It’s that time of year again! If you’ve got a set of parking cones (or folding chairs, or an old radiator) saving your street parking spot, consider moving your stuff before tonight—the city will officially start collecting “dibs” items on Friday, February 11.
As you’re likely aware, dibs refers to the controversial tradition of using household items to reserve a shoveled-out street parking spot after it snows, sometimes to ridiculous effect. Now that the worst of last week’s snow storms have mostly been cleared or melted, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation announced that trash collection workers will clear any dibs-related debris beginning on Friday.
“We ask residents to please be neighborly and pick up any personal items they may currently have on the street,” DSS Commissioner Cole Stallard said in a press release.
The department will prioritize streets with existing 311 requests for removal, but be aware that your perfectly good stuff could get tossed away as soon as tomorrow. And if you’ve got any especially irksome dibs displays on your block—like the people who marked off a snow-free spot for themselves—then feel free to call 311 and report it yourself. Regardless of which side of the dibs argument you fall on, good luck!
DSS crews to begin clearing objects used to hold shoveled parking spaces, aka “dibs,” beginning Friday, 2/11/22. Residents encouraged to remove chairs, cones, etc., especially items they want to keep. Any unclaimed items will be picked up, w/ focus given to pending 311 requests.