hedgehog

The following from the Telegraph:


The parking spy that tells wardens when you are due a ticket By David Millward, Transport Correspondent
(Filed: 20/04/2005)

A parking enforcement device that sends messages to alert traffic wardens that a driver should be given a ticket was put on show yesterday as plans were announced for a professional qualification for parking attendants.

The ParkingEye looks little more than an ordinary pay and display machine at first sight. But one day it will instil as much fear into motorists as speed cameras.

Even Andrew McKerney, the managing director of the manufacturers, said the machine was "evil" - before correcting himself and describing it as merely "very efficient".

The on-street version of the six-foot tall device spots a car as it parks and sends a text message to a traffic warden within seconds if the motorist either doesn't pay or overstays.

"Traffic wardens won't roam any more," Mr McKerney said with evident glee, "They will respond."

The version of the machine designed for car parks notes number plates on entry and, should the motorist fail to leave on time, issues a fine automatically.

The device was among an array of Orwellian technology on show at Parkex 2005, the parking industry trade show which opened in Birmingham yesterday, demonstrating that there is a lot of money to be made in an industry which is worth an estimated £3 billion a year.

Leslie

Good grief!

Les

Jap2Scrap

Some people have no shame! You'd have to be whiter than white to get pleasure from constructing this type of device.



ps. Wish I'd thought of it - I bet he's gonna be worth a mint!

corradoboy

Just seen these on the news Yet another reason I won't be venturing anywhere near a city centre. Went to Scarborough last summer for a day All the car parks were full but there were plenty of places on the street that were allocated to people with residents permits and/or some sort of disc you could buy. Sorry, but I don't have time to familiarise myself with your system Left immediately and won't be going back. Same with my cities cental business distric, Leeds. Been there only twice in the last year, both times for less than 40 minutes to visit my solicitor. Won't be going again for the forseable future as I can get anything I want without paying exhorbitant parking charges and risking further penalty either at out of town shopping centres or online. The whole place can burn as far as I am concerned.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

I thought that this was pretty old news TBH. About 4 years ago they were thinking of using those CCTV's camera in Nottingham to do the same thing. The "eye in the sky" would note everything down and then send the warden straight to the car.

Of course there is a fatal flaw in the new systems. The street version is only 6ft high. A bag over the camera will sort that. The car park one does not take into account that a motorist does not have to pay until he is "parked". You do not have to pay for driving around, so it may well issue a ticket even if you have paid if you have had to wait a while before you manage to get out of the car park.

Jap2Scrap

I park for free in Leeds every day. I work at the uni and there are free spaces you can use all day around the city centre if you know where to look. Generally I agree though, parking nowadays is the most stressful part of any journey. I wouldn't mind paying if it meant the car was secure but so often it means no such thing. In fact most multi-story car parks are like a shopping mall for car thieves, everything under one roof. Whatever happened to the idea of 'duty of care.'

So I take my chances and park in the uncharged areas, safe in the knowledge that if I get the car broken into or stolen at least I haven't paid for the priviledge.

corradoboy

Divulge

I'd still like the place to burn though

SirFozzalot

hedgehog

This is exactly the plan of the anti-car groups (who you pay for through your taxes.) They are on the record as saying that if they make parking at the end of your journey impossible then either you will not make the journey or you will use public transport.

Of course this is a lovely idea until you HAVE to make a journey or in places where there is no public transport or in a free country where you are allowed to decide how you organise your life rather than some lentil eating green nutter who gained his or her experience of life by reading books by Hitler and Stalin.

Just remember that your money is funding organisations such as Transport 2000, Road Block, BRAKE and others who operate under a range of cover stories but who are, fundamentally, part of a national anti-car administration.

Jap2Scrap

You know, I wouldn't mind using Park and Ride schemes in city centres. IF THEY WORKED! There's one in Winchester, and there's always plenty of spaces, it works out at about a quid a day* and there's a bus every 10 mins. Sounds ideal. Until you realise that the parking area is not policed and basically there's a million quid's worth of motors sat at the mercy of anyone who fancies them.


*Might not be that cheap anymore. I'm going back a couple of years.

unclebuck

Yea, but which is the best Bond film?

That's *much* more important!!