Parking

[drplokta]

So, the 20 minute free on-street parking in Canterbury that I use occasionally is about to become 30 minute parking. Which will actually be handy, since I park there while getting my hair cut, and 20 minutes is touch-and-go. But what happens now if I'm there for 30 minutes and 5 seconds -- can I claim over-zealous enforcement, and should there be some leeway on the leeway? What people really want is to have 10 minutes longer than they thought they had, and it's not actually possible to do that.

Comments

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

I am not as concerned about legal appeals to fines as removing low level irritation about having to refer to my watch against a ticket that might be out a little, or my memory of when I arrived at a free space, that could be out a lot.

There is a danger of taking a legal/computer design approach to the problem, where rules are rules to be applied, when what is wanted is more fuzzy, to match human nature.

[drplokta]

Indeed, but the proposed new approach is no fuzzier than the current approach -- it's just moved the sharp borderline. I fail to see how you can in fact legislate for fuzziness, without giving too much leeway for individual discretion which would almost certainly end up being exercised in racist, sexist, classist and ageist ways.

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

Indeed, it should not be legislation, just an enforced guideline, like the NACPO margins on speed limits. I guess the government feel that without legal weight some councils wouldn't adopt the spirit of the poliy

I don't know if they tried the softer approach before wheeling out the big stick.