January 2, 2008
Welcome to the Brave New World of Orwellian Parking Meters
Introducing PhotoViolationMeter™ -- the "World's Friendliest Parking Meter." It's DoublePlusGood! Larger glorious photo here
It was a bright cold day in December, and the clocks were striking thirteen when we happened upon the the fanciest no-armed bandit we've ever seen. It's called a PhotoViolationMeter™. Appears as if IBM is funding a trial run of these things at the Golden Gate Bridge parking lot.
San Francisco, you're going to love it!
See you (literally - the Party has tapped into your webcam) after the jump.
The PVM™ automatically takes a picture of your car. Why, you say? Why not? And you can even give it your cell phone number. Why? So it can call you up and ask for more money when the time comes.
Will future models have a TASER® to mete out swift justice to drivers who go a few minutes over? We can only hope.
Reviews are mixed. Some wish to page George Orwell while others welcome the future with open arms.
On the upside, these things might save you a little money by helping you avoid "eating beef jerky", as they say in L.A.
In the words of the manufacturer, PhotoViolationMeterTM Invades San Francisco. San Franciscoites will Get to Enjoy the World’s Friendliest Parking Meter. Yes, "invades." Yes, "San Franciscoites."
Check out the exclamation point-laden copy on the side of these boxes here. Read even more about it at the official site here
Actually, after seeing all that, the future is starting to look better and better. Upon further review, we've decided We love Big Brother!
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There was a similar trial of these parking meters less than a year ago over at Chestnut & Montgomery.
I'm not sure who was behind it, but I do remember a man being paid to sit in a chair (rain or shine) and assist people with using these new parking meters. However, I thought they failed, since they were removed months later and regular parking meters were put back in. So strange.
I thought the Golden Gate Bridge management was piss broke. Didn't think they'd be putting "photo" meters, when regular meters are just damn cheaper.
Did not know about the prior trial. Thanks for the 411.
There was some deal before about how the machines I saw may or may not violate the CA Vehicle Code.
http://finance.abc7news.com/abc?Account=kgo&GUID=3324983&Page=MEDIAVIEWER
Understand that this is a trial run and that the GGB District hasn't paid for them.
We're not up to speed on the whole deal.
Why not just spray paint over the camera? I don't think Big Brother is here quite yet.
It's San Franciscans, am I correct? We're not -ites.
Anyhoo, although I don't like being constantly watched by, well, anyone, I understand the scare involved in taking pictures of the car, taking phone numbers, etc. It's so you pay the right price for the time you stayed there. Or paid in general.
But that's just me playing devil's advocate, because anyone who truly knows me knows that my instant reaction to everything like this regards extreme paranoia along with immediate conspiracy theories involving the American government.
They're way ahead of you. Disabling the camera alerts the mothership, apparently. They are the Borg.