Those fancy new meters? They freeze

Image by swanksalot via Flickr

Turns out the new parking pay boxes that have Chicagoan’s up in arms also, tend to break in the winter.

Not a huge amount, not yet. According to Chicago Parking Meters LLC, about 90 of the units weren’t working as wind chill levels dipped below zero.  The best though, is Mayor Daley’s response.

“There’s frozen parking meters, frozen water hydrants, frozen doors, frozen cars. They’re all out there,” he said. The old parking meters also froze, Daley said, insisting the problem isn’t linked to the pay boxes that have replaced meters around the city. “No, no, they’ve always frozen,” he said.

But they haven’t always been a political hot button. Or cold button as the case may be.

And there’s differing opinions on just how many are broker. LAZ Parking says 2%, but the esteemed Parking Meter Geek at The Expired Meter puts it closer to 60% of meters weren’t functioning leaving motorists shivering on the sidewalk, pushing buttons and trying to figure out what to do. Apparently, the answer is to call in the pay box or meter location to report it broken and then take your chances that you won’t get a ticket.

Seems putting a giant plastic bag over the top of the box and securing it with a rubber band doesn’t do the trick anymore.

Chicago parking meters: Some machines freeze up, and motorists fume — chicagotribune.com.