Chicago winter overnight parking ban in effect; hundreds of cars towed

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago winter overnight parking ban begins at 3 a.m. on Dec. 1 every year. Somehow, hundreds of vehicles were towed once again early Friday morning.

Tow truck drivers towed dozens of cars into a pound on Chicago's West Side in just 90 minutes.

Nick Vazquez, of Chicago, woke up to his car alarm going off and a tow truck loading up his car on North Milwaukee Avenue near West Kinzie Street.

"I thought someone might have been stealing my car. I didn't know if that was my alarm at first and it kept on going. You're sitting in bed and it wakes you up. Then you go out there to look and you see them putting your car on a tow truck," Vasquez said. "I saw them hitching the car on it. I was trying to ask them to take it off and they couldn't."

He said he knew about the ban, but he didn't think the tow truck drivers would get to vehicles in violation so quickly.

Many vehicles were also towed from West Division Street near North LaSalle Drive.

The ban will be enforced between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. from Dec. 1, 2017 to April 1, 2018, whether there's snow on the ground or not, according to the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation.

"It's not even signed well, that's the problem. I think the sign was at the very beginning of the street. If they are doing it for snow, it's not really snowing out here," said Eric Dublis, who car was towed Friday morning.

"It's Dec. 1. I'm wearing a freakin' summer jacket. I'm not even wearing my long johns. So, I don't understand this snow thing," said Hassan, whose car was also towed Friday.

The ban spans more than 100 miles of main streets. CLICK HERE to check out a map of those streets.

Officials said violators will face a minimum $150 towing fee, a $60 ticket and a storage fee of $20 per day. If the car is not registered in your name, you'll have to bring cash.

Vehicles will be towed to Pounds 2 or 6, which are located at 10301 South Doty Avenue and 701 North Sacramento Boulevard, respectively.

CLICK HERE to find out more about Chicago's winter overnight parking ban and snow clearing services.