Comments on: Tips for Drivers: 8 Ways to Avoid Getting a Parking Ticket

By: Oliver

Oliver — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 23:54:01 +0000

well that was as uninteresting as it was uninformative.

By: GenghisKDuck

GenghisKDuck — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 13:49:27 +0000

Well I don’t know about everyone else, but
some of the happiest times of my life were
driving around, circling around, whatever,
looking for parking spaces. And then the
parallel parking episode that might follow
right behind it, if they don’t have the other kind.
There’s nothing like sitting in the backseat
listening to
1. Discussions about whether they’re lost
2. Arguments about parking spaces
3. More arguments about parallel parking
that predictably end with, “WELL DO YOU WANT TRY IT?”

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:21:31 +0000

Parking meters are a requirement, and I believe that Larry is stating that revenue is the goal of enforcement (not turnover). Rounding your parking fine figures and rounding them to $1.0 – $1.2 million annually, I’d like to see the COST of enforcing: Personnel, vehicles, operating expenses, maintenance. Then realize that there’s additional benefit to using three-wheelers and officers during downtown events, that offsets their cost.

For purposes of arguing, say that it’s a wash – a dollar comes in as a fine and goes out as an expense. That takes you back to accomplishing the generally-accepted goal of turnover, without which you might as well NOT have on-street parking.

The City isn’t getting rich off of parking fines; in fact, they’re likely close to breaking even.

By: Larry OKC

Larry OKC — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:33:29 +0000

Helen: that sounds great in theory but how about the customer that spends hours shopping downtown and would rather use 1 spot instead of constantly having to waste time etc in moving their car around? That is time they arent using shopping. Besides, until just very recently everyone claimed that there is no parking problem downtown.

By: Larry OKC

Larry OKC — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:29:39 +0000

I did look it up at one point and the amount is millions a year. I looked it up again and the results detailed below. While the percentage may not be high, that is millions that they would have to get from some other source if they stopped doing it. Much like a few years back when there was a budget crunch and they raised court fines and traffic fees. When the budget crunch passed, did they lower the rates back down again? Nope, they had already adjusted to that additional revenue stream and didn’t want to let it go.

http://www.okc.gov/finance/FY11-12%20Final%20Budget%20Book-Linked.pdf

From the 2011-12 Budget Book (low/high for the past 3 yrs)

Parking Meters
$684,664 – $759,140

General Parking Revenue
$80,000 – $85,000

Traffic Fines
$7,168,488 – $8,438,033

Parking Fines
$985,938 – $1,183,126

TOTAL
$8.9 to $10.5 million/yr

By: MikeN

MikeN — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:25:32 +0000

Larry I suggest you educate yourself and inquire of the city how much money parking tickets bring in vs the total revenue stream. Then please return and let us know about your education.

By: Helen Sullivan

Helen Sullivan — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:50:15 +0000

Larry,
Actually, cities cares a great deal – city parking authorities are very involved with helping to make downtowns successful and part of that is bringing business to area merchants, museums, restaurants, businesses and theatres. If there was no parking availability– no one could go anywhere! There are cities today that are utilizing advanced technology to base parking pricing on demand — the goal is to adjust rates to provide many price choices — and to always have a certain percentage of parking availability. What’s more – circling for parking is very bad for the environment – wasteful carbon emissions. Parking professionals are very focused on helping
people find parking quickly as part of making urban mobility more sustainable – and customer-service oriented!
Best,
Helen Sullivan
International Parking Institute

By: Larry OKC

Larry OKC — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:52:45 +0000

Ok, what did you do Steve….

I disagree with the lead sentence. While space turnover may be the stated goal, all too often it becomes a rather lucrative revenue stream for a city that ends up having nothing to do with the stated goal. After all, what does the City care if one car is parked in a space for 8 hours or 100 cars?

By: MikeN

MikeN — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:43:47 +0000

Precisely. It is about space turnover and not revenue. And to think there are still ignorant dolts who feel that parking meters should be removed completely. These dunces would then have nowhere to park if the meters were not there.