Showing posts with label parking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parking. Show all posts

Friday, 7 October 2016

Beware the Barnacle

Barnacle Macro
Barnacles (creative commons image callony on Flickr)
No, we are not referring to the above, but a new kind of "barnacle" that has been hitting the news this week in the world of parking enforcement. We'll let some media excerpts tell the story...

"Returning to your car to find a ticket tucked under the wiper sucks. So imagine how you’d feel finding a six square foot block of yellow plastic splayed across your windshield, rendering it impossible to see a thing." WIRED

"It's called The Barnacle. No, it's not the pesky sea creature you find stuck to the bottoms of boats. It's a contraption only humans could create. The Barnacle takes your standard, old parking ticket infraction to a whole new level." CBC Radio

"The Barnacle is certainly strange, but
anything is better than getting booted."
"Using two industrial-grade suction cups, the Barnacle mounts to a car's windshield, which unlike a boot, allows the car to be towed. The Barnacle comes with a screen to let the parking offender know why it was installed, and a credit card reader, so they can pay to have it removed. If the offender tries to drive off, an alarm will sound." Road and Track

"Personally, I think The Barnacle is the perfect punishment for a parking criminal. It’s bright, yellow, and obnoxious. Everyone who passes by will know you've done wrong. Also, good luck getting it off or ignoring it!" Daily Buzz

The Barnacle website
@ThisIsBarnacle on Twitter
Don't worry, there are no plans to deploy the devices at airports, and that's not really the target market.

At this point, the Barnacle is being piloted in two USA cities - Allentown, Pennsylvania, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Who knows if the parking officials in your city are paying attention...


Related stories on the Barnacle
This New Form of Parking Enforcement Sucks. Like, Actually Sucks - Wired
This Weird Windshield Blocker Could Replace the Parking Boot - Road and Track
New Barnacle “Parking Ticket” Covers Entire Windshield, Won’t Come Off - The Daily Buzz
Got a stack of tickets in your glovebox? You may find a Barnacle stuck to your car - Road Show by CNET
Forget the wheel clamp, security firm reveals stick on 'Barnacle' that blocks the entire windscreen - Daily Mail
The Barnacle: A new kind of parking ticket coming to a windshield near you? - CBC Radio (audio and video links)

More stories and resources from IHateTaxis
Ray the Parking Robot Valet
Brexit and the impact on travel - travel bloggers
Brexit and the impact on travel - new stories
Airport Beacons 2.0
Airports of the Future - New Perspectives
What is a Data Driven Airport?
Posted by IHateTaxis at 21:06 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , ,

Wednesday, 2 July 2014

Ray the Parking Robot Valet

Ray the Robot Parking Valet
Image: Copyright serva transport systems GmbH
Don't feel like parking your car at the airport? Are you willing to do anything to avoid driving around trying to find a spot? Running late for your flight, and just want to leave your car and run?

If you live in Düsseldorf, Germany, then you are in luck. If not, read on and be jealous.

Ray, sans car
Copyright serva transport systems GmbH
Meet Ray.

As in, Ray the Robot Parking Valet.

All you need to do is swing your car into one of Ray's designated spots at Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), use the smartphone app to let Ray know (and confirm the car is empty), and walk away. Ray will do the rest.

"Ray" is essentially a high-tech forklift slash valet hybrid, that moves cars from the designated drop-off spots to his own separate parking area. It's more sleek than it sounds, and cars are treated with remarkable care.

Systems are even integrated to the point that Ray will check the status of your return flight, to have your car ready for you when you collect your luggage. Travelers pay a premium for the parking service, but so far the interest is high. Who knows, maybe one of Ray's cloned brothers will take up residence in an airport near you.

Why they named him Ray, we don't know... but admit that "Ray the Valet" has a nice ring to it.

Related resources:
Posted by Roberta at 14:32 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Monday, 31 March 2014

Airport Parking Wars

MSP Entrance
USA airport parking will put a dent in your pocketbook. Why not leave the car at home?
There was an interesting article in the most recent Travel + Leisure, about the Most Expensive Airport Parking in America.

Curious, T+L wondered which airports in the United States have the most expensive parking lots, and posed the question to BestParking (the company monitors parking rates at 100+ airports in North America, and suggests alternatives).

We commend the researchers; it's a good study, with traveller-friendly information, and a well-researched, specific alternative for each airport. If you live near one of the worst offending airports, and tend park your car at the airport when you travel, check out the full story here.

Here, IHateTaxis seeks to complement the study with our take on alternatives to taking your car to the airport in the first place. Who needs more cars on the road anyways?

Plus, if you leave your car at home, you don't need to worry about theft, dings, hail damage, a dead battery, a flat tire, or skyrocketing costs if your return is delayed. And, unlike parking, our transportation suggestions won't increase in price if you are away for an extended period.

No. 1. Chicago Midway Airport (MDW)
 
No. 2. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
 
No. 3. New York John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
 
No. 4. New York LaGuardia International Airport (LGA)
 
No. 5. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
 
No. 6. San Diego International Airport (SAN)

No. 7. San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
  • What they found on-site: $18-28/day
  • What they suggest off-site: private parking at $9/day
  • What IHateTaxis suggests: take BART (unless it is on strike, that is)
  • More SFO transfer options: San Francisco Airport Transportation Guide

No. 8. Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SEA)

No. 9. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)

No. 10. Newark International Airport (EWR), serving New York City

So, that's our take on the top 10. The T + L article goes onto the 11th to 20th worst, which we'll review in an upcoming blogpost.

* Our hearts go out to those injured or traumatized by the train accident at O'Hare. We make our recommendation in the context of the value and convenience that this service offers, on the assumption that safe changes and repairs will be made.

Related content:
Posted by IHateTaxis at 00:35 0 comments
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)