Poll: Assuming on-street parking rates will increase, what are your two preferred methods of payment?
For decades the individual parking meter was pretty simple:
The world’s first installed parking meter was in Oklahoma City on July 16, 1935.[3][4][5]
Industrial production started in 1936 and expanded until the mid-1980s. The first models were based on a coin acceptor, a dial to engage the mechanism and a visible pointer and flag to indicate expiration of paid period. This configuration lasted for more than 40 years, with only a few changes in the exterior design, like the double-headed version and the incorporation of new materials and production techniques.[6] (Wikipedia)
I included the references because they’re interesting, number 6 especially. The following image is from that source.
Today there are many ways to pay for on-street parking:
- Coins
- Bills
- Debit/Credit
- Cell Phone (example)
For the poll question this week I’m asking “Assuming on-street parking rates will increase, what are your two preferred methods of payment?” If all goes well, the four options will be ranked. This poll is unscientific, but it lets us see how the readership is thinking. The poll is in the right sidebar.
— Steve Patterson
I’m not aware of any individual meters that accept bills – are you? (The only thing I’m aware of that takes bills are pay stations for multiple spaces.)
This isn’t about individual meter vs pay stations, this is about how people prefer to pay. I personally wouldn’t like to have parking charges added to my phone bill.
I agree – that would be two (or three) potential ways to get the charge screwed up and three potentially unresponsive bureaucracies that probably could never figure it all out. Plus, in Seattle, you get hit with a 35 cent “convenience charge” every time you use your phone, which at St. Louis’ current rates could easily be a 50%-60% surcharge just for not having (enough) change with you!