New Parking Meters, Again

**Bobl** · July-22-15, 07:50 PM

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/12771/detroit_starts_installing_state-of-the-art_parking_meters#.VbA5orWqmt8

**Bobl** · July-24-15, 02:42 PM

This was tried in Detroit about five years ago, and failed. One local TV station showed legally parked cars being ticketed. Now, the fines have been significantly increased, and BOOM: New "state of the art" meters, again!

**Honky Tonk** · July-24-15, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by Bobl

This was tried in Detroit about five years ago, and failed. One local TV station showed legally parked cars being ticketed. Now, the fines have been significantly increased, and BOOM: New "state of the art" meters, again!

Being ticketed illegally is par for the course when visiting Detroit. Save yourself some grief and money, and park in a lot. Just don't leave anything in plain view on your seats.

**Mackinaw** · July-24-15, 02:54 PM

How much does a ticket paid on-time/online cost now?

Last I checked [[and I think the last time I did this was pre-bankrupt Detroit), it was a much better idea to risk getting a ticket, which would be like 10/15 dollars, then to put down for a lot costing $15-????. Plus I was more content with money going to the CoD than the parking mob, and the idea that I might get a free spot if enforcement never came by.

**Johnnny5** · July-24-15, 03:15 PM

Are these drive up meters or similar to the new meter system in Ferndale? [[I've heard nothing but complaints about that kiosk setup). If not drive up, how will this affect the elderly or those with mobility issues? If they were once able to park right in front of their destination will they now be forced to search for an operating kiosk then walk all the way back?

**Bobl** · July-24-15, 04:18 PM

Mackinaw: I just tried the City website. Norton detected a threat. I remember that during the bankruptcy pleadings, it was suggested that tickets would be forty five dollars.
I no longer go downtown/"midtown" [[Cass Corridor) anymore, if there is a hockey game, ball game, or concert going on. Parking lots are getting way too much money. The price of the rebirth, I guess. My beef is not with the meters, but with those who issue the tickets. They have done a horrendous job, in the past.

**ekleezy** · July-24-15, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Mackinaw

How much does a ticket paid on-time/online cost now?

Last I checked [[and I think the last time I did this was pre-bankrupt Detroit), it was a much better idea to risk getting a ticket, which would be like 10/15 dollars, then to put down for a lot costing $15-????. Plus I was more content with money going to the CoD than the parking mob, and the idea that I might get a free spot if enforcement never came by.

Theyre $45 whether you pay early or not.

**Bobl** · July-24-15, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

Are these drive up meters or similar to the new meter system in Ferndale? [[I've heard nothing but complaints about that kiosk setup). If not drive up, how will this affect the elderly or those with mobility issues? If they were once able to park right in front of their destination will they now be forced to search for an operating kiosk then walk all the way back?

Local TV news spot said kiosks. Several [[don't know how many) spots per kiosk. Pay with debit/credit card or change, take any available spot. A phone app for smart phone use is, or will soon be available. One could check the minutes left and purchase more time from inside a restaurant, or wherever.

Again, the weak link is the enforcement. I won't take the chance. Plenty of restaurants, bars, entertainment in areas that wish to encourage patrons rather than hold a ticket possibility over their head.

This old guy misses the days of parking free on Beaubien and walking to Music Menu, Detroiter, Loco, perhaps St. Andrews, all on the same night, for live bands.

**Hypestyles** · July-24-15, 06:48 PM

Gary Brown is still working for the city, and cashing a lawsuit check? Neat...

**preserve** · July-25-15, 09:36 AM

Was in Ferndale recently with someone who had the APP on their phone, worked very well.
But then Ferndale doesn't have those nazi's in the little white cars all over the place. It will take ages to train them to be able to read whether someone's time is up, so they will probably continue to just issue tickets.

**softailrider** · July-26-15, 04:17 PM

Originally Posted by preserve

Was in Ferndale recently with someone who had the APP on their phone, worked very well.
But then Ferndale doesn't have those nazi's in the little white cars all over the place. It will take ages to train them to be able to read whether someone's time is up, so they will probably continue to just issue tickets.

The hardest working city employees of them all. They must get a perchantage of what they write, only explanation I can think of.

**Honky Tonk** · July-26-15, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by softailrider

The hardest working city employees of them all.

I'm almost sure they're outside contractors.

**SpartanDawg** · July-27-15, 08:21 AM

www.parkdetroit.us

for more info

**Hamtragedy** · July-27-15, 10:11 AM

I usually take pictures every time I park, broken meter, working meter, "kiosk" whatever. There was talk of reintroducing the "$10-15 if paid within 48 hours" benefit, which made no sense considering lots are usually $15.

That being said, the city of Detroit parking ticket on-line payment system was by far the simplest interaction with the city I've ever had.

**gencinjay** · July-27-15, 04:17 PM

The meters they are using are not high quality. This is the problem they had with the original multi-space meters they used. At least they have an app solution this time. I would have preferred they use Parkmobile like the rest of the metro area though.

**MSUguy** · July-28-15, 06:20 AM

**middetres** · July-28-15, 08:45 AM

The new kiosks are of a much higher quality than the ones they installed 10 or so years ago. Chicago has been using this style kiosk for years and they are very reliable.

That being said, each kiosk isn't tethered for payment to only a few spaces adjacent to its location. So no more excuses saying the kiosk was broken. You can pay for parking downtown from any kiosk, not just the one closest to your car.

And has been mentioned, parking payment is attached to the car, not the space. If you pay for two hours of parking in the costliest zone [[downtown), and only use 45 minutes of it, you can go anywhere else in the city and park again and use up the remaining 45 minutes [[minus your drive time, of course).

And there will be no learning curve for parking agents to figure out who deserves a ticket. The department has been using license plate readers for years to find boot-eligible vehicles. It will be the same process. I'm sure they'll be equipping all vehicles with the plate-reading cameras. A slow roll down the street will capture anyone's car with no payment attached. Boom, out pops a ticket from their on board printers.

**gencinjay** · July-28-15, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by middetres

That being said, each kiosk isn't tethered for payment to only a few spaces adjacent to its location. So no more excuses saying the kiosk was broken. You can pay for parking downtown from any kiosk, not just the one closest to your car.

And has been mentioned, parking payment is attached to the car, not the space. If you pay for two hours of parking in the costliest zone [[downtown), and only use 45 minutes of it, you can go anywhere else in the city and park again and use up the remaining 45 minutes [[minus your drive time, of course).

And there will be no learning curve for parking agents to figure out who deserves a ticket. The department has been using license plate readers for years to find boot-eligible vehicles. It will be the same process. I'm sure they'll be equipping all vehicles with the plate-reading cameras. A slow roll down the street will capture anyone's car with no payment attached. Boom, out pops a ticket from their on board printers.

The machines are definitely better that the Duncans that they used originally. Those were horrible and had very poor support. Even those could have worked though if they had proper support. I don't have much experience with this company so I can't comment on their support. I'd still just like to use my Parkmobile account, but that's just a personal preference.

The payment is tied to your car, but it is also locked to that zone. You can park anywhere in that zone during your time moving as much as you want, but if you move zones you will have to pay again.

The learning curve on this will be for the users. The biggest issue is inputting the wrong license plate into the machine, which then of course gets blamed on the parking department even though it isn't their fault.

**middetres** · July-28-15, 12:42 PM

I guess I made the wrong assumption that there were only going to be 3 different zones for the three different levels of cost. So it seemed plausible that you could pay the max downtown and use any remainder anywhere else. That's how it works in Chicago. As long as the zone you're in is equal to or less expensive than the one you bought you're time in, you're good to use that excess time in a different zone.

But in looking at the new system more deeply, it appears the zones also indicate the legal hours of parking and max time, etc. So it appears there may be multiple zones just in the downtown area. So all of a sudden what looked like a good deal to use up any unused time, now becomes a hunt for another parking spot with the same exact zone number. Not exactly user-friendly.

Something tells me after "inputting the wrong plate number," the number 2 excuse for getting a ticket will be "moving a few blocks into another zone."

**downtownguy** · July-30-15, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

Gary Brown is still working for the city, and cashing a lawsuit check? Neat...

Yeah, and with him in charge of this, what could go wrong? Speaking of GB still working for the city, is he, Craig and others still making $250K a year as they got under the Emergency Manager?

**erikd** · August-02-15, 02:17 AM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

Gary Brown is still working for the city, and cashing a lawsuit check? Neat...

What is the problem with Gary Brown?

Is he a bad or untrustworthy person because he was wrongfully terminated by Kwame Kilpatrick, and won a whistleblower lawsuit as a result?

I ask this in all seriousness. Is there a legitimate reason to suspect or accuse Gary Brown of wrongdoing?

**Bobl** · August-02-15, 12:31 PM

Thank you, MSUguy. I'll stay away, as I do not trust the enforcement folks. Perhaps, if some time passes and there are few complaints, I will reconsider.
We recently used parking kiosks at the beach in Grand Bend, Ontario, where a paper receipt with the expiration time is issued, to be left on the dashboard. Simple, and easy. If a bogus parking violation were to be issued, the receipt would prove compliance.
Bogus tickets have been a real problem, in Detroit.

**gencinjay** · August-03-15, 10:18 AM

Pay and display also requires people to walk back and forth though which generates even more complaints and higher operational expenses. Pay by plate gives the user much more flexibility. You can still print a receipt for your records. Even better though, using their on-line app will allow you to track your account and provide proof of payment in the event you get a bogus ticket. This system is infinitely better than what they had. That said, technology sometimes fails. There will still be some bogus tickets, but you'll have avenues to do something about it now.

I'm still not sure how I feel about no space line markings though. In theory it is great, but the first time I get blocked in by two people who don't care it will ruin the whole thing for me.

**Bobl** · August-03-15, 01:09 PM

Good points, gencinjay. As I said: "...Perhaps, if some time passes and there are few complaints, I will reconsider..." Burned, three times in the past, by overzealous or incompetent meter patrols!

**downtownguy** · August-06-15, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by erikd

What is the problem with Gary Brown?

Is he a bad or untrustworthy person because he was wrongfully terminated by Kwame Kilpatrick, and won a whistleblower lawsuit as a result?

I ask this in all seriousness. Is there a legitimate reason to suspect or accuse Gary Brown of wrongdoing?

I can't speak for Hypestyles, but my snarky comment comes from my opinion of him as a member of City Council. I thought he we awful. How he parlayed that into a $250,000/year contract from the Emergency Manager just baffles me. Other than grandstanding and taking credit for the work of people under him, I see no evidence that he is any better as high-paid administrator than he was as a politician.