Community Corner

Vehicle Sticker Scofflaws Get Hit With Tickets on Private Property: Feedback Friday

Readers discuss the facts and myths of police coming on to private property to ticket cars.

There were numerous hot conversations taking place on the old Oak Lawn Patch Facebook page this week—how to get rid of a skunk (set out coyote urine), the closing of Leona’s in Oak Lawn—but nothing stoked readers’ emotions more than a casual mention of cars being ticketed for not having village vehicle stickers while parked on private property.

My neighbor, who lets me know what happens before 8 a.m. while I am often still asleep (e.g., Oak Lawn Metra Station fight), emailed to let me know that our cars got hit last night with tickets last night.

She was upset because her mother, who lives in LaGrange, has her car parked in her building's lot after getting hit by drunk driver by the train station last week, and her car got a “no-vehicle sticker” ticket.

Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It honestly slipped my busy mind and since my scofflaw days are behind me, I plan to throw myself on the village’s mercy this morning.

Sounds like another good premise for a TruTV reality show, "Scofflaws Fight Back."

Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

You, dear readers, had plenty to say about the village’s vehicle-sticker system:

Katy Rawl: “I'm so mad that they are able to do that!!

Dan Lupescu: “They ‘can't’ do it without permission from the landlord. If the landlord says no, then the cops won't be patrolling the area anymore. Its’ a catch 22.”

Ashli MissMay Gasteier: “That just happened January 29th to my boyfriend’s car in our apartment parking lot. He sent money in for his sticker before new years and still hasn't received his sticker and on top of that he just had hip surgery and can't even drive yet his car has been sitting in his spot since the 21st of Jan.”

Nina Marie: “You can fight it because it was private property. They get dropped all the time.”

Mickey Depre: “I'm sorry but if you live in Oak Lawn then you should be buying a sticker, regardless of where you park. I find it in poor taste that "The Patch" who passes judgment over and over again about the activities of others is now complaining because they knowingly broke the law.” (Full disclosure: this got 15 likes, including Oak Lawn Patch’s.)

Gracie Murphy: “I like turtles.”

Nina Marie: “If your car is registered in Oak Lawn and your license address is oak lawn but you live in let say Bridgeview you can get a ticket from Bridgeview for no village sticker. It's up to the discretion of the village if they want to ticket you. This is from a police officer currently employed.”

Karen Zappavigna Hoogland: “Seems like a simple solution would be to pony up and buy the city sticker.”

Tammy Walker: “Back in the 90's they would go in your garage. I knew I needed a sticker but did not know if the car was fixable. It was so I paid the ticket. If I buy a sticker so should everyone else. You want to live in Oak Lawn you pay. If not move out.”

Hiedi Lamphere Shue: “We have spent over 5 hours in court and was about to go to Bridgeview court to fight it more and set up a claim with the states attorney for violation of our cival rights to own a second home and park there in our village.”

Jessica Ryann: “I'm more concerned about the 5 people who blew stops signs within a 3-minute drive by Harnew.”

Kenny Ruggiero: “The law allows police officers to enter open entry gates, empty lots, parking lots and the like. Private or not, if they can see it and get to it, they can write it. Buy your sticker. Apartment building parking lots are not considered private property to the renters.”

Tom Magee: “I think the stickers are a joke and a waste of money, if my plates say I live in oak Lawn and in front of my house the I live in freaking Oak Lawn and don't need a sticker. I know the ticket everyone, but what city official do we ticket for not putting up broken stop signs in a school and child area? The one in front of my house was knocked down and still not put up and 3 kids were already hit. So when is Oak Lawn going to fix that issue?”

Follow Oak Lawn Patch on Facebook.

Should police be allowed to go on to private property to ticket cars for not having vehicle stickers or other parking violations? Tell us in the comments.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here