New Parking Meters, Again

[middetres]

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."