Evil Parking Technology?


Folks who complained about Portland’s new parking paystations removing the chance to find a meter with time left on it (instead you drive away with your extra time on your window and can use it at another parking space) may consider themselves lucky.

Jerry passes on this article about a technology to reset those meters to zero when you drive away!

Not so sci-fi. The developer of the controversial parking structure proposed just off NW 23rd has indicated that the spaces will have loop detectors so signage outside the structure can display the number of available spaces.


6 responses to “Evil Parking Technology?”

  1. Those loop detectors are awesome. One of the few high tech things Jacksonville, FL had at it’s airport was the loop detectors so each row would display the available spaces. It completely prevents irrelevant driving thru the structure in circles when trying to park. A LOT more efficient. :)

    I’m rather interested myself to see how this structure turns out. I’m totally not against this type of thing going up in the trendy third area, as I’m not against growth at all. Especially free-market based growth.

  2. Adron, do you support free market growth even when it means there will be a 21′ blank wall three feet from your bedroom window as will happen to the neighbors of the Irving St. structure?

  3. Will the loop detectors be used for congestion parking pricing?

    For example, if the garage is nearly empty at a certain time, will the sign outside say something like “75 cents an hour” if you enter at that moment, and then a few hours later as the garage is nearly full, will it say “$2.50/hr” for people who enter at that time?

    Several private lots and garages do this manually now, having an attendant change a wooden sidewalk sign at various times during the day. I once got rather upset when driving into a garage, I noticed in my rear-view mirror that the attendant was removing the discounted rate sign, and that the meter/gate was already charging me the new rate. I complained immediately to the exit gate attendant and was able to leave without paying, but it should not have happened in the first place.

    Hopefully, if there is to be automated congestion pricing, it will come with a grace period of a couple of minutes from when the sign changes at the street to when the rate actually applies.

    – Bob R.

  4. Chris Smith Says:

    “Adron, do you support free market growth even when it means there will be a 21′ blank wall three feet from your bedroom window as will happen to the neighbors of the Irving St. structure?”

    Yup. It’s part of making an area trendy. If you wanna live in an area that won’t change, go to the country. It’s a lot slower there. It’s a case of be careful what you wish for, because it all has consequences. I would assume that if I live somewhere, but don’t live the property next to me, it might become something I don’t want. Thus if I was really really worried about it, it would be my responsiblity not to force the owner of the land to do something against his wishes, but to possibly buy the land from him. If that didn’t work and there was still a problem then obviously it is my problem, not his.

    I would not, never will, and never never have attempted to force another person to live for me or force their property into my use. It’s a discusting thought that I dread and forbid, but see in effect all the time ranging from neighborhoods forcing property usage, to immenent domain, to whatever. It’s what one gets when the smallest minority, the individual, is trumped by “the masses” regardless of their intent.

    Thus the north west wants a resolution to the parking problem? EVERYONE should be prepared for the possiblities that they get a resolution, but not particularly one they want.

    …Obivously I’m freedom/liberty oriented in my ideals and thoughts on this. It built the country and I don’t see much reason in changing it now… it would be

    hypocritical to do so.

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