🚀 go-pugleaf

In message <9jhbtaFjsoU2@mid.individual.net>, JNugent 
<jenningsltd@fastmail.fm> writes
>On 26/11/2011 21:47, Ian Jackson wrote:
>> In message <faqdnRkurYT9JE3TnZ2dnUVZ7oKdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>, Nick Finnigan
>> <nix@genie.co.uk> writes
>>> On 25/11/2011 13:25, Zimmy wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Then I got to thinking; the Parking Warden must look up the car on his
>>>> portable computer as there is no ticket to stick on the windscreen when you
>>>> pay by mobile. Therefore, there's no real reason why said portable computer
>>>> can't also alert said Parking Warden to mobile-paid parking times about to
>>>> expire, to ensure timely ticketing before the felon returns.
>>>
>>> Anything pre-pay could contact a central location and then alert the PW
>>> when a ticket is about to expire - might have a partial reg in some cases.
>>> Or the PW could note times in his PC as he proceeds around the 
>>>parking areas.
>>>
>>>> Maybe paying by mobile is not quite so handy after all or am I just 
>>>>cynic?
>>>
>>> ... or not sufficiently paranoid.
>>
>> Of course, the system could work as follows:
>> 1. 'Phone in' at start of parking period.
>> 2. 'Phone in' again at end of parking period.
>> 3. Get charged for time spent parking.
>> Or is this just TOOOOO easy?
>
>Many people would forget the second call and cost themselves money. Not 
>bad from the rip-off merch...er... council's POV.

But this is essentially the same as the 'lost ticket' situation in a 
pay-on-foot carpark, where typically there is charge for a full day's 
stay (usually around �25).

There could be various simple procedures for damage limitation. For 
example, what if your clock-in included an estimated duration (so it 
would be exactly the same as at present). However, you wouldn't be 
penalised if you stayed after it expired. Instead, at the expiry time, 
you would be sent an automatic reminder that you hadn't clocked out, and 
you would be prompted to do so (if you wanted to). Repeated reminders 
could be sent every hour. Maybe still not 100% perfect, but not far from 
it.
-- 
Ian