[KISS]

I used an upgraded parking lot system yesterday. This lot is in a combination office/apartment center. When I visited one of the offices I got a bar coded piece of paper that in part had writte on it: 2 hours for $5.00" and "Insert bar code up".

Let's deal with the latter: "What is barcode up, when there is writing on the ticket and the barcode is about centered?

No cash is accepted at this gate, so any credit card is your entry, exit token and payment method.

OK, so I find out the charges are $6.00/hr and I had a $5.00 voucher. I stayed about 2 hours and ten mimutes because I walked down the street to get a paper.

What would the charges be?

a) $6.00
b) $12.00

If you guessed (B), you were correct. If you do not leave the lot prior to the 2 hour voucher limit, you forfeit the $5.00 and the tab starts from when you entered the lot.
That I don't think was fair.

What I do think is fair is that if you enter and exit within 20 minutes, your time is free. That's another option.

Try teaching this kind of math in the schools as well as what's up, what's down and orientation.

I've been used to going to a restaurant and getting say two 15 minute stamps to help pay for parking.

This same city, has lots in which the cost of parking increases to $25.00 in very short order, so parking for 2 hours and all day will cost $25.00. This city has early bird bird parking, day and evening parking and the numbered parking spaces with pre-pay no attandent parking.

Pretty soon, I'm going to not know how to add and subtract or know which way is up.

[robertva]

At two hours and ten minutes, you started on the third hour. If the voucher was invalid if parked over two hours I would have expected a charge of $18.00.

Some city officials think parking fees encourage the use of mass transit or the turnover of parking spaces. As far as I'm concerned, I avoid those areas as much as possible and conduct business in the suburbs as much as possible.

[tomder55]

No kidding . If I drive into Manhattan I can expect to pay a minimum of $30 dollars at a garage.

[KISS]

I don't have the ticket anymore, so I don't even know the in and out times. I'm not even sure the parking rates are posted. I did get charged $12.00. Anyway, it was quite ODD.

[twinkiedooter]

KISS - Is this a homework question?

Seriously, the parking lot rip off is definitely alive and well and getting much worse.

They sure slam it to you if you go over one minute of their "grace" cheapie period.