So there I was, enjoying my usual rant about how unfair Ann Arbor parking
policy was when, speak of the devil, I hear on the news that Ingrid Sheldon
our beloved Mayor, has just OK'ed another ten cent per hour hike in metered
parking rates, in her words, "To fund the increasing costs of maintaining
downtown street-level parking at a time when demand for such parking is high."
Funny, but was I the only person who didn't hear about the city council's vote
on this?  Did they go out of their way to publicize this "debate"?  Here's a
list of my personal grievances.  See if you can add any.

--The degree of over-charging for parking in any urban area directly impacts
  the desirability to shop/work/park in such areas. Simply put, if you want
  to kill your downtown businesses, keep jacking up the rates.

--Though attended parking structures may be slightly safer, at least one 
  restaurant owner I've spoken to says the increased length of metered hours
  at a nearby structure has cut into their evening business.  Many structures
  and attended lots downtown now charge as late as 10, 11 or even midnight.

--The so-called "grace period" of one hour post-ticketing ($3.00 if paid 
  within one hour) is a joke.  Getting downtown, finding spaces near the city
  hall (metered, of course, except for a few in front of the building) during
  hours when the cashier is there or the drive-up window is open can be an
  experience that may make the extra two dollars seem worthwhile.  Question:
  If you get ticketed at a quarter to six, how are you supposed to pay within
  on hour when all the cashiers have gone home?  Alright, so there's a
  validation clock in the front lobby, what if you don't have three dollars
  cash to stick in the envelope?

--A guy in Chicago just came up with the most brilliant device: a meter with a
  sensor which can tell when it's space is no longer occupied so that it can 
  immediately erase any residual time.  No more free minutes at the last guyys 
  expense, lot's of extra dough for the city.  We know that can't be long in 
  coming to our always well-maintained parking system.  Tell me, if they can
  come up with pleasers like this, why did I just lose 25 cents Canadian in 
  our oh-so-modern meters?  Heck, I can't count the number of U.S. coins that
  failed to buy me more than a wrist fracture from the beating I gave the meter
  when the time didn't register.  How about a meter which dispenses the differe
  difference to the parker when he leaves his space?  How about a meter-card
  like the library copiers--stick it in, meter's on, put it in again when you
  leave and it debits your card or your city parking account just like your
  water bill. Forget to punch in or out and the nice meter maid can ticket you.
  Simple enough?  We're looking for a few good geniuses...

145 responses total.

Friggin' 'puter ate my last line.

  ...debits your card or your city parking account, just like your gas or
  watter bill.  If you fail to punch in or out, the nice meter maid can ticket
  you.

gee Davroz, I like the card idea.  It makes sense. They'll never go for it.

(This topic now linked to the accordion conference i the interest
of  cross-continent relations. Feel free to
link one of ours!)

Ah Brenner, that explains it.  I was having that "we're not in
Kansas anymore" feeling.  But what do accordions and parking
meters have in common.  Marcus, where are you?  We need your
wisdom to sort this one out.

(Wondering how the picodad became such an expert on accordions.)

All of us, musicians, tourists, writers and theives, we must all
pay the piper.

Excuse me, but accordion players are only allowed in the Altar Guild
Auxiliary of Musicians. They may turn pages during recitals, they may
empty French horns during intermissions, they may look for oboe reeds
in the marshes. That's it.

No pretensions to full membership, please; it could get ugly.

Got that right!

And I forgot about emptying french horns.
God, am I glad I play the piano.

So... In the interest of cross continent relations...
What do you California folks pay to park on the street?

In Santa Cruz, it's 25 cents a quarter hour in the choicest tourist locales.
And a breath-taking $26 ticket for going over the limit.

But then, we had a devastating earthquake in '89 and have been in a
depression ever since.

My office here in pasadena: $10.00 max (3 hours=$10.00)

Down in front of Starbucks in Old Town  25 cents for 15 minutes. Meter.

One of the nice things about Ann Arbor is it's *Small*, and *Walkable*.
That means, for instance, that I can park, for free, on the streets very
near work (at most 2 blocks away), and I can then walk to virtually any
location downtown with only modest effort.  Some of the best resturants
in Ann Arbor are located on main street; only 5 minutes on foot.  The
state street shopping district and environs (including Border's main
store), is only 15 minutes away.  The south U shopping district is only
20 minutes away, and that's clear on the other side of downtown.  So, by
& large, it's perfectly feasible to beat the a^2 parking system, *AND*
stay healthy!

You have starbucks?

Sushi?

No Starbucks. We do have two Sushi places (Fuji and Miki).

I'm glad you linked this. People will stop complaining about
another 10 cents an hour on the meters.

Oh, I should also mention rodents. We have a great supply of them here
in the woods. (I saw you mention an interest earlier.)

the city of santa cruz once had the nerve to ticket my 
silver porsche because i was talking to kryan and sdober and juls
for more than three hours.

we were annoyed.

(The silver porsche figures prominently in the
Story of the Abduction of the Roden, but those
days are long gone. Gone, but not forgotten!)


IF I live in a place where I could see the Tragically Hip
in a live performance, I'd never complain about parking meters.

Indeed. And hummers, I don't think I told you, but I got a ticket that
day, too. It was shortly thereafter that the decision was made to blow this
taco stand.

the silver porsche is lovely and nearly collectable,
AND it is not here with me in colorado, simply
because colorado Is Not Worthy.

        No Starbuks here in A2 but enough another other cafes and variuos
        coffee
shops to leave you sick and reeling with cafiene poisoning

If, perchance, one of us stopped by  A2, what sorts of 
things would we see and do?

The ark.

more book stores per capita than anywhere else.

Grex walks.

the Chenille sisters.

A large variety of community activites listed in the Observer.
(Samples: "Group Improvisation: Improvisatinal Theater as a Model for
Teamwork"  "ArtT"alks: U-M Museum of Art." "Caves to Cathedrals:
ArtVentures Studio"  "Jugglers of Ann Arbor" "The Foundation of All
Perfection:Jewel Heart Buddhist Center", "Richard Cambrindge: Ann Arbor
Poetry Slam" "Ann Arbor Singles Ballroom Dancers" "(film) Fellini
Satyricon"

Assorted talks & seminars at the University.

a wide variety of restaurants, some of them quite good.  Includes
chinese, indian, japanese, ethiopian, middle-east, greek, german, and
other offerings.

Zingermans deli.

Various more ordinary coffee places.  ERC & sweet waters seem to be the
best.

        You forgot Thai food, and walk in the arb (more scenic than Golden
Gate park, we have a river).

Did not!  (Where do *you* take your grex walks?)

Used book stores too?

*Of course*!  Also the main borders store, where they train new
Borderlings.

Not to mention some of the best mountain biking in the Midwest... I hear
that Californians have some troubles with the law in regard to trails >B->

there is a starbucks in colorado springs.
i have been there.
that is all that need be said.
i prefer the santa cruz coffee roasting company.
fewer suits.

  The Ann Arbor Observer's community happenings listings that
mdw mentioned are also available on-line (usually).  Telnet to
m-net.arbornet.org (I think), and join the...um...well, the
conference that lists things happening around town.  :-)

and furthermore, no matter what brenner says,
i am NOT going to michigan.

        Are too :-)

Well, we have legal troubles with land access here too.  There are still
some good trails open, considerably out of town, but mountain biking
around Ann Arbor is nothing like it used to be.

I guess the serious lack of mountains in Ann Arbor does kind of put
a crimp in it, doesn't it?

heh(tm).

  There are a couple of nearby mountainous landfills, which are popular
local skiing destinations in the winter.  I'm not making this up.

That is hilarious.  Landfill skiing in Ann Arbor.  I must visit.

And Betty, if Juls will let her come.
And Dante. And we 'll drive to Michigan whcih is
closer to Cape breton than pasadena.

I am not sure you're ready for the July gathering of art in the streets.
It's humongous beyond reason, and one of the things AA is known for widely.
Definitely an acquired taste, but then so is Wolverine Football, Basketball,
etc.

Leonard Bernstein brought the Vienna Philharmonic here to play in 
Hill Auditorium in 1989. Sadly consigned now to history. He loved Hill.
The musical society is very active.

If you are happy with California's climate, don't visit between
November and April. Do come in the summer, or better yet fall,
and take a walk in the woods. We have great lakes, too, but lousy
beaches (except in Western Michigan where volleyball rules).

The only think I lack here is mountains. The cold winters don't bug me. 
I do envy Californians their mountains.

        Re # 32 ROTFL!!!!!! Stop your killing me, he, he <giggle, chortle,
        snort>.

        We also have Detroit within a half hour drive.  What's in Detroit you
might ask, well good rave/techno tunes fer one, and the ambience of gigantic
rustlbelt city with real dinners, lounges, and bowling alleys for another.
        What are you waiting for? ;-)

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss