On Saturday, while shopping at the Golden Grocer on Euclid, I overheard a customer ask an employee what the "sticks" were where the parking meters had been. That question was all I needed to put the finishing touches on the following post about new parking meters that have been installed throughout the city.
What I've observed on the sidewalks throughout the CWE could be fodder for a skit at the neighborhood's Improv Shop. Groups of people, see above, sometimes whole families, gather around the new pay stations and stare. I watched a young mother, accompanied by her five-year-old leave him standing at the meter – since she had already started the process – while she walked back 4 cars to retrieve the 4-digit number on her spot, anxiously glancing back at him. We now have one more 4-digit number to remember, last 4 of s.s.#, phone code, bank code, etc. Fyi, there is one pay station per 10 parking spots, and those can be separated by a driveway, or other obstruction, which can make it difficult to know which way to go to find the correct box. The arrows on the "sticks" apply to the parking spot, not the direction of the pay station.
The new system was selected following a trial of several different types of meters that were tested in the CWE (see earlier posts here and here). What's apparent is that it's much easier for the meter enforcer to make just one stop to determine who's number is up. And the other observation is that parking rates have gone up. Meters that were 75 cents an hour are now $1. And yes, I get it that St. Louis has one of the lowest parking rates in the country.
Practice makes perfect, of course, and the new meters do get easier to use with experience. For the tech savvy, ParkLouie, as the new parking program is called, has an app for this new technology (download it here), so you can pay before you even leave your car. Check out the ParkLouie website for more information.
I love ParkLouie. Not having to raid my change jar everytime we have to park the car is a real plus. Well worth the extra 35 cents, as the other commenters mentioned.
I thought that individual meters that would accept cash or credit would have been the preferred option. Their blinking green lights advertised “free” time left on the meter. But once done a couple of time, the kiosk is easy, but I’m not wrangling kids. I downloaded the app and set that up – simple. They do charge you 35 cents per use, but if it is a rainy day it’s way preferable to deal with paying for parking while still in the car. And using the app, you can extend your time by phone without having to go back to where the car is – great for those lunches that last longer than anticipated or errands take longer or it’s just a lovely day and strolling around the CWE seems like a good idea! Which, as we know, is always fun.
I am pleased that we can now pay for parking via cellphone. I first saw this kind of parking payment in New Zealand 4 years ago. Let’s embrace the change. I look forward to when the garage at Euclid and Laclede upgrades. Recently I parked there on a Sunday evening to take MetroLink to a baseball game. After the game When we got the fare collection system was out of order and the garage is unattended. Talk about taking a village, it took two of us to get our cars out of the garage, one driver and the other forcing the cross arm up far enough so the car could ease its way under it and out. The current payment system accepts cash only????
Also, neighbors now may pay at Straubs by cellphone using Apple Pay or Google Wallet. It is more secure than using a credit card. I look forward to when more merchants adopt this technology.
Finally, the best part of living in the CWE, I rarely park, since it is more convenient to walk to most places and there is a broad range of goods and services available in our very own neighborhood.