Do the high parking meter rates, broken meters and relentless meter maids make you mad? A whole lot of people share your grief, and one of them is taking it out on the meters themselves.
About 50 coin-fed parking meters in three North Side neighborhoods were vandalized today.
Coin slots in Andersonville, Edgewater and Uptown were clogged with spray foam insulation. The foam is removable "if they have something to scrape it with," Police News Affairs Officer Robert Perez said.
The meters have also been sprayed with silver paint.
The meters are in the 5100 block of North Clark Street, the 5500 block of North Sheridan Road, the 1000 block of West Argyle Street, the 4900 block of North Winthrop Avenue and the 4900 block of North Kenmore Avenue.
But don't think all this means free parking for anyone who can find a vandalized spot. City officials have previously said anyone parking at a broken meter would need to call the phone number on the meter to report it. Otherwise, your car is fair game for one of those hefty tickets.
