These will not go down they tell us…

CBC Prince Edward Island is quoting Police Commissioner Garrity as saying “These will not go down they tell us…” about the new parking kiosks being installed in Charlottetown.

Parking Kiosk

Evidence suggests that this is where Murphy’s Law is due to take effect. I expect the parking kiosks to start keeling over any day now. No technology is infallible, especially technology (a) that is located out in public on city streets, subject to the elements, snowplows, etc. and (b) that has several slots into which mischievous members of the public will feel duty bound to stick all manner of Krazy Glue-bearing objects.

We replace the analog with the digital at our peril.

Comments

Nils Ling's picture
Nils Ling on August 5, 2004 - 16:25 Permalink

It’s kinda akin to a computer guy claiming to have an unhackable system. “Why? Because it’s there …”

Steven Garrity's picture
Steven Garrity on August 5, 2004 - 16:47 Permalink

Revenue from parking meters in Charlottetown nets out to about $200,000. That’s (really) roughly $6 or $7 per resident.

Jack up our taxes, and get rid of these ($10,000!!!) machines.

Rusty's picture
Rusty on August 5, 2004 - 18:57 Permalink

Get rid of paid parking in Charlottetown streets. Except for Loading Zones and Handicap Spots, make all parking spaces free for a uniform length of time e.g. 2 hours all over town. The old machines and the new machines are ugly, confusing and are not big money-makers. It would be difficult for people to complain about parking if it was “free parking” everywhere.

Alan's picture
Alan on August 6, 2004 - 02:04 Permalink

Just back from the states and all the municipal parking lots I used were free for the first two hours. Having seen a similar installation of these meters, the savings are in the reduced coin collection as they take credit and bank cards. That at least is the logic.

Marcus's picture
Marcus on August 6, 2004 - 04:20 Permalink

Geez… If Charlottetown is paying umpteen thousands for these machines, maybe they could just put some sensors under our streets and make every car buy a transponder to pay a toll like they do in London. Maybe it’d pay for the on-again off-again proposed bus service.

Nils Ling's picture
Nils Ling on August 6, 2004 - 14:22 Permalink

One problem with free parking: imagine how many circuits of dizzy block you’d have to do to find the one open space that isn’t taken by mall employees or DVA workers or those damn silver/orange boys and their Hummers.

oliver's picture
oliver on August 6, 2004 - 15:04 Permalink

The silver/orange boys drive Hummers!? I thought they represented all that was progressive and nimble. I’m shattered. Do they smoke cigars too?

Nils Ling's picture
Nils Ling on August 6, 2004 - 15:15 Permalink

Don’t even get me started on Ruk and his Range Rover collection …

heeheeheeheehee

jeff's picture
jeff on August 6, 2004 - 15:21 Permalink

I passed one of the ubermeters this morning and it appears to only take Visa and MasterCard…no debit or even Discover for our friends from the South.

oliver's picture
oliver on August 6, 2004 - 16:23 Permalink

Nils, allow me to do your readers a favor and give them your correct URL, since your last post contained a typo. For the record, Nils is actually http://truthshalftruthsanddamn…

Nils Ling's picture
Nils Ling on August 6, 2004 - 17:56 Permalink

I was thinking I should just change it to http://frigginglies.ca Then I realized that was the official Liberal Party platform website …