Dear Editor,
I’ll bet that this viewpoint resonates with 90 per cent of those who read these remarks, if they drive and park their cars where meters are installed. This is especially true in medical facilities where you rarely know how long you will be engaged.
“Will it be an hour, three hours, or more?†We take a guess which is often wrong. We pay too much or too little.
That’s fine if we can hurry out and feed the mechanical monster, but what of the crippled and aged, what do they do?
Many of you will remember when it was simple. A machine gave you a slip of paper showing time entered the parking area, and when you were finished, a woman in a booth looked at your slip and told you what you owed. It was a sensible idea, now abandoned.
I went to St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver. Eight times the parking machine refused the credit card, stating it was unable to read it.
The same thing happened with the next customer in line, who cursed the meter in no uncertain words.
But the lady next in line said “I am going to put my card in upside down.â€
Praised be! It worked, so we men followed her example.
We all realize that these devices bring in thousands of dollars to whomever is involved. We are the ones paying the bill, and in many cases, the investment is lousy.
As the second fellow said menacingly, “I’m going to carry a hammer and hit the stupid thing right on its stupid face!â€
Illegal – but I hope he carries out his threat.
Mike Harvey, Langley