Pay & Display machines that don't give change
Discussion
What are your collective thoughts on pay & display machines that don't give change? Is it even legal?
There's an open air carpark near my work that has machines that a) don't give change and b) don't accept 'new' coins - i.e. the revised 10 pence piece introduced 22 years ago.
The cynic would suggest it's a scam to cream off more money from the motorists as all that extra payment (e.g. today I had to pay 50p to cover a 10p shortage) that can't be returned must add up very nicely. After all this time I struggle to believe that they even make a ticket machine that can't accept 10 pence pieces.
Or maybe I shouldn't be surprised.
There's an open air carpark near my work that has machines that a) don't give change and b) don't accept 'new' coins - i.e. the revised 10 pence piece introduced 22 years ago.
The cynic would suggest it's a scam to cream off more money from the motorists as all that extra payment (e.g. today I had to pay 50p to cover a 10p shortage) that can't be returned must add up very nicely. After all this time I struggle to believe that they even make a ticket machine that can't accept 10 pence pieces.
Or maybe I shouldn't be surprised.
Can't say I've ever seen a Pay and Display that does give out change, and I agree, they should be using contact less payment systems by now (though they probably don't a) want to lose out on all the extra cash and b) have to cough up the fee's associated with such systems... I can't imagine these things being free, we are talking about banks after all).
Same here in Chichester where the local council is on a nice little earner.
Ever notice that an hour or 30 minute increments are never in either 50p or £1.00 values, its either 60p or 70p. Whats the chances of having enough loose change for those combinations.
I do not believe that for one second the manufacturers or the tech they use in their pay & display machines can't provide you a ticket with the with the proportion of the hour that equates to the money tendered........
Ever notice that an hour or 30 minute increments are never in either 50p or £1.00 values, its either 60p or 70p. Whats the chances of having enough loose change for those combinations.
I do not believe that for one second the manufacturers or the tech they use in their pay & display machines can't provide you a ticket with the with the proportion of the hour that equates to the money tendered........
I think paying upfront is a backward way to do it anyway, it is far easier to pay when you return so there is no issue about rushing to get back as the ticket is running out or over paying in the first place; "just in case", obviously paying when you return, on a street meter won't work but in a multi story it is much better.
In my local town I always park in the car parks where you pay when you get back as a) see above and b) I never have change on me and I can pay on my card.
In my local town I always park in the car parks where you pay when you get back as a) see above and b) I never have change on me and I can pay on my card.
alpha channel said:
Can't say I've ever seen a Pay and Display that does give out change, and I agree, they should be using contact less payment systems by now (though they probably don't a) want to lose out on all the extra cash and b) have to cough up the fee's associated with such systems... I can't imagine these things being free, we are talking about banks after all).
You mustn't be very old, nearly all parking machines used to give change a bit like all vending machines still manage to, the only thing that may have changed is the council mindset. HTP99 said:
I think paying upfront is a backward way to do it anyway, it is far easier to pay when you return so there is no issue about rushing to get back as the ticket is running out or over paying in the first place; "just in case", obviously paying when you return, on a street meter won't work but in a multi story it is much better.
In my local town I always park in the car parks where you pay when you get back as a) see above and b) I never have change on me and I can pay on my card.
I agree with all of this, but I've bolded the reason why places don't like installing the pay-at-the-end facility. If the odd person overruns, and gets a penalty charge, it's all more revenue. Happy days, apparently.In my local town I always park in the car parks where you pay when you get back as a) see above and b) I never have change on me and I can pay on my card.
barker22 said:
MrBarry123 said:
All pay and display machines should support contactless payment.
The pay by phone that is in London is a great idea, you can remotely add extra time from your smartphone if it is needed. Apart from the London parking prices the system is great.23rdian said:
I refuse to use Pay and Display on principal. I dump it on the road or don't bother stopping.
Being a curmudgeon, and a tight-fisted one at that, I only pay for parking in very rare circumstances.I can usually find on street free parking within a 10-minute walk of where I actually want to go.
Disclaimer - this generally does not work in London...
bltamil1 said:
It is a good system, but you quickly notice that a parking attendant will generally arrive at your vehicle about 5 minutes after your parking expires. There is a reason for this, and it isn't blind luck on their part!
I found out the hard way a few months ago. I had a Sat afternoon appointment at Moorfields on City Rd, so I used the on street parking, phoned up & paid for the maximum number of hours (which was 3, IIRC), plus an extra charge for a text reminder of when the parking was due to expire.
There was no text sent & I arrived six minutes after the expiry of the paid time to find a ticket firmly affixed to the screen & the warden walking off.
I appealed the ticket, but the appeal was rejected because there is Zero grace period for expired parking & that the text reminder service (that you have paid extra for) is in not way guaranteed to be sent - Islington council/parking confirmed that they had not sent the reminder.
I'd have been better off taking the risk & not paying over the phone for parking. At least then there is an element of chance if a warden happens on the car.
With the pay by phone system, you have already told them exactly which bay you are parked in & when the paid for parking will expire. Add the zero grace period & bang, easy meat.
Utter w
kers. speedyguy said:
You mustn't be very old, nearly all parking machines used to give change a bit like all vending machines still manage to, the only thing that may have changed is the council mindset.
Depends if you consider 37 as being old 
(can't say I've seen any vending machines cough up change either, but that's more down to never using the things though).Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff