Parking meter hours extended to 10 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

**texorama** · June-19-11, 04:21 AM

Most of the coverage of this story has focused on the parking amnesty, but the extended hours mark quite a major change and, I think, are going to stir up a whole lot of controversy inasmuch as many evening users of street parking downtown can't easily get out to feed a meter [[if they're going to sports events, for example). Some have wondered whether the city can enforce this, but enforcement has never been a problem with these folks

Any opinions?

http://www.freep.com/article/2011061...you-pay-up-now

**Gannon** · June-19-11, 05:09 AM

Seems gentle proof that someone is recognizing that downtown has a nightlife!

If they have the 'boot trucks' running for the same hours, expect to see some friction. Those folks are going to want high-risk pay.

I wonder why they stopped at ten?!

This is only a cash grab. Nothing more, nothing less.

**Richard** · June-19-11, 06:54 AM

you would think to encourage evening and weekend traffic it would be 6 p.m. and n/c sat and sunday.

**Zacha341** · June-19-11, 08:50 AM

So night running meter checkers? Great. Another deterrent to wanting to do anything in the city.

**adamjab19** · June-19-11, 11:49 AM

It must have been the parking lot lobbyist who helped put this in place!

**Hypestyles** · June-19-11, 03:10 PM

so "parking wars detroit" will have nighttime footage now?

**preserve** · June-19-11, 04:17 PM

Detroit is so "user" friendly.

DetroitPole · June-19-11, 04:53 PM

That's all this is. So the Sports fans who grab street parking will get an automatic ticket. Street parking becomes effectively impossible during a sports games - a Tigers game runs from 7ish till around 10 and most meters only allow you to pay for two hours. Do the math.
This city is seriously the biggest pile of shit. Instead of providing incentives for people to come here [[or live her, work here...) the city will instead kick you to the curb and take your wallet. Meanwhile, that may literally happen to you while you're here. It's a sham. This city is dead.
Nightlife? What nightlife? The Park Bar and then some clubs where there's a shooting every week? I've lived here for years and never experienced anything that passes for a nightlife, except during special events.

**downtownguy** · June-19-11, 06:36 PM

Very short-sighted and downright stupid! For every dollar they get in parking revenue or tickets, we'll lose two dollars in goodwill. And this city needs to preserve every bit of goodwill it can get, because, ultimately that turns into dollars.

This is just a lame attempt to do a "gotcha" on those who don't know about the new rules. I rarely need to park in the CBD, but if I had been familiar with the old policy and then got zapped with a ticket, I'd be spitting mad. Are they going to post large signs to alert everybody to the policy change? Probably not. It's worse than a speed trap!!

And it pissed me off that the best the Freep could do is probably just copy the press release sent out by the city. This should have it's own story, not just get buried in one paragraph of an entirely different topic. But that's why I don't go to the newspapers for local news anymore. I come here.

**Zacha341** · June-19-11, 07:08 PM

Yeah, you might as well head out to Royal Oak for night life where you expect the night time parking meter troll [[patrol)...

Originally Posted by downtownguy

Very short-sighted and downright stupid! For every dollar they get in parking revenue or tickets, we'll lose two dollars in goodwill. And this city needs to preserve every bit of goodwill it can get, because, ultimately that turns into dollars.

This is just a lame attempt to do a "gotcha" on those who don't know about the new rules. I rarely need to park in the CBD, but if I had been familiar with the old policy and then got zapped with a ticket, I'd be spitting mad. Are they going to post large signs to alert everybody to the policy change? Probably not. It's worse than a speed trap!!

And it pissed me off that the best the Freep could do is probably just copy the press release sent out by the city. This should have it's own story, not just get buried in one paragraph of an entirely different topic. But that's why I don't go to the newspapers for local news anymore. I come here.

**HistoryNotHisStory** · June-19-11, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPole

That's all this is. So the Sports fans who grab street parking will get an automatic ticket. Street parking becomes effectively impossible during a sports games - a Tigers game runs from 7ish till around 10 and most meters only allow you to pay for two hours. Do the math.
This city is seriously the biggest pile of shit. Instead of providing incentives for people to come here [[or live her, work here...) the city will instead kick you to the curb and take your wallet. Meanwhile, that may literally happen to you while you're here. It's a sham. This city is dead.
Nightlife? What nightlife? The Park Bar and then some clubs where there's a shooting every week? I've lived here for years and never experienced anything that passes for a nightlife, except during special events.

This is a detterent to Downtown Detroit. I don't think Dave Bing understands PR.

First, he talks about shutting down the festivals [[Downtown Hoedown and the Electronic Music Festival).

Now, increasing parking meter times to 6 pm.

A few years ago I went to Downtown Birmingham and spent 50 cents for all day.

Detroit does not have a vibrant Downtown area. There is no shopping in Downtown Detroit and the City increases parking fines. Insane!

DetroitPole · June-19-11, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by HistoryNotHisStory

This is a detterent to Downtown Detroit. I don't think Dave Bing understands PR.

First, he talks about shutting down the festivals [[Downtown Hoedown and the Electronic Music Festival).

Now, increasing parking meter times to 6 pm.

A few years ago I went to Downtown Birmingham and spent 50 cents for all day.

Detroit does not have a vibrant Downtown area. There is no shopping in Downtown Detroit and the City increases parking fines. Insane!

Bing is a sociopath who knew how to play basketball, little else, and managed to live long. Enough to be Mayor of Detroit. I never voted for him.

**warsaw7** · June-19-11, 09:13 PM

All points above are SO valid. I am having a hard time understanding this. Ok most baseball games go for what 3-4 hours and the maximum amount of hours you can pay for are two hours. Well the math definitely doesn't add up, because now what you are going to see is A. people running out during the 6/7th inning to pump more quarters into the meters or B. a lot of parking tickets. Nice incentive to get people downtown. Second, now correct me if I am wrong, but are the parking nazis actual workers of the city of Detroit or are they outsourced? I have heard in the past that they are not direct employees of the city. Cest la vie Detroit!

**stasu1213** · June-19-11, 10:09 PM

This is a part of the non forward thinking that the leaders of detroit are guilty of. This will cancel some of the nightlif

thatguy123 · June-19-11, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by stasu1213

This is a part of the non forward thinking that the leaders of detroit are guilty of. This will cancel some of the nightlif

LOL Royal Oak and Ferndale enforce til 10pm 6 nights a week and you can't find a place to park. Just ignore things like that and keep thinking Detroit is the center of the universe

**East Detroit** · June-19-11, 11:27 PM

Cant have your cake and eat it too.

If Detroit has a nightlife, then you want more cops and other services which cost money. Also costs money to pick up the trash you throw on the ground because you obviously have disdain and disrespect for the city and don't think it warrants a few bucks to park in a lot.

Detroit is deterring people by actually having parking meters like other big cities? Maybe the City doesn't realize that it should be begging for you to hang out for 25 cents and lucky that you decided to grace it during your sporting event.

Go park at Compuware for $5. I'm sure 1/10th less beer won't hurt you.

**CLAUDE G** · June-19-11, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by warsaw7

All points above are SO valid. I am having a hard time understanding this. Ok most baseball games go for what 3-4 hours and the maximum amount of hours you can pay for are two hours. Well the math definitely doesn't add up, because now what you are going to see is A. people running out during the 6/7th inning to pump more quarters into the meters or B. a lot of parking tickets. Nice incentive to get people downtown. Second, now correct me if I am wrong, but are the parking nazis actual workers of the city of Detroit or are they outsourced? I have heard in the past that they are not direct employees of the city. Cest la vie Detroit!

First of all they aint going to let you leave Comerica Park during the 7th inning to feed the meter.

I bet Illitch is behind this, as a way to force more people to use his parking lots around Comerica Park.

**laphoque** · June-19-11, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

So night running meter checkers? Great. Another deterrent to wanting to do anything in the city.

Yes that's why Royal Oak, Ferndale, & Ann Arbor are all dead zones. Parking regulations, always killing my nightlife!

**Zacha341** · June-20-11, 12:18 AM

Right. Once you're in can't leave. These people will be sitting ducks for the tickets while at the game -- the fix will be in. Some will endure the 'tickets' for a while then just stop coming or use paid lots.

What would be smart is for the city to 'convert' the meters by these venues to 4 hour models then the city can get all the "quarters" and not loose more visitors and goodwill. Thankfully I don't work downtown or go to games but this will effect events at the Fox, Opera House, Filmore etc. Parking in the lots is the best bet for dealing with downtown Detroit and WSU area.

Perhaps the car 'smash and grab' thieves will be less motivated knowing they are being observed by the meter folks. That is a positive.

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

First of all they aint going to let you leave Comerica Park during the 7th inning to feed the meter.

I bet Illitch is behind this, as a way to force more people to use his parking lots around Comerica Park.

**Gannon** · June-20-11, 04:53 AM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Perhaps the car 'smash and grab' thieves will be less motivated knowing they are being observed by the meter folks. That is a positive.

That is pure fantasy, darlin', but I appreciate your enthusiasm.

It is MUCH more likely that they'd learn to look at meters paid up for a full four hours and KNOW for certain their owners weren't going to be back anytime soon.

Until the Meter Monsters are paid incentive to watch for crime, they will be blind to it. It is simply not their yob, meng.

It is time to republicize the parking department, anyways...bring that shit back into the realm of the police department, exactly SO these folks can become eyes and ears to bring police response where they see a need.

As long as it remains privatized, and some entity is allowed to skim profits off the top of all this, we will continue to have troubles. I am quite suspect there is a feedback loop that keeps this status quo empowered...some policital donation tool which funds those who promise to keep it in place. Too much money being made by a company that is doing the work of the city government.

Cheers and more,
John

**milesdriven** · June-20-11, 05:13 AM

Originally Posted by laphoque

Yes that's why Royal Oak, Ferndale, & Ann Arbor are all dead zones. Parking regulations, always killing my nightlife!

You can leave 34 cents in your cupholder in these cities, and it will most likely be there upon your return instead of a smashed window. You can also park a Chrysler without an alarm, and it will probably stay put. Your catalytic convertor will probably not grow legs and run on down to the scrapyard, and you probably don't need to worry about purchasing wheel locks for OEM rims on your 98 Cavalier. If someone assaults you, you can call the police and they will respond quickly. For someone not accustomed to the challenges of Detroit, a late-night parking ticket on an almost empty street is a slap in the face and a nail in the coffin.

**Gannon** · June-20-11, 05:19 AM

Absolutely, Miles. Great post!

**laphoque** · June-20-11, 05:47 AM

No. This is not a nail in the coffin. That is a silly statement. The only possible result of this will be more parking in the casino lots [[which are free).

Detroit is acting like a normal city. It will be alright.

**Richard** · June-20-11, 06:11 AM

They could sell a yearly city parking pass even if 50% purchased the combined revenue of the pass sales and savings only having to enforce the other percentage could add up.

Or maybe it is opening the door for someone to hook of with some of those empty vacant lot owners and offer a valet service with strategically placed kiosks.

**Gannon** · June-20-11, 06:29 AM

Won't happen, Richard. Nice ideas, though.

The system is GEARED for excessive collections which makes them more relatively untraceable money than these passes EVER will...what is their motivation for doing what you propose?!

The private lots are 'connected' to the power structure of this city, and strive to stay that way. They know they are one legislative move away from being outlawed...heck, they are in COMPETITION with city-owned parking operations!!!! [[and this privately-held racket we're discussing here as well...)

Are you familiar with the term 'baksheesh'?! It doesn't always imply bribing to get OUT of something problematic, as far as I know it is also bribery to stay INTO a generous situation. Friendly, though, in the name of a 'tip' or gratuity or gift or donation...but they are bribes, pure and simple.