A friend told me that it is illegal to drive a pickup truck in downtown Chicago. My main vehicle is a pickup and I have to drive downtown for a conference in November. Is this true?
2006-09-26 09:55:09 · 11 answers · asked by flakyfoot 1 in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Chicago
Your friend is partly right.
Its not downtown that is the issue (exept for big rigs) but it is true that any vehicle with "truck" plates is (or was) illegal on Lake Shore Drive and any Boulevard (streets that are part of an old system of connecting all the parks: Logan Blvd, Jackson Blvd, Hyde Park Blvd, etc).
I also am pretty sure that on most residential streets trucks can't park there. Maybe an old law to discourage tradesman and scrappers (still plenty) from clogging up street parking and aesthetics.
Not sure if the laws have changed since, but I used to drive a small pickup 10 years ago and this WAS an issue. While most of the time police got better things to do, I did get ticketing on LSD and for parking on a street in front of my house.
Some would get around it by getting RV plates, but that may require a covered bed.
2006-09-26 10:51:34 · answer #1 · answered by Mark J 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've worked in downtown Chicago for almost eight years and I've never heard of such a law. In fact, I see pickup trucks all the time. Hey, I can even see one from my office window! (Seriously.)
Plus, there's construction projects going on down here constantly, and those contractors would be in deep dookie if they couldn't drive their pickups. Then again, come to think of it, I wouldn't put it past the mayor to pass some sorta "pickup truck tax". I don't think that's happened yet though.
Long story short: I wouldn't worry about it.
2006-09-26 10:11:35 · answer #2 · answered by David M 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is illegal to drive trucks of a certain size inside the "loop" pickup truck should be fine. Watch for some boulevards though if you have truck plates and also the outer drive, but mostly police too busy to hassle over nickel dime stuff.
2006-09-26 10:04:47 · answer #3 · answered by frankie59 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've seen pickups all over downtown Chicago. If it's illegal there are a lot of people breaking the law.
2006-09-26 10:04:13 · answer #4 · answered by LLB 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're NOT supposed to drive your truck on Lake Shore Drive. Period. I know because I was a passenger in a friend's truck that was stopped by the cops. Sorry if it doesn't seem fair that big honkin' SUVs and Hummers and such can drive on LSD, but them's the rules. Any anyone who says they do drive their truck on LSD and haven't gotten busted should consider themselves lucky. --- Oh, and to all of the "Chicagoans" (most likely college grads who moved here a few years ago after work), take a drive from Hollywood to, say, 55th St. and count how many pick-up trucks you see on the drive. I'm guessing that after the end of that ride, both ways, you can count them all on one hand.
2016-03-27 11:36:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can drive it downtown, but you're not supposed to drive it on Lake Shore Drive. I remember reading that former White Sox player Aaron Rowand used to drive his pick up truck down Lake Shore Drive and never got a ticket. He was surprised when someone told him you're not supposed to do that. But you can drive downtown. No big deal.
2006-09-27 04:56:21 · answer #6 · answered by bodinibold 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
on Lake Shore Drive it used to be illegal to drive a cargo van or a truck on LSD, and you got a ticket for it. But I don't know if it changed.
2006-09-27 19:04:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
call local police here. i know trucks cannot drive on boulevards for certain!
2006-09-27 06:40:30 · answer #8 · answered by cadaholic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Your friend is trying to pull one over on you. Does that even sound like it makes sense??? ♥
2006-09-26 10:14:19 · answer #9 · answered by working mom of 3 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think this is feasible
2016-07-27 13:03:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋