I'm speechless, but not really. Here's the scoop – The Mayor of Port Jefferson on Long Island in New York has ordered the enforcement officers to not ticket any cars in the city's lots if there are fewer than 30% of the spaces filled. She issued the order 90 days ago. Read about it here
So let's see – we have a parking ordinance, meters, signs and the like, but we aren't going to enforce the ordinance when the officers "feel" that the lots are less than one third full. Wow it's like the lotto. If you drive in and think that the number is down, hell, forget the meter. You aren't going to get a ticket. On the other hand, if you arrived to an empty lot at 10:45, and the local fish and chips shop decided to give away two for one and opens at 11.. You could get a ticket because the lot filled after you parked. The Mayor says she needs the officers to do other things.
Now the city did vote to have free parking during the "off" season and are putting signs up to make that official. In the mean time, as the local paper put it well "If you like to gamble and are good at estimating percentages, you might be able to save some coin when you park in Port Jefferson."
I think that what is going to happen here is that people will simply understand that they don't have to pay and when the city decides they need some money they will start to enforce again and the local folks will complain to high heaven. This mayor could find herself in a real parking pickle about three weeks after the legal 'free' parking goes away and tourists flock back to the area.
Inconsistency in enforcement is the beginning of parking disaster. This mayor needs to talk to Sandra in Whistler, BC to find out just how pissed off people can get when you mess with their parking.
Maybe if she had just kept it a secret. Although we all know that a secret is no longer a secret when you tell one person, and she had to tell the officers. Where do you think the Times Beacon Record heard this little tidbit? I wonder what other brainstorms they have going in the inner workings of the Port Jefferson city council.
Hat Tip: Dan K
JVH
In the UK, someone actually read the fine print on a parking ticket and challenged it. A tribunal of some kind agreed and voided the ticket, and at the same time voided 1600 other tickets that hadn't yet been paid. They figured that the ones that had been paid had by paying admitted liability so they were not going to return the money. I have no clue about the legal side of this, but to me using my "common sense" rule, this is bonkers.
The tickets were written in good faith. They were received in good faith. They were paid in good faith. So therefore the ones that had not been paid (Because the people who didn't pay them were scofflaws) should also be collected. Of course if there is an unrelated problem with the citation (illegible, person didn't do it, etc) then of course they shouldn't have to pay.
It would seem to me that if there was some legal mumbo jumbo that no one except a lawyer understood anyway, and it doesn't really make any difference as to whether a person was guilty or not, then the citations should stand. If there was a problem with signage (perhaps a conflict where one sign says park and one says don't park, for instance, or a tree covering the sign), I can see voiding all the tickets and correcting the problem. However if something is in the fine print and the rest of the process is kosher, then why can't we let common sense prevail? Just Saying
JVH
Malaria is a huge problem in Africa. More than 90% of the one million that's ONE MILLION people that die of the disease every year live there. Now the Global Warming folks claim that if the temperature goes up two degrees in the next 90 years, 3 percent more people will be subjected to the ravages of malaria. The cost to reduce that number is $40 trillion. That 40 thousand billion and assuming that "global warming" is in fact something we can do something about, not settled science at all, spending the $40 trillion will reduce the number of folks exposed to malaria by 3%. Read all about it here in the Wall Street Journal.
In a study done by the Danes, it turns out that if you invested $3 billion a year for 10 years on mosquito nets, DDT sprays (interior), and subsidies for new drugs to fight the disease, you would halve the number of people infected with the disease.
It seems the problem with malaria isn't temperature, its poverty, lack of health care and minimal fighting against the mosquito. If that's not the case, why don't we have malaria outbreaks in Florida, or Southern Mississippi, Louisiana or Texas. Hmmmm.
See – global warming activists see only one thing, the possible rise in global temperature. They don't see the result of what their so called solutions mean to the poor. The rich countries will survive. The poor ones will bear the pain.
One sidebar – We have enough oil, shale, natural gas, and the like in North America to run our cars, factories, and power plants cleanly for many decades. But we won't drill for it because we are afraid of environmental disasters. We have the most stringent environmental controls on the planet. When we drill its clean and pristine. Just ask the Alaskans.
So what do we do – Drill? No – we pay the Brazilians to drill. They have very little environmental controls and are and will be soiling the planet. So let's see – It's OK for Brazil, the folks and the Middle East and that paragon of green energy, Russia, to drill and spoil the earth in so doing, but it's not OK for us to drill here at home where we can control the environmental damage AND have energy independence.
Did we just fall down the rabbit hole?
JVH
If I asked you what "crime" got the higher fine in the UK, a parking ticket or possession of Cocaine or heroin, what would be your answer? The drugs? Guess again
According to this article in the Telegraph, drug users caught in the act pay half as much as drivers overstaying their meter. (Crack cocaine, $65 – Parking Ticket, $100)
Of course here in the colonies where we have no clue, drug fines start at $2500 to $1,000,000 and most carry a prison term. So what does that say about the UK?
From my point of view it's the nanny state run amok. Poor, poor downtrodden drug abusers. We need to nurture them and help them and make them see the errors of their ways. However if you over stay your parking, then dammit its up the river, take your car, and open your pocketbook, you seasoned criminal.
The fines for drug use and sale are simply a cost of doing business in the UK. Read the article. This scourge on our inner cities and on our middle class 'burbs" is "ticket time." And it turns out the fines have been going down. Of course parking fines are going up.
We aren't talking a joint found in someone's wallet, we are talking crack and China White. Well this is the country that put a man in jail for shooting a criminal in his house who was threatening to do bodily harm to his wife.
Sigh
JVH
(Parking World writer Pete Goldin held forth on PW's blog about movies and how they degradate our industry. His followup I thought should be shared with PT readers –JVH)
In my last blog, I exposed Hollywood's character assassination of the car park, and I suggested that the movie makers present the public with some positive parking lot role models. My editor has asked me what I think this role model would be like. Here are a few of my cinematic parking visions:
- Well-lit spaces that discourage suspicious characters from lurking in the shadows.
- Open sight lines that do not leave spaces for bad guys to hide.
- CCTV and other security measures to keep patrons safe and minimize the urge to hold gun fights or kidnap unsuspecting patrons on the premises.
- Speed bumps to discourage high speed car chases.
- Practical signage and markings that allow people such as Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer to find their car in under 30 minutes.
The Supporting Cast:
- Friendly and helpful car park attendants who do not resemble zombies.
- Valets who are conscientious, and do not smash vehicles into each other and do not take joy rides in customer cars, screeching the tires as they race out of the lot.
- Security personnel in attendance, not sleeping, with attention paid to what is happening on that CCTV screen just over their shoulder.
PG
Here's a take I hadn't considered: What if banks wouldn't loan on a development if the number of parking spaces didn't meet the industry average, EVEN IF the local zoning requirements had been removed and the number wasn't required. Read all about it here
It seems developers are being caught in a Catch 22. Cities are following the lead of Shoupistas and removing parking requirements on development to assist in getting new buildings going in downtown areas. This helps in development, and certainly in attracting "sustainable" businesses into the areas. It makes sense in every way, until the developer goes to get his loan from the banks.
Here's the banker's quote:
"We're not going to make a loan without getting comfortable with the parking element and the parking strategy," explains Michael Morris, executive vice president of real estate for Zions Bank.
Other factors besides parking ratios also play a role, he says, including the overall economy and the mix of equity and debt.
Construction lenders could be "flexible" and approve transit-oriented projects, Morris says, so long as long-term lenders are content. But he predicts parking at housing units, regardless of location, likely will remain a premium.
"I don't know if public transportation or fuel efficiency or the green movement is going to change that in the near term," Morris adds, before pausing. "As a corporation, we're open-minded and will participate in the dialogue. And we'll do what makes sense."
Sure, it sounds like they can be "flexible." But just show up with a number of parking spaces that doesn't meet their requirement and see what happens.
Think about the problem with housing units – By reducing the number of required spaces, the developer can unbundle parking from the building and lower the cost for housing. People who live near their work can forgo a vehicle, and all is right with the world.
Not going to happen if banks have their way. The article goes on to say that cities and developers are in an ongoing educational process with banks but it is slow.
Just another problem in dealing with the recession, development, and financing.
JVH
Following on to the posts below -- Andy sends in this tidbit from the Associated Press
La Crosse Police Issue "Courtesy" Parking Tickets
La Crosse police are trying to be friendly to visitors of this western Wisconsin city during the height of fall tourism. Lt. Pat Hogan says the department is issuing visitor-friendly "courtesy" parking tickets to first-time, overtime parking violators.
Mayor Matt Harter says the city can help downtown businesses by giving first-timers a break, along with providing as much parking as possible by enforcing existing rules.
Since Oct. 4, community service employees have written 454 warnings, or about 18 a day. Of those, 306 were in downtown La Crosse.Previous violators still have to pay a $12 fine, after a $4 increase approved in March.
Well, Duh -- I have been railing about this solution for years. It solves all PR problems and follows the rules as well.
JVH
What gets me is that the driver seems so unconcerned about what just happened and simply drives away. If I had been in that SUV I would have been in shock and unable even to back off the cars I just totaled.
JVH
Here's another one
This is just crazy—Dewey Beach in Delaware is concerned that their increase in parking FINES might drive people away. The logic is that higher fines mean people won't come to park there. Read about It here.
Let me attempt to parse this. I want to go to the beach. I somehow find that the fine for improper parking is $50. I guess I plan to park improperly when I start out so I decide to go somewhere where I know that parking fines are cheaper so I will have to pay less.
ARE THEY NUTS… Is there anyone on the planet who actually starts out going to the beach or anywhere on vacation for that matter making the decision based on how much they will have to pay when they get a parking ticket? Give me a friggin break.
If the fines are onerous, fine, lower them. But arguing that people don't come because they are too high…From the article it seems that there is no indication that, in fact, over the past two years there has been a reduction in people coming to Dewey Beach for any reason.
And…as correspondent Mark points out – They are concerned that the parking fines are "unfriendly." At what point does a parking ticket become "friendly?"
JVH
Free parking is the prime reason malls have grown so mightily over the years. Predatory parking enforcement in the downtowns might prove the death knell for a great many small merchants there unless it's checked. Parking tickets are no small things for these enterprises. It's really about time this economic threat is recognized — and acted upon.
The quote above from a columnist at the Moderate Voice blog is typical of knee jerk reaction to the reasons why malls have grown and downtowns have atrophied. Read the entire article here
Of course this is absurd. In Los Angeles, for instance, the two newest major malls in the city (The Grove and Americana at Brand) plus two major successful existing malls (Century City and Beverly Center) all charge for parking. That hasn't kept people away. They come because there is a reason to go there.
Downtown Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade is hugely successful and its six parking structures charge for parking. People go to the beach, but the county charges for parking. People go see the ball game, the Hollywood bowl, Disneyland, Universal – they all charge for parking. Why are they successful? Because people want to go there.
Why do downtowns fail? Because people don't want to go there. If you want to make your downtown successful, make it so people want to go there. Santa Monica, Old Pasadena, Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Atlanta Station, South Beach in Miami, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Pikes Place Market in Seattle, they all charge dearly for parking and are extremely successful.
I love it. The writer above complains about predatory parking enforcement. I certainly agree – Set the rules so they fit the situation. Then enforce the rules. If you don't like them, fine. Call a meeting, get some facts and input, and then change them. But to stop enforcement of the rules "just cuz" is ridiculous.
JVH
We opened the event with a grand ribbon cutting, singing of the national anthem, and a singing of a solo that can best be described as a doxology. The Philippines is a very religious country (70 percent Catholic)
We were then regaled by a fantastic native dance show. About 20 young dancers from a local university in native dress and accompanied with original instruments. Just wonderful.
Mitch Ballesteros, CEO of the iorganizers, then welcomed us and the presentations began. The President of the local ASIS chapter is now speaking on garage security
There are about five companies that are exhibiting from the local fledgling parking industry. There are about 100 in attendance.
More later and some pix when I get back to the hotel and my computer.
Jvh
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
I'm told the daily parking charges are about $4 a day. Comparable to a small middle American city. The difference being, this is a major Asian metropolis the size of Los Angeles.
jvh
This is a bustling, vibrant, metropolitan city. It is also a third world city. If you have been to Bangkok, or I Mexico city, or Sao Paulo, you know what I mean. There is no middle class. Everything is either wealth or poverty Everywhere you look are civil construction projects 95% finished. sidewalks partially finished. Buildings with just a little of the side not quite in place. You also notice something else - Terrorism is alive and well in Manila
OK, if you go to the towers at Century city in Los Angeles, your car is checked before you park, but that is the only place I'm aware of for such activities in LA, unless you count the Israeli Consulate.
However everywhere here is guarded. There is a checkpoint to get into the hotel port cochere. The taxi is checked under and in the trunk. In the shopping center across the street - it can take 20 minutes at high times to get into the parking lot, same reason. When you enter the hotel you are introduced to the Intercontinental's Golden Retriever. She is one of a number in their canine corps. And they aren't there for protection, but for the use of their very wonderful noses.
You saw none of this when I was in east Asia 20 years ago. People were free to come and go as they pleased. Not today. Dennis pointed out that westerners aren't stopped entering the shopping center, but every Asian is checked. WOW. If someone thinks this is progress, they certainly have a strange definition of the word.
I will say that the folks here certainly know how to treat visiting speakers. I was met at the plane by an escort who took me through customs and immigration with barely a stop. Then I went to a, can you believe it, VIP lounge where I had some water and rested a tad and chatted with my local hosts before we went out and caught a cab into the city and the hotel. Wonderful treatment.
Its 7 AM on Tuesday. I'm going down for breakfast and then off to the Philippine parking conference and exhibition. More later
JVH
I'm blogging from Seoul Incheon International Airport during a layover on myy flight to Manila. When I arrive i will be representing Parking World and speaking before the Philippine Parking Expo this week. I'll be live blogging and tweeting from the event. Stay tuned
This beautiful airport reminds me that LAX really needs a face lift -- Its the entry airport for probably 20 million visitors to the US each year and we send them through the crowded, under construction, crappy, Bradley International Terminal. Hell charge every person who goes through the airport 5 bucks and build a terminal that represents America well.
JVH
Got a call from the Old Gray Lady, our newspaper of record, the New York Times. The reporter, one Jesse McKinley, said he was at deadline and writing about handicapped permit abuse in California. It was Friday at 6 PM but I agreed to in interview. After all, it was that bastion of fact and archive, the NEW YORK TIMES.
We spoke for twenty minutes. I told him that the problem was rampant across the country but the main reason was that people with these permits get to park for FREE. At least on street and at least in California, Florida and other states. That meant that the permits meant not only that people got a close in space, but that they could park without paying.
I also commented that most handicapped really wanted access, not a handout. That they needed the handicapped space so they could drive their big vans and get their chairs and crutches out without problems. The fact that the permits were free was secondary, and in my opinion causing the problem.
If you have access to the NYT, you can read the article here.
It’s interesting that he quotes me and the parking rock star, Don Shoup, with sort of throw away comments, but never quotes a handicapped person, a handicapped group, or worse, never brings up the potential real cause of the problem (free parking.) He also neglects to mention the fact that these permits cost cities millions (the chap from San Francisco touches on this but it’s never followed up). Not necessarily because the permits are free, although that’s a big deal, but because cheaters take space that could be used by the paying public.
The inference is that by raising the fine to $1000 the problem will go away. Oh Please. As the women who wrote the law said herself said:
Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, a San Francisco Democrat who sponsored the new law, said she had seen placards advertised on Craigslist, as well as fakes. “They are really hard to identify,” Ms. Ma said. “Only a trained eye could tell the difference.” All of which, she said, has made the law a people pleaser.
Let me parse this for you – The law was written because it will please a group of people, however it will do little good since placards are a commodity, even on Craigslist, and the fakes are so good that most can’t tell the difference. It will please some people, but do little or no good.
JVH
Andy is putting up videos we cut last week and now we are learning that there is more to doing them than meets the eye. That includes editing. I made some comments, off the cuff for sure, in one that might have been a tad too knee jerk. When you write something, you have to think about it a tad, when you stand (or sit) in front of a camera things just roll off the tongue.
Lesson learned. We will actually look at them in the future. In the mean time, there are some up on the web site – have a look – its fun for me to be able to rail on about what I think. You can comment and let me know what YOU think
I hope to be able to make a set of these once a week and will do more upon my return to LA on Monday.
JVH
I commented on this story a few weeks ago but it bears repeating. The city of Santa Monica commissioned a study by Walker which found that there is plenty of parking (Walker is to be commended for finding that additional garages weren't needed) and that what was needed was more judicious pricing and management of the parking that exists. Read about it here
However there is a part of this that hasn't been mentioned. That is the culpability of the local merchants. The deal is that Santa Monica has six huge (what 800 car) garages in its downtown core. The rules are first two hours free. They are being jammed by local workers who take their coffee breaks by moving their cars in and out to get around the charges.
WHERE THE HELL ARE THE MANAGERS OF THESE BUSINESSES? If I found that my employee was taking parking from my customers and taking time off from work to do it, they would be part of the 9.8% unemployed in a heartbeat. How can a business consciously or unconsciously condone such behavior? They spend a fortune to try to bring customers and in clients to their door only to have their own employee put up roadblocks to the process.
As correspondent Mark points out, this is a repeating pattern we see in city after city across the fruited plain.
Santa Monica has a number of lightly used structures and lots in the periphery of the city. How about a well advertised and convenient shuttle to take workers from those sites to their offices. What about allowing a jitney service (all taxicab owners can now start breathing again)? How about adjusting rates so that the first hour is $2 but the second hour is free? How about visiting the chamber of commerce and telling them that they are not the solution to the problem, but they are the problem (Hat Tip to the Gipper).
Sheesh == and that's just with two minutes thought. Walker, call your office.
JVH
Marc Slavin President of MarcParc here in DC and a pretty bright guy, spent a few minutes with me in the hotel bar. His topic, after some embarrassingly positive comments about PT, was about stealing in parking. He said that his Grandfather, who started the business decades ago told him that the worst problem was when you had collusion.
"My Grandfather said that if you had one person who stole, the amount could be small, say a few hundred or so. But if you had a number of people who worked together, it could be in the hundreds of thousands." He went on to say that he was fortunate that his operation had evolved to a point where this wasn't a problem. It's something to think about, though, when you find a problem in your operation.
JVH
I hear positive signs everywhere. Tom Duemling of ParKut and Larry Feuer of Amano McGann, Presidents of their respective companies, were talking about the economy and both said that their businesses were doing well. Larry was pleased particularly since so much bad news comes out of this city (DC, that is). "I'm pleasantly surprised, " he said. He agreed with much I had heard around the floor – things had become quiet at the end of last year, projects on hold and all, but now they were being released and purchase orders are flowing.
Jerry Skillett from Central added to the cherry news. He said that their monthly parking numbers had dropped a tad last year, but were now ticking up. He felt the downturn reflected downtown job losses, and the upturn showed that they were coming back.
Good News All Around at the NPA.
JVH
Dori Teich of Designated Parking has a new gizmo in his single space reserved parking line. It's a space blocker that you can put up without getting down on your hands and knees. Just give it a kick. He was promoting it in Parking Zone's booth – (By the way, Marc Curtis was walking around in a "green" tee shirt – Rather a poor choice of shade of green – looked like pea soup or something. He claimed Parking Zone was "going green" I think they need to rethink their artwork.)
As Dori was demoing his newest, he told me that in my writing, particularly in my column and blog, I was becoming more of a curmudgeon. I don't know what he means. He couldn't even pronounce the word. (He laughed about his inability to speak it clearly, but got the point across.)
Curmudgeon – Bah Humbug
J
Ran into Jerry Skillett, now back at Central as a vice president. He was talking to Dale Denda from PMRC and me about the issue of parking operators not understanding how to talk to development owners about return on their parking investment. He actually laid out the formula in algebraic simplicity on a cocktail napkin. It reminded me of Walter d'Allessio's talk at the Temecula group last year. Walt made exactly the same point.
We three went our separate ways. Dale accosted me later and wanted the napkin. I kept it and will replay the conversation with you when I have a chance. Jerry says that there is no state secret about it and the more people in the industry that know how to compute ROI and communicate it to facility owners, the better for us all.
Ah, someone who understands that a "rising tide raises all boats."
JVH
It's a sad time around our house. Our dog, Heidi, has been going downhill for a few months. We thought she would make it longer, but it was not to be. Unfortunately both R and I are traveling and Joyce who was caring for her said she was really slipping fast. She has Cushings disease which was under control up to the past few weeks, arthritis, and can barely get up and walk. She has stopped eating. She has made the decision, now it was time for use to agree. Circumstances forced us to leave it to Andy to take her to the vet for the last time.
I'm feeling guilty about a lot of things, putting down a dog is never easy, but leaving it to your son to do is beyond the pale. He's stepping up to the plate, but I know it's difficult. Worse, however, would be forcing Heidi to live in pain and misery any longer.
Goodbye old girl, you have been a wonderful pet, companion, and a good friend. Now its time for us to be your friend. Rest well.
J
I'm at the NPA Convention in DC. T Boone Pickens just opened the event with homespun humor and concerns about dependence on foreign oil. Not, perhaps what one wants to hear at a convention of parking operators, but his message was clear. $300 a barrel oil will crush us so we must stop our dependence on foreign oil.
The show starts in earnest this afternoon. I got a quick preview of the exhibit hall floor and was stunned. It looked like the IPI, only a tad smaller. Huge booths, signs hanging from the ceiling, and exhibit personnel hurrying to put the finishing touches on their presentations. WOW – the NPA certainly is leading the pack.
NPA Chairman Herb Anderson told me this morning that they have a new strategic plan and one of the goals was to grow their show. They certainly have done that . Contrats to NPS Prez Marty Stein and his team.
More this PM after the exhibits open
JVH
We have made the city council of Oakland, CA. In August I commented on the brouhaha that is going on there over parking. They read my post in the council meeting. It pretty much speaks for itself. The council folded and rates have been rolled back.
From what I can see, I was accurate. They raised parking rates from $1.50 to $2.00 and extended parking fees from 6 to 8 PM. All hell broke loose. However, it turns out that "hell" is really described as one merchant with a loud voice. He has been on TV, has signs up on his theatre, and has threatened everyone from the Mayor on down. He gets a lot of press. This is exactly what I said in the first post.
There don't seem to be any facts. No study done prior to the increase, no study done now. At least no one is quoting them. This is an emotional issue fanned by a few rabble-rousers and the press.
I feel very sorry for the council who it seems is acting in good faith.
In the end, what must happen and is underway, is a citywide survey, a lot of cooling off, and some good public relations.
It would shock me that the parking fees will destroy Oakland. I wonder if the merchants have looked inward and tried to determine what they need to do to get people to come downtown. My guess is that the answer is "no." They look to the government to provide everything.
Remember the "line in the movie" – If you build it, they will come.
JVH
I got a couple of comments on my blog below on the new "Parking Ticket Insurance" scheme not under way in Philly. Check this out:
Social commentary aside, this seems like a pretty thin margin for the company or they are taking the position that you will likely not receive many parking tickets in Philadelphia. Meter tickets are $36 and 5 tickets covered under the "basic" plan assuming they are all for meters is $180. The "basic" plan is $99.99 and $9.99 per month, offset by a $10 Meter Card. If you get 5 or more meter tickets per year this is a no-brainer as you are basically paying for the service and the peace of mind that your tickets will never go into a penalty phase. Throw in a couple of higher dollar violations into the first five and you're ahead of the game.
From a commercial business perspective, if you own a fleet of vehicles that rack up parking tickets and penalties, not to mention loss of man hours when a vehicle gets towed or booted, it's a simple cost/benefit analysis. Don't forget that you can probably write off the service as a business expense which is something you can't do with parking tickets.
All in all, capitalism at its best (or worst if you initials are JVH).
Those initials appear to be mine – So here goes – As a business model, its classic insurance and as long as their stats are correct, they will do OK. (I don't know how much actuarial info is one file for parking tickets, but there you go) They are assuming that most people will use the program to make their lives easier and not try to run up their number of tickets to make a profit on the deal. My guess is that someone that would use this type of service most likely already gets a lot of parking tickets so they need it.
It will take the IRS about 15 seconds to see through this and deduct the cost of the tickets from the service provided and allow only the service, not the tickets. That's what they are all about.
An Aside: UPS and Fedex saw parking tickets as a cost of doing business in Manhattan and cut a deal with the city to pay them direct. Worked out well. Then the city installed P and D meters and allowed the drivers to take the parking with them. In other words, when they bought some time, they could use it anywhere.
But in the end, they are selling a service to a willing customer. That's capitalism. However there are many services that we have outlawed (prostitution, drugs, money laundering, the list is endless.) I'm not saying that this service is equated to one provided on a local street corner, but I'm sure that Peter's model of the UK rules will kick in soon. Sure, you can use this system but if you don't pay in person, or with a personal check or credit card, you will be surcharged. After all, part of the fine is the hassle you go through paying the ticket, isn't it?
As we make it easier and easier to subvert the law, and simply have to pay a fee and get around the "problem" then the lady with the blindfold begins to peek a bit. Those with bucks can get by with arrogance, and those without bear the burden.
JVH
First you read the article by a New York Times Sportswriter who has lived his life in New York and doesn't know that he needs to have change in his car for the meter. Then you think about the enforcement officer – who happens on the scene only to find a car with an expired meter. And you KNOW that this officer has heard it all.
Correspondent Mark responds as follows:
Maybe it's just me, but I remember when I started driving one of the first things I did was get a roll of nickels and put it in the car for parking meters (it was a long time ago), as did just about everyone I knew. Even as teenagers my friends and I all realized that the end result of driving was always going to be parking, and sometimes that would be at a parking meter. Even now I always have ample change in my console, that's where I always put the change whenever I go to a drive thru or come out of a store. If you have enough presence of mind to put on pants and shoes before going out the door, or to remember to bring your cell phone you ought to be able to remember to have a couple of quarters if you know you're going to be going somewhere that will most likely entail the use of a parking meter. Is that expecting too much? Then again, what do I know?
JVH
My good Lord – what next? A company is starting up in Philadelphia which, for a price, will monitor the parking tickets issued in the city and automatically pay them for you. Read all about it here.
I don't know where to begin – I thought that the whole idea of a parking ticket was to at least slightly inconvenience the driver so next time they will follow the rules.
If they buy this "insurance" against parking tickets, they are essentially prepaying up to 15 parking tickets a year. Hell – why have parking regulations at all. Just buy this service and park anywhere, anytime you want and your tickets will be paid automatically. If a person signs up for this service, there is no reason why they should not become a scofflaw. Don't they need, at a minimum, to use up their premium?
The company bills this as a "convenience" but what it really is, it seem to me, is a way for wealthy people to run roughshod over the parking rules in a city. Do people really get so many tickets that they need a service to "handle" the processing of them? And are they so lazy that they can't do it themselves? Sheesh.
This is so much nonsense. Let's carry it a tad further. (The company is going to offer to pay red light tickets in the future – why not sign up for that servie and just blast right through that red light - you have 3 goes paid for already.) How about Paying someone to go to jail for you. Rob a bank, get caught, and our company will provide someone to stand in at the trial and then when you are "up the river".
JVH
The Europeans and I were not alone. Here are a couple of comments from this side of the pond:
I must say that we have been experiencing this exact scenario for years. As you know, we were the very first "direct" European manufacturer in North America. (Our) name and image required a professional booth and the lack of market presence (especially in the US) required us to bring a lot of product and personnel to fill our 20 x 40/50 space. The fact that we needed to attend 4 shows (IPI, PIE, CPA & NPA) created a tremendous amount of financial burden with limited or no return.
Can you imagine how your Euro friends would feel if they had done it for 10-15 years??
The other guys (Large US Manufacturers) although experiencing the same dilemma had sales well in excess of ours to help support the burden. This is one of the reasons we decided to claw back on adverts and trade shows.
Or this one:
The vendors are the main reason I attend the IPI shows. It seems that every year the sessions are nothing but rehashed and thinly veiled infomercials from the same people and companies over and over and over again. With the exception of the round table discussions, while it may seem fresh and rewarding for newbies to the industry, those of us who have been around for a while find it quite tedious. Is it too late to recommend a cage match between Duncan and ACS? How about a competition themed after one of those Japanese game shows? Manufacturers performing timed industry related tasks on their own equipment (like cashiering 10 cars or writing 10 parking tickets) and the slowest contestant dropped into a vat of mud? While we're at it, why leave the end-users out of the fun? I know that a parking related Jeopardy style quiz show involving pies to the face for wrong answers would keep me glued to my seat. One thing's for certain, I really should try and avoid posting comments on a hangover induced Saturday morning.
There are more along this vein. I have changed the names to protect the innocent.
JVH
I chatted with a number of senior executives of major European Parking Equipment Manufacturers at the European Parking Association meet in Vienna last week. They told me some very surprising things.
It was about the IPI show in Denver. I mentioned that I thought that the IPI had done a good job with difficult economic times. They said they were very disappointed with the show. They didn't like the attendance and felt the quality was weak.
These are companies that invest tens of thousands of dollars in the show. I know one of them had a budget of upwards of $200,000. When you invest like that, you have to have an expectation that things will go well.
Now remember, the IPI doesn't get the $200,000. In fact only a relatively small part of it. The big money goes for creating expensive booths, shipping heavy equipment, paying for airfare and rooms for 20 people. It can be expensive. For instance…When I was selling this type of equipment years ago, we paid $10,000 just to get the equipment from our loading dock to the show and back. And remember, we didn't have a huge 40x40 booth. The numbers can be staggering.
If I were a small company and had a one hole booth with a stand that I could carry as baggage and came by myself, I would probably not have the same expectations as the "big boys."
I asked if they had considered lowering their profile and got a real earful. "We can't do that. We have a reputation to uphold. We can't have a smaller booth, people will think we are in trouble."
So they aren't happy, but they will be there with bells on.
The show next year in Vegas should be a good one. Vegas itself is a big draw, and in addition, the IPI has begin its marketing program now. That's a good idea, since people need to get the money in their budgets for the show. I wish them all the best
JVH
Did you get your check? I sure didn't.
This article explains it all. They don't mean the government actually sends out money (like they do for farmers or education) but the subsidy comes as a tax break for parking expenses. IE, when you drive to work and pay say $200 a month for parking, that can be written off your taxes. It's like your mortgage interest. The fact that you can write it off means that the government is subsidizing the purchase of your house.
Think of it this way – If you pay 25% of your income in federal taxes, and you can write off $200 a month in parking fees, it means that the government is actually paying you $50 a month to help cover your parking costs – that's a subsidy.
What is interesting is that the IRS only allows you to write off $100 in transportation costs (fares for busses or trains). And I thought that they wanted to urge people out of cars and on to rapid transit. These tax laws don't seem to do that.
However, the wizards in Congress are attempting to fix that. They are going to set a "maximum" you can write off of $230 a month total for both.. Prior to that it was $100 for transportation and $200 for Parking. Of course they want to reduce the "subsidy" not increase it.
This seems a tad unfair to me. If I live in New York City, $200 doesn't cover my parking costs. However in Des Moines, much of the subsidy goes to waste. So by the fact of my geographic location, the government subsidizes my parking and transportation more or less.
All of this doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. If I live in Des Moines and make $90,000 a year I pay the same amount of Federal Taxes as the poor soul who makes the same in New York. However they get more of a subsidy in parking and transportation than I do. And of course this only works for those who actually pay taxes. If I make less than what, $40K and have a bunch of kids, I don't even pay taxes. So the subsidy only works for those who really don't need it.
Confused? I know I am. As usual the law of unintended consequences kicks in and the folks with the bucks get the breaks and those without get it in the neck.
Fair. I don't think so.
JVH
I interviewed Joe Wenderoth, Executive Vice President of Lanier Parking in Atlanta this week. It's a wide ranging discussion and will appear in November's Parking Today. One topic struck home.
Joe says that the successful parking operators will be looking at the entire project, not just the part where cars are parked. This includes all types of transportation such as shuttles, light rail, bicycles, walking, and the rest. As the pressure to reduce the number of cars in central cities increases, operators will need to move seamlessly into the role of providing and managing all transportation systems that affect a complex.
He spoke in detail about Atlanta Station, a new complex that combines shopping, residential, entertainment, and office space in the central city. This area has parking, sure, but the majority of people come and go through rapid transit, shuttles, foot traffic, bicycles, and the like. All that has to be coordinated and his company is focusing on doing just that.
Holistic is a buzz word, but its meaning is important. In medicine it means treating the entire patient, not just the cancer or broken arm, but the emotional and psychological as well. In addressing the issues of building complexes, holistic refers to all parts of the project. That means parking, but parking affects the design. Environmental concerns are on the top of everyone's list. That means rapid transit and how people get from the local station to the complex. That means signage and traffic flow, security and information.
I think Joe is on to something. As automation kicks in and fewer and fewer people are needed to run garages, the successful operators will change their approach. And they had better start doing it now.
JVH
Parking is easy in London on Saturday. Lots of space - in fact, I think that
their new pricing program has worked. People are either parking in off
street structures, or riding public transportation As I look out my window,
I can see a dozen available spaces at 11 AM. I'm two blocks from the most
active shopping area in the City. (Oxford Street.) Heading for Atlanta
Tomorrow and an interview with a major parking operator. Stay tuned.
JVH
It's time for my annual whine about how everyone in the UK is constantly apologizing for something. If it's because they are in front of you (legitimately) in line, or because you have to wait 10 seconds for your Big Mac, it's because they are replacing the water mains or building a new building across the street. Huge signs appear stating something like "We are replacing the water mains so that you can have fresh water, we apologize in advance for the inconvenience to you for our actions."
Why not something like this: "We are replacing the water mains to bring you fresh water. Thanks for putting up with our dust. You are going to like it when we are finished." I guess this apologizing comes from a society that grew up on tipping their hats or pulling on their forelock to those in higher stations. For me, I don't like it.
I was just walking up the street and saw a woman, smoking, talking on the phone, and walking directly toward me. I stopped. She nearly hit me. She then said – "What's the matter with you, can't you say "sorry." When apologizing becomes a national past time it loses all meaning.
Maybe our president got the idea for his apologizing to the world from the Brits. I don't mind telling someone you are sorry that their toe hurts when you stepped on their foot, or saying "excuse me" when you have to go to the restroom on the airplane. That's simple courtesy. But to apologize in advance for something that may or may not have caused any problem, and certainly for something that is going to make their lives easier and better, seems to me to be a sign of weakness. I'm with you Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
JVH
Detriot Joins "Parking War's"
Andy reports that Detroit Municipal Parking Department is joining Philadelphia as another foil for the fabulous "hit" show, Parking Wars. It boggles the mind how a city could set itself up to such ridicule, but then, Detroit has been beaten about the head and shoulders by our illustrious government, automobile unions, the environmental lobby, and practically everyone else, so why not?
The Motor City has a reputation for one of the most notorious downtown areas in the country. One can imagine what the producers of the TV program will do to the poor folks who are charged with enforcing the parking regulations in a city of high unemployment, low salaries, and high numbers on the government dole. But then, I can guess that the story isn't the same if one were to film in Beverly Hills, Palm Beach, or Tiburon.
As has been commented here before, perhaps it's the check from Hollywood that catches the eye of the local administration, and not the bad publicity that inevitably will come from this. It makes no difference whether the enforcement staff is shown in a good or bad light, there is no positive PR from "Parking Wars." The mere name invokes the "spin" placed by the producers.
It's not called "Parking Peace" for a reason.
JVH
In the post below I got input from European vendors about the economic recovery. Comments about the US market were absent. What's that all about?
I know zip about economics. I believe, however, that most success is based on emotion. If people believe that things are going well, they will invest, grow, create, take risks, and spend money. If they are uncertain, have fear, they will "hunker down" and wait it out.
Unfortunately that is what we are seeing in the US. The government is in disarray. It is attacking problems on every front and not succeeding at any of them. From what we can see, the "Stimulus "package was a bust. We are now focusing on recreating a sixth of our economy (Obama care), creating the largest deficits in history, taking over our financial and automotive industries, trying to ensure we pollute less by raising prices of energy, beginning trade wars with our trading partners, giving billions to other countries to drill for oil while preventing drilling here at home, and spending our time apologizing for the past 50 years of American successes worldwide.
Our government has nothing positive to say about free enterprise, our capitalist system, and is placing the blame for the problems we have on the very people who can take us out of the economic nosedive, the individual entrepreneurs and risk takers, rather than where it belongs, with the corrupt members of congress that set in motion the downfall of our housing, lending, and financial institutions.
So the folks who create jobs (the government never created a non governmental job), invest, pay taxes, and build our economy are worried. What is coming down the pike? Do we have an environment where investment will thrive, or will the return be taxed away? Who knows? So why take the risk. Invest in Asia, Australia, Brazil, India. Economic powerhouses that looked at the recession, shrugged, and then carried on.
One of the fellows at the EPA mentioned to me that China is worried that its growth rate is down to 8%. He laughed. The US would kill for an annualized growth of 3%. He was a German.
We will be back, but it will take a change in Washington. Maybe if the midterm elections next year show that the populace has had enough and is willing to "throw the bums out" the confidence level will return. If not – it will be long tough slog and we will be left in the dust.
Can anyone say "Parking World?"
JVH
I spent today in Vienna at the European Parking Association's Biennial conference. Two conversations stood out.
I spoke with an international consultant. He told me that last year about this time his business just dried up. Projects were put on hold. "There is no money." Two weeks ago, his phone began ringing off the hook. He now has more business than he can handle. "They are calling from everywhere, from Jamaica, From Lebanon, and from the UK. There is a lot of work to be done in parking."
The second group was from one of the largest manufacturers of parking equipment in Europe. They said that for them, too, the market has rebounded strong. "Deals that were put on hold are active again. With the exception of Spain, and Italy, Europe is booming, as is the Middle East, Australia, and East Asia"
Wow – that's terrific news.
The EPA is extremely happy with its show this year. Comments from the vendors were that the IPI was slow, but the EPA was rocking. Good Traffic, and high quality attendees. I looked at the content of the presentations. They were top of the line. That brings good people.
Parking is coming back.
JVH
I think some people just don't think things through. Correspondent Mark sends in this story from Jamestown, NY
''The parking meters were a major hassle,'' she said. ''Not only the expense, which is out of line, but having to take time away from my customers to go feed the meter just wasn't working. You can't leave customers alone in your store. It wasn't theft I was concerned with - you've got to be available to answer questions or unlock a case if someone needs it. It's not right to just up and leave.''
If you read the story, you find that there is a lot across the street where they can get monthly parking – also a structure that, although under repair, provides off street parking. But NO. This merchant sees the failure of downtown through the eyes of someone who parks on street, runs up tickets, takes spaces from her clients, and can't figure out how to park so she doesn't have to leave her store empty to "feed the meter."
My God, if anyone deserved to fail, this one does.
JVH
I took out after a MSM reporter in my snarky remarks below about an article that took only one side to a story about parking enforcement. I got this from the reporter:
I'm sorry that we never finished our conversation. My story for today veered quite a bit from where we were going, and the clock ran out on me.
Your blog contains valid arguments and I'm glad you've written them down. A commenter on my site just pasted most of the contents of your recent entry on my story in the comments area. I'm happy to have them there, as I feel it rounds out the story. But the words are yours, and if you feel the inclusion of what looks like the entirety of your entry violates your copyrights, let me know, and I will remove them or turn the commenter's thought's into an excerpt.
Thanks again for your time,
Bob
How wonderfully gracious. He may not be the most curious reporter but his parents did raise him well.
JVH
I enjoy getting jokes, letters, and stories forwarded to me. I take them for what they are. Gossip. Probably not true, but fun to read and laugh at.
I have a friend that sends me a cartoon almost every day. It's not political, religious, or dirty, just funny. And it's great to get it. It's about some dog who seems to run everyone's lives and is smarter than all the humans put together.
I do have a couple of bones to pick with people who forward emails. First – why, if they think that it is good enough to send to everyone they know, can't they clean it up a bit. I really don't want to have to scroll down through hundreds of forwarded addresses to get to the meat of the matter. It takes about 10 seconds to delete all those, and also helps with some privacy issues.
Second, and this is the big one, I hate the way many heap guilt. "Send this on to 10 people you know or someone will die in India." "Please don't break the chain; this has been around the world ten times." That one is great, because the chances are that if I sent it to a friend in Ohio, it could travel through Hong Kong, India, Europe, and a little building west of Washington DC before it got here. I just forwarded on touching email about soldiers in combat. It demanded that I forward it both at the beginning and the end. I deleted those requests, and then forwarded it.
So, I make it a point of removing all the "please forward" lines. If people think it's good enough they will forward it on their own. If they don't, so be it.
JVH
Wow, I may be involved in this
Here is an on line article written by one Bob Sullivan, a reporter from MSNBC. It seems Mr. Sullivan has been aggressively researching parking and citation writing for the past few days. I was one of his sources. Of course not one word of what I said was in his article. I guess it wasn't negative enough.
He started off asking about the law suit between Duncan and ACS. I told him I knew nothing, but felt that as in all such contests, each side probably had a story, and he should talk to them.
I then went on my usual trip about how parking fees can change the way people act. That if fees are set properly, there will be less pollution, less cruising, more spaces available for people who need to park in the area. I was about to go on about how many parking tickets never get written, but then we had to stop and were to pick it up again later. Of course he never did call back.
I was particularly struck in the article with the part about people who park too near corners at alleyways and driveways. To wit:
"I recently got a ticket for parking in a space on the street that I have been parking in for three years at least and never had a problem," one resident wrote recently in an Internet group devoted to parking frustrations. Said another: "We've received the unwanted attention of an overzealous meter maid. (She) recently began ticketing residents' cars for being too closely parked to our own driveways. Our 3 tickets state we have to park at least 5 feet away from a driveway … our own driveway.
Personally, after blocking fire hydrants, I think this is one of the worst parking violations. When you park too close to a corner, the driver backing out or driving out of the alley or driveway can't see up or down the street. You are causing a great safety hazard. I note our interpret reporter didn't ask the violators if they thought they were causing a safety problem when they parked too close to a driveway. I guess that isn't important.
He comments about New York hiring 200 more enforcement officers this year, but missed the fact that the income didn't go up in sync with the new hires. I guess finding out why wasn't on the agenda.
Readers of this blog know that I am the first to step up and say that parking should not be a revenue generator to replace lost taxes. And if it does generate a substantial amount, then that money should be plowed back into the streets and neighborhoods from wince it came. However I also know that balance is not the goal of most reporters. They see the "spin" and then pile it on. There was not one single positive word in this article about parking, and not one quote from an enforcement officer, his manager, or the like.
A question Mr Sullivan might have asked is if enforcement of the law was so horrible, why isn't the law changed? Rather than blame enforcement officers (Meter maids, he calls them), why not blame the people who passed the laws in the first place. If a rule is too stringent, then change it. There is absolutely no sense to saying "Oh, there's a law, but the cops should ignore it because I don't like it." If you don't like it, get your city council to change it.
Of course, when you do that, you find that there is a reason for the laws. I just roared at this one:
How aggressive is enforcement? Bolofsky said he's seen New York drivers get tickets for double-parking merely because they are waiting for someone to pull out of a spot on the street - a time-honored practice in the competitive world of city parking.
I have driven in the big apple and one of the major problems is double parking, particularly cross town. You can't get up and down the streets. People just stop and wait. It is a major hassle. I'll bet if Mr. Sullivan were to interview the 20 people who had to wait while someone double parked and ran in for a latte or waited for a parking space, he would get a different kind of ear full.
Plus we are dammed by the very technology that makes ticket writing more fair and accurate:
If the system feels cold and unforgiving, that's partly because many cities are using new technology that cuts out human interaction -- and the criminal justice system -- from the process. In Seattle, a pair of lawsuits are contesting the use of cameras to detect and cite speeders. Twenty area municipalities are named in the suit. In the city of Seattle, a new camera system wrote 58,000 tickets valued at $5 million in its first three months of operation.
Because the contracts promise a minimum payment to the cities, and the manufacturer agreed to split citation collections after that, one of the lawsuits contends the system gives "the cities and the vendors an illegal incentive to issue improper tickets and to err on the side of issuing a ticket versus declining to issue the ticket."
Meanwhile, handheld electronic ticket issuing machines are sweeping municipalities, allowing meter maids to write more tickets – and more important, reduce errors that lead to dismissals. One manufacturer, DXY Solutions Inc., says switching to handhelds increases a single officer's ticket-writing productivity by 30 percent.
Other new technology seems downright mean-spirited. Parking meters invented and sold by the French firm Technolia send texts messages to local police the very instant that a meter clicks down to zero.
So now we are lumped in with speeders and red light cameras. Will it never end? The technology he quotes above of course enables enforcement to write more tickets, but it also ensures that they are more accurate, clearer, and cuts down on errors. Of course, that in itself seems to be a problem for our hero. After all, if someone is caught breaking the law, and can't weasel out of it, that too, is a problem.
If Mr. Sullivan had called back, and he probably won't after this blog, I would have told him about how parking fees can speed traffic, lower congestion, ensure that space is available for merchants, and can be one of the greenest things we know. I may not think that "green" is a particularly wonderful virtue, but most do, and parking fees and fines certainly are as green as it gets.
In most every case cited in his article, the people had broken the law and were upset because they had broken it before and gotten by with it but now they were nailed. It's just not fair, I parked in a red zone 10 times and didn't get a ticket, but now, I got one. Those bastards. I'm not responsible for my actions and the results for them, it's the damn "meter maids," and the money grubbing city.
It the problem that enforcement has been stepped up? Or is it that people are taking less responsibility for their actions? In the "good old days" we got a ticket and we were embarrassed and we paid it and next time we put another quarter in the meter. Today it's the fault of technology, aggressive enforcement, or whatever.
There is not one comment on the fact that these people are breaking the law. Sigh
JVH
Here are some pix of folks who just outdid themselves parking their cars (scroll down a bit when you get to the link.
I have to point out, that judging from the license plate numbers, street signs, and architecture, the majority of these puppies are from Europe, not the US.
And I think I know the reason. They simply can't figure out how to make parking spaces large enough for Minis, halfway for cars of a regular size.
JVH
Don Shoup is joining some other bicyclists in giving a happening of sorts on October 2 under the auspices of the Library Foundation of LA. He is billing himself as Shoup Dogg and telling the world that its his first appearance under this moniker. Check it all out here
Things seem to sell better today if they are Green. Not like Kermit, but environmentally sound. Cars, houses, toilet paper. We buy it because its green and therefore we are doing something for the environment.
Parking is moving that way, too. How many systems in your garage can be justified, wholly or partially, because they are "green?" Changing light bulbs to Florescent. Using AVI at the entrance and exit so cars spend less time waiting and lower the C0 levels, thus lowering the electricity costs for running fans? How bout wiring the place so electrical vehicles can be charged?
Does the garage have Photoelectric cells on the roof to generate power? How about a design so it's cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter? Where was the steel bought –is it recycled? How bout the concrete? Are there vines on the outside, tress surrounding, grass on the roof where the football team practices? DO you recycle the rain runoff?
Of course all these things are great – and maybe they even help a bit. However we are very conditioned to them so we accept them on face value. Now we find out that cities and universities in particular are looking for green justification so the Feds will supply more money.
The thing to remember that these are like those balloon toys, if you squeeze here, something pops out over there.
Electric cars are great – but you have to generate the electricity somewhere. Think of all the power plants we would need if 100 million cars needed to be charged every night. Of course the batteries that run them cause death and destruction in entire regions in China, but that's ok since it's over there and not over here.
We replace incandescent bulbs with florescent, and then we have a disposal problem and need a hazmat suit if we break one of the cute little curly things. Of course, don't even talk about the way your face looks in the mirror if you use those bulbs in your bathroom.
Ethanol has been a great example of the push pull balloon affect. We use corn to make it and then poorer countries that eat corn stave because we take it off the market and the price goes sky high. Of course we then find it takes more energy and creates more pollution to make a gallon of the stuff that we save when we burn it.
My problem is that "green" has become so political that we can't make reasonable decisions about it. It is, it is important, therefore we jump through hoops.
By the way, PT is printed on recycled paper with vegetable inks, on recycled pressed that are run by piezoelectric generators and delivered in pollution free electric vehicles. You wish…
JVH
I hear that one big push is in Automation. Automating everything in parking from collection to direction. Reduce staff, give better service. Seems like a no brainer, but often lot owners are slow to move. After all, their interface with the parking industry is the operator who may see reduction in staff as a negative, income wise.
I know that a number of major operators are beginning to embrace this concept. Everything from automated pay stations (old hat) to cash acceptors on exit ( a bit newer). The idea is that normally a lot would close at 10 PM but there were still 20 cars in the lot. It wasn't profitable to keep a person there later, but if you could put basically a POF in the lane, you could collect that last bit of money without having a cashier at hand. In addition, you would keep absolute control on you facility, never opening the gate and letting people leave for free after hours.
Of course traffic direction signs, capacity signage, and systems that turn on lighting only when someone is in that area help customers and save big bucks.
JVH
I hear from my "vendor" sources that a major change is underway in the industry, particularly with larger parking opera ions. It's called Virtualization.
In a nutshell it means that the software that runs parking systems won't be running on a separate PC, but will be running on the server that runs the rest of the software in the city, airport, hospital, or development. Supposedly this makes for better redundancy, faster response time, and less hardware, thus some cost savings.
One manufacturer told me today that he has this concept running on five airports in the US.
We have heard of this before. Many software manufacturers (like Microsoft) would love to run their programs for you. Let's say you want to buy MS Word. They would say forget using all your computer's resources running word, let it run on our computer and we'll charge you rent for the time you use it, or whatever. They are ensuring you pay for usage, and you don't have to pay the upfront costs to buy Windows or Word for all the computers in your house.
Well, the idea is the same. The parking software would run on the customers computer, not on the one supplied by the software manufacturer. Talk to you IT department. They are pushing this and will be able to better explain it to you
JVH
I have been assured by someone who should know that the nation's largest parking company is alive and well and is NOT currently in talks about its sale. This person is someone who, if they had said they couldn't say anything, would have confirmed the rumor. (In the rumor business, according to Woodward and Bernstein, who brought you Watergate, that type of response is called a non denial denial.) What this source said, however, is that nothing is going on. Zero, Zip, Nada,thus squelching the rumors.
JVH
I have spent the past few days in Denver and before that in Atlanta. Great cities. The thing that impressed me most was the price of gas. It averaged fifty cents a gallon less than similar gas in California. That's Seven Dollars on a typical fill up.I started to feel sorry for these poor souls who had to live in those two hell holes. After all they had no police or fire protection, their schools were closed, their streets unpaved, they had no water or electricity, their skies filled with smog. NO wait. Both Georgia and Colorado seem perfectly fine to me. They have great schools, good roads, excellent police and fire departments, the water and electricity seem to run well.
But what about my home state of California?
We have the highest (OK maybe second highest) tax rate in the country, gas taxes are over the moon, and the ninth largest economy on the planet. One would assume that all would be right with the world.
Well with all that money, we can't seem to repair the roads, build infrastructure, keep the schools up to date, and the like. Our wonderful Governator and the state legislature can't agree on a budget, and are considering God knows what to all the government to survive fiscally.
Higher income doesn't mean that a government will do well. It also has to do with the money that is flowing out.
Gas prices are too high in California. Where is the Laufer curve when you need it
JVH
Read this Article. Basically it says that cities are whining because their revenue is down. WOW Da Ja think? Can you believe it, there is a recession and suddenly cities are saying that they don't have enough tax revenue. I mean, gee, people are spending less so there is less sales tax.
Cities were spending like drunken sailors and suddenly, housing prices go down a bit and they are, OMG, not getting enough revenue to cover their expenses. The solution? Raise fees, taxes, rates, whatever you got.
Let's see, I run a car company. I sell Belchfire Eight's. I find that due to the recession, I'm losing money. The solution – immediately I raise the prices of the fabled Belchfire. Guess again.
If I'm smart I do a number of things. First I look at my costs and see what I can do about keeping them in line. Maybe that new start up I was planning should be put off a couple of years. Second I look at the Belchfire – maybe the car I make could be changed a bit to better fit the needs of the folks who might buy it. Three – perhaps I need to look at my marketing and get smart about who uses my product and how I can better reach them. Four – Is it time to go back to my core business. Perhaps that airplane division and the factory making refrigerators need to be closed or sold off to someone who knows how to do it better.
Have you heard any governmental agency even hint at doing any of these things. Let me parse it for you.
Or we could just raise parking taxes and fees and forget the whole thing.
JVH
I interviewed Cindy Campbell, head of parking of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and incoming Chair of the IPI. She speaks her mind, and tells it like it is. Money quote:
Its difficult to justify hiring someone to run an IT department or provide customer service specific to parking, however adding enforcement is easy.
JVH
Twitter: jvhpt
About six weeks ago I wrote about the phenomena that only about 10 percent of all parking violations get written up. I "tweeted" in the last few days that I had been parking all over the country and didn't pay for my on street parking and didn't get a ticket. I don't know whether I should be ashamed of myself, or of the enforcement policies in Washington DC, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
I visit a friend about once a month who lives in an area where on street parking is restricted to permit holders (residents and guests). I never go back down and hang the "guest" permit on my car. I just "go bare." I get about one ticket a year. Yet I park illegally about 10 times a year. 1 in 10.
I am waging a personal campaign to get cities to either step up their enforcement or stop it altogether. This one is ten issue is absurd. Not only does it make parking rules a travesty, but think of the revenue lost.
Don't believe me – test it yourself. Forgo that quarter in the meter and see how many times you actually get a ticket. Keep track
You will be surprised.
JVH