CHICAGO — At least 175 Chicagoans had a very bad morning.
They woke up to find their cars towed after Chicago's city's annual winter overnight parking ban started early Thursday.
However, the number of cars hauled away dropped approximately 15 percent from last year, according to the city's Department of Streets and Sanitation.
Every year, the start of the snow route ban catches dozens of drivers unaware, forcing them to travel to the city's auto pound — and pay at least $230 — to retrieve their cars, officials said.
From Dec. 1 to April 1, the city bans parking on 107 miles of arterial streets from 3 to 7 a.m. daily. The ban is a precautionary measure in case the city needs to plow the streets after a snowfall, but it remains in effect even if it doesn't snow.
Drivers who ignore — or forget about — the ban will get socked with a $60 parking ticket, a $150 tow fee and $20 per day in storage fees.
If you are looking for your car, you can locate it using the city's database of towed vehicles.
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