Mrfrench Member Username: Mrfrench
Post Number: 40 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 10:13 am: | |
Anyone know about the new meters being installed around downtown? How much they are costing the city. How much to remove the old ones. Wht they are doing it. |
Tetsua Member Username: Tetsua
Post Number: 825 Registered: 01-2004
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 10:31 am: | |
Don't know the answers to your questions, but these meters are a hell of alot better than the old ones. They take all types of change (not just quarters), and they will apparently start taking credit cards. |
Detroitstar Member Username: Detroitstar
Post Number: 251 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 10:37 am: | |
I really like them. They look better than the old ones and are much more reliable. I've also yet to stop at a meter that does not have time left on it! I too am wondering when the credit card system will begin. I always thought accepting $1 bills would be most convenient...but when has convenience for customers been a priority of this city. |
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner
Post Number: 287 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 11:26 am: | |
a consolidation of meters makes it easier to collect money from meters. Instead of having to open six, now they only need to open one. This saves the city work hours that can be better devoted to other services. In addition it also allows for the integration of new technology. Soon these meters will be able to take credit cards, making it harder for there to be itnternal theft (One Quarter for the City, One Quarter for the collector)! Since all lawyers have credit cards there will be no 'I didn't have quarters excuses' accepted! |
Waxx Member Username: Waxx
Post Number: 20 Registered: 09-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 11:40 am: | |
I've yet 2 use the meters downtown and all I can say is it's about time we got something more convenient and contemporary. Does anybody here know that there are still some parking meters left in the city where U put a quarter in and STILL get two hours? They're still here. Ex: the East English Village, and the Avenue Of Fashion still got 'em. |
Mrfrench Member Username: Mrfrench
Post Number: 41 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 12:32 pm: | |
i'm still curious as to how much it cost. seems with so many existing street-type problems to work on, exposed electrical wires, hot steam venting man hole covers, dangerous code violating board ups on city owned building, that changing an existing system that appeared to be working is odd. who got the contract to supply these things and who is doing the installations? |
Gumby Member Username: Gumby
Post Number: 1450 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 1:51 pm: | |
So they are supposed to ignore one problem that needs fixing just because there are other problems. The thing is all the things you mentioned are ran by other departments or different entities entirely with completly different funding. |
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit
Post Number: 782 Registered: 11-2003
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 1:57 pm: | |
Isnt the meter reading gig outsourced? |
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 1432 Registered: 06-2004
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 1:58 pm: | |
With new and more convenient meters there's no excuse for getting parking tickets, which means parking regulations can be more rigorously enforced, which means more revenue for the city (and, hopefully, fewer junk cars on the streets). It might seem like a little step but if every department starts thinking that way progress will be made instead of departments being overwhelmed and frozen. Every journey starts with the first step. |
Royce Member Username: Royce
Post Number: 1861 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 3:53 pm: | |
The best decision this city has made in years. It was a major inconvience for someone who didn't have an actual quarter to use the old meters. The credit card "coming soon" feature will probably never happen. Just an excuse to get people to think Detroit government is really on the cutting edge. Why was this feature not ready to go when they installed the meters in the first place? Come to think of it, instead of a credit card feature, why not have it so that you can purchase a "parking meter" card like the copy cards in libraries or the parking deck cards at Wayne State, where you can put a given amount on the card and the meter simply deducts the amounts you want to use. Machines that dispense the cards could be in certain stores or businesses. The current meters are better than the old meters but they could be improved upon. The one major gripe that I have with these meters is the fact that the mayor's father has something to do with the company that's installing these new meters. Talk about nepotism 101. |
Michigansheik Member Username: Michigansheik
Post Number: 166 Registered: 09-2005
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 3:56 pm: | |
I think we have meter cards, don't we? http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/mu nicipalpark/metercard.htm |
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 1434 Registered: 06-2004
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 4:10 pm: | |
One thing to remember - the city would have to pay processing fees if they took credit cards. Why pay for that when the cash alternative can be forced? |
Mrfrench Member Username: Mrfrench
Post Number: 42 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 4:16 pm: | |
So, if i am understanding some of what is being said, We are replacing meters that only took quarters, that were themselves replacing meters that took nickles, dimes and quarters, with new meter that take nickles, dimes and quarters in an attempt to limit the amount of walking and stealing by the meter collectors, increasing the walking for the person parking their car, and they are being purchased from a company the mayors father owns? |
Royce Member Username: Royce
Post Number: 1863 Registered: 07-2004
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 4:18 pm: | |
Yes, Mrfrench, all that and a bag of chips. Ain't Detroit great! |
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1
Post Number: 288 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 4:34 pm: | |
Wow, I see why Detroit is getting new meters. there always is some type a family connection when it comes for something to happen here |
Dtown1 Member Username: Dtown1
Post Number: 289 Registered: 08-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 4:36 pm: | |
"Wow, I see why Detroit is getting new meters. there always is some type a family connection when it comes for something to happen here" "increasing the walking for the person parking their car, and they are being purchased from a company the mayors father owns?" It's also a cheap attempt to bring the city into the 21st century, although seems to be the late 20th century technology to me. |
Sticks Member Username: Sticks
Post Number: 119 Registered: 08-2005
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 5:12 pm: | |
A word about taking credit cards in parking meters. If that feature is supposedly coming soon, did I miss the part where they wire all those with some sort of data cable? Because that's what is required for that to work, imo. |
Mrfrench Member Username: Mrfrench
Post Number: 43 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 5:31 pm: | |
Sticks, those are the meters that are being put in after these are installed, I mean removed. |
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 802 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 5:39 pm: | |
quote:... they wire all those with some sort of data cable?
I'd think they'd be better off using wireless for something distributed like that. |
Darwinism Member Username: Darwinism
Post Number: 557 Registered: 06-2005
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 7:13 pm: | |
I would be very worried about swiping credit cards through a street parking meter. The law enforcement agencies and credit card companies are battling a huge problem with a type of fraud called 'skimming'. Many victims are targeted at the gas pump when they pay with a credit card outside. Some of these POS systems have been rigged by criminals to mine credit card numbers and other private info. I wouldn't trust the city or its outsourced 'professionals' to secure the meters well enough. |
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 806 Registered: 12-2005
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 7:19 pm: | |
Darwinism, that's a good point. I've heard of elaborate scams where the whole facade of an ATM was duplicated just to read those cards. Imagine how easy it would be to mount a counterfeit parking meter somewhere on the street. |
Rooms222 Member Username: Rooms222
Post Number: 3 Registered: 04-2005
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 9:23 pm: | |
Was in Cincy last weekend to see the National Underground Railroad Museum. The parking kiosks on the street there took coins, dollar bills, and credit cards.... |
Ryo Member Username: Ryo
Post Number: 3 Registered: 05-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 10:27 pm: | |
I like how one suggestion of the mayor's dad having something to do with installing parking meters turns into the mayor's father owning the parking meter company. glad to see we're not impeding this amusingly slanderous game of "telephone" with any sort of facts. The meter company is Duncan Parking Techonogies of Minnesota, run by: http://www.duncanindustries.com/aboutus/AboutUs.html Duncan is owned by Metapoint Partners of Massachusettes, run by: http://www.metapoint.com/iteam.htm The city's Automotive Parking System Division installs and maintains all street parking meters: http://www.ci.detroit.mi.us/budget/2006-07_Budget/Agencies/EB06-07%20Municipal%20Parking.pdf No mention of Papa Kilpatrick anywhere. I'm all for pointing out waste, graft & corruption, but when stuff is just made up, it distracts people from legitimate problems. And I actually like the new meters. They're simpler than the printed-receipt systems in Toronto, and they remind me of the future-meters that were installed downtown during the filming of "The Island" . The only trouble I've ever had involved a snotty couple making fun of me for feeding a meter on a Saturday, despite being in full view of a sign indicating the Saturday meter enforcement hours. Apparently, they were too cool to pay for parking (their car was in the spot behind mine). Hmmm... too much bitterness for my 3rd post ever? p.s. Yay, Tigers!! |
Mrfrench Member Username: Mrfrench
Post Number: 44 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 11:44 pm: | |
how long before they end up here |
Mrfrench Member Username: Mrfrench
Post Number: 45 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, October 22, 2006 - 11:45 pm: | |
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Jt1 Member Username: Jt1
Post Number: 8029 Registered: 10-2003
| Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 12:35 am: | |
French - Any reason for half your comments or are you just trying to be a jackass? The city is improving a service and you are bitching and trying to turn it into a scandal. You remind me of the people that use the 'Why are the cops bothering me when the city has bigger problems' excuse when they get parking tickets, caught pissing in public, etc. What is your real motivation here? |
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup
Post Number: 1435 Registered: 06-2004
| Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 2:32 am: | |
he probably empties the meters (betcha these new ones keep a tally of how much they've collected, too - no more skimming allowed!) |
Trainman Member Username: Trainman
Post Number: 235 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 5:35 am: | |
On November 1, 2006 the state of Michigan will become the 36th state to end funding of public bus service and the city of Detroit collects more money from parking fees then bus fares. These are facts. It is local property taxes that pay the entire cost to operate SMART and DDOT according to new guidelines to qualify for state grants. Majority rules. |
Apbest Member Username: Apbest
Post Number: 231 Registered: 03-2006
| Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 8:25 am: | |
bus pass and registration CHICKEN FUCKER |
Mrfrench Member Username: Mrfrench
Post Number: 46 Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 9:18 am: | |
Jt1- I never try, it just happens some time. And I am sorry if I brought up memories of people caught pissing in public to you. Yuck! |
Mdoyle Member Username: Mdoyle
Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2006
| Posted on Monday, October 23, 2006 - 9:58 am: | |
I also think the new meters are good. I had a discussion witha friend of mine as they were going in around WSU. We had noticed a big parking enforcement van driving around with antanae on it. I believe this van can remotely check to see if there are any expired meters or if any are full of money. This would save time and manpower but I'm just speculating. Also I've noticed a rash of cars being picked up and towed away after being booted... mre than normal at least so I guess they must be putting those extra man hours somewhere. I saw a shiney white crossfire get picked up on second and cass after getting the boot just hours before. |