically, "You can only park here when there are no open parking spaces." Does anyone else think this is ridiculous? At the very least there is inequality in the treatment of permit holders that work earlier hours (they always have open spaces) and those that take the later trains. My vacation time (which I would have to take to fight this) is much more valuable than the fine, so I just pay it. This pains me to do, but I don't feel I have any other option.

This wasn't in Naperville, but while we're telling parking ticket stories ... this happened while I was in college.

I am a very law-abiding person. I would never even think of intentionally parking in an illegal spot, so imagine my surprise when I received a parking ticket when I was parked in a legal spot. Well, it turns out that my sticker was in the wrong corner of the window. Apparently there was an obscure rule which isn't listed anywhere that said the sticker was supposed to be in the lower right hand corner of the window, and mine was in the upper right hand corner. Note it was still in full view and only two feet from the "proper" location, but I nevertheless I was issued a ticket. And the sticker is permanently attached, so it's not like I could move it. If they were serious about enforcing this stupid law they could give me a new ticket every single day.

So I challenged it on the grounds that it was stupid nitpicking and that all it does is reduce respect for authority, but of course this argument didn't sway the authorities, so I ended up paying the fine. It was only $10 or $15, but it was still ridiculous.

Happened 10 years ago. Came back from interview in Chicago and found a parking ticket even though I had paid. Ticket showed me parked in spot 36 but was parked in 63 and by some fluke I had kept the receipt. Called the PD and they told me to come in and fill out a sheet and it would get corrected.

Next thing I know I get a court date. I called the PD and now they say well if you got a court date you have to show up to court. Off to court I go. The prosecutor asks me why I plead not guilty. I show him receipt and explain the confusion. He say's "Let me see what I can do". Comes back and tell me he'll let me pay a $45 fine. He said the judge would charge my $85. His only concern was getting money whether I was guilty or not.

I said forget it and was getting very perturbed. So I sit there while all the guiltys are handled and finally I am the last one in the courtroon. It's almost noon. Go in front of judge. I ask the parking ticket officer if he has a history of mixing up his information as the ticket lists what year my car make is incorrect. My liscence plate number is also incorrect. The judge asked where I was going with this. I show the ticket and the receipt to the judge. Perry Mason that's what i am.

The judge said there is enough ambiguity about the case "case dismissed". The prosecutor looked like he had a turkey bone stuck in his throat. He was a young guy being overseen by a more stately mentor.

There is justice in this world Hallelulah!! Pass the peas.

I used to get parking tickets all the time on my car, parked in a downtown Naperville CBD lot with my CBD parking pass prominently displayed from my rear view mirror.

The sign in the entrance of the lot: http://flickr.com/photos/io_burn/217254268/ ("CBD EMPLOYEE PERMIT PARKING")

Imagine my surprise when I walked to my car to find this: http://flickr.com/photos/io_burn/217251169/ (Note: Bright blue parking pass hanging from rear view mirror.)

Close up of my parking pass: http://flickr.com/photos/io_burn/217256144/

Having collected three tickets, I decided it was high time to go to the police department and complain. I came prepared with a rant that would go down in history as the best parking ticket rant of all time- a rant so great that it would have been retold over and over through the generations and I would be heralded as a hero of the people.

Unfortunately, the grumpy old lady working the desk that day in the parking ticket dispute department would have no part of any rants in any form. So I filled out my dispute form: http://flickr.com/photos/io_burn/217257420/ (Reads: "Third parking ticket I have gotten on this car. Parking pass properly displayed. I work in eye care, I can get officers discount glasses.")

Figuring the ticket dispute department functioned at least as efficiently as the DMV I decided I needed to come up with some kind of ticket prevention system to use during the 18-47 business day paperwork processing window. This sign has been displayed in my car whenever I park in the CBD lot for close to a year now: http://flickr.com/photos/io_burn/217464922/ (Reads: "ATTENTION Please! Stop writing me tickets! I HAVE A PARKING PASS!" in both English and Spanish.)

By harnessing the power of a bilingual neon orange sign, it has been close to a year since I've wrongly received any parking tickets.