We encountered several models of parking kiosks during our European travels, all generally similar to the new ones in Charlottetown.
The ones in Zagreb were, like everything else in Zagreb, covered with graffiti. But you could pay for parking with your cell phone.
The kiosks in Italy had no graffiti, and were quite elegant to boot.
I actually used one of the new Charlottetown kiosks yesterday, and it worked as advertised.
And I got to wondering: if the kiosks are all wirelessly in communication with some sort of central server, and the local parking cops are all outfitted with wireless gizmos of some sort, is there a system in place to do automatic “route planning” for the cops, based on areas where there are likely infractions given recent activity? Here’s a description of the Argus software that the City uses to administer the machines; it’s not clear how sophisticated it is in this regard.
Interesting tangent: the kiosks are made by a Swedish company.
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Comments
Our new set in Kingston look
Our new set in Kingston look like the Italians, solar powered. I like the credit card payment option. What is lost is the ability to move inone someone else’s time that the mechanical coin operated ones provide. Double dipping for the City.
In Charlottetown, they also
In Charlottetown, they also take credit, but not debit. If you’ve got a twonie, you only get a loonie’s worth of time, and no change!
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