Why do parking meters work the way they do?

intranix

It really annoys me - parking meters only let you put in amounts for 30 mins, an hour or 2 hours etc. Why can you not pay per 10 minutes? i.e. 10p per 10 minutes. Put 50p in you get 50 minutes.

It really annoys me, im self employed and always having to put in 2 hours in the meter because I cant put in what I think I will actually use.

It cant be a technical issue, that wouldnt make sense.

Clearly it's about profits, and tickets. People paying too much, and people not paying enough.

ARRRRGH.

Could this ever be changed? with enough petitioning?

esmerobbo

Showing my age but the old clockwork ones used too! As you put money in and wound it, it added the amount you had put in to your time. Although I am sure they had a minimum of 15 mins! Also I think a maximum of 3 hours!

However by charging by the 1/2 hour how much extra revenue are they making. Plus its relative to the vehicle. In the old days you got lucky sometimes and found a meter with time still on, and they had a 15 min gap before they went in to penalty.:p

intranix

I dont really mind a minimum, of say 20 mins, but it reaaaaaally annoys me how most of them jump from 1 hour to 2 hours, no middle ground. Just a waste of money

esmerobbo

intranix wrote: »

Just a waste of money

For you yes! nice little earner for the council though!:(

intranix

oh no doubt, massive earner, but i'd rather things be transparent and fair, wishful thinking eh

muckybutt

depends on councils I suppose, a lot of my work involves town centre parking some meters I use are per 10 mins some are 15 mins some half hour and some per two hours. The town centre ones always expensive where as further out you go the cheaper it gets.

The ones that get my goat are the ones where you cant return within an hour or two etc so you cant meter feed.

leachyd

I suggest parkining in Finsbury Circus, London. You buy parking in 15 minute slots - £1 each.

Pearly11

esmerobbo wrote: »

Showing my age but the old clockwork ones used too! As you put money in and wound it, it added the amount you had put in to your time. Although I am sure they had a minimum of 15 mins! Also I think a maximum of 3 hours!

However by charging by the 1/2 hour how much extra revenue are they making. Plus its relative to the vehicle. In the old days you got lucky sometimes and found a meter with time still on, and they had a 15 min gap before they went in to penalty.:p

I had exactly the same thought @esmerobbo, but didn't want to write it because of my old age which just hit me right the face when I thought about the good clockwork ones.:eek: