As we explored in a piece on speeding tickets, there are some important reasons to be mindful of knowing the rules in any city you’ve got business in. Street parking is a big issue and getting a ticket for parking in the wrong spot can be a significant revenue generator for cities. We’ve all seen traffic over time. But something you might not be aware of is that violations of these parking regulations are often a part of that scene as well. Depending on where you are located in the country, violations can be issued at a local or county level, or on a state level. In Chicago, parking in front of a fire hydrant can result in an over $100.00 fine. Why do you need to be aware of these fire hydrant parking rules in Chicago? Well, where they are not specific to Chicago they are certainly present in other optimally functioning cities (the key word here is ‘optimally’). Staying on the right side of the law means being able to continue your work in the big city and not having to go home or relocate – both of which are costly pursuits.
Most people are aware that parking is prohibited in front of a fire hydrant. The reason is, of course, because parking in front of a hydrant may potentially obstruct emergency vehicles if they should need to access that area – and that means fire trucks, and that means lives can be saved. Fires happen, and even in new buildings, fires can become a very big problem that can affect many units in a condo building, and so the ability of the fire department to get to the scene quickly is vital to make sure your condo building unit does not become a charred pile of ashes.
But what most people do not know is that local ordinances in Chicago dictate just how close you can park to a fire hydrant. Vehicle operators are prohibited from stopping, standing or parking within fifteen (15) feet of a fire hydrant. The catch with Chicago is that the measurements here are done by where your front bumper is, and it’s at the furthest point of that bumper. So if your bumper is sticking out past the line of your automobile, fifteen (15) feet is to be measured from there. So if you are within that range you could be looking at a fine.
Moreover, enforcement of parking laws in Chicago sometimes goes beyond parking meters to include the use of automated systems, so you might not even be aware that you have a fire hydrant violation until a knock comes at the door to inform you that a ticket has been issued. There are easy ways to determine whether or not you are parking in violation of Chicago’s fire hydrant parking rules. There is a color code that indicates how far away you are parking from a fire hydrant indicated by red for fire hydrant, yellow for caution, and white for loading zones for commercial vehicles. When in doubt you can also always head to your local police station or go online and check to see if the location you want to park at is indicated as restricted or unrestricted.
Most cities will have at least a portion of their municipal code available online for review, and in that municipal code (often in a section marked for “Traffic” or “Parking”), the fire hydrant requirements will be outlined. While you may not think of it when you are looking for city parking in Chicago, in addition to planning ahead and paying for metered parking, it’s also important to know local regulations. Keeping track of local regulations is part of keeping every aspect of your life (including work) running smoothly.
