These will not go down they tell us...

Peter Rukavina

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

Submitted by Steven Garrity on

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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.

Submitted by Rusty on

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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.

Submitted by Alan on

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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.

Submitted by Marcus on

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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.

Submitted by Nils Ling on

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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.

Submitted by oliver on

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

Submitted by jeff on

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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.

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Photo of Peter RukavinaI am . I am a writer, letterpress printer, and a curious person.

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