Calgary Parking Authority: Bass Ackwards
October 9th, 2009Earlier this week some Calgary Transit customers were fuming as they returned to their vehicles in the Park and Ride lots to find parking violations on their windshields. As regular users of the pay lots at the LRT stations, they were sure the tickets were issued in error but upon closer inspection they realized the tickets were issued under bylaw 28(1) which is simply “Unauthorized Parking”. The unauthorized parking in this case was backing into the parking spot.
Ever since the switch to the new Park Plus system, the Calgary Parking Authority uses specialized camera vehicles that automatically record the license plates of vehicles parked on the street and in parking lots. On the streets, the camera system works very well capturing the plates and issuing tickets to those that have not paid for parking in their designated zones. In the LRT lots however, the system doesn’t work so well as the camera system was only designed for spots where drivers parallel park. In a parking lot situation where vehicles are sometimes backed into their spots, the cameras cannot see the license plates.
Instead of getting out of their vehicles to check the plates for valid parking credentials, the CPA has opted to issue tickets to those that park their vehicles backwards. The fine? $50. $40 if you pay early. On Wednesday, hundreds of tickets were issued to Calgary Transit customers. When asked about the parking notices, CPA simply shifted the attention to City Council. They explain they are only acting on orders from City Hall but at least one Alderman has come forward to say that this situation needs to be fixed and that the rule needs to be withdrawn as it is unfair.
The CPA has no plans to void the parking tickets it has issued but instead plans to improve the signage at some stations. At one station, there was no signage indicating the rules of the parking lot for drivers entering the parking lot, only on the way out of the lot. Enforcing a rule that goes against a very common parking lot practice without a public awareness campaign reeks of revenue hunting by Calgary Transit officials. With lots filled with less cars than they expected, they must be turning to parking violation revenue to make up for it.
While the city encourages commuters to use Calgary Transit instead of driving, they sure are doing everything they can to drive customers AWAY from the service. A few customers that received tickets this week have stated they plan on driving to work instead of putting up with the hassles of parking at the LRT lots.
*update*
The Calgary Parking Authority announced on Friday that they will be revoking all tickets issued for vehicles not parked nose-in between October 5th and October 8th. Those that have already paid for the tickets will automatically receive a refund. The CPA apologizes for any inconvenience caused and will be installing signs letting drivers know that the practice is not allowed.
What are your thoughts?
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Have to give the CPA credit for apologizing and revoking the tickets! I was mad and I’ve never even parked in one of those lots - just saw how it could have been me. I still think it’s a bylaw that legalizes laziness (just like how I can’t believe the recycling truck driver isn’t allowed to get out and move a blue bin a couple yards so it can be picked up), but this is how a person, corporation, or government should respond to a valid complaint. Great example of customer service!
Fucking retarded. I still don’t think I should pay to park when using the public transit system to begin with. This is gayer than 2 men fucking as far as I am concerned!
Wow I think that it is just awesome that the people working for the CPA does not even expect their renta cops to get out of the car. The next thing we know we will have to pay an additional fee for gym memberships to cure the obesity problem that will surly ensue.
It is funny: the city encourages commuters to use Calgary Transit instead of driving, but at the same time they are doing everything they can to make it hareder to use. It is nice to get a refund from the city anyway, isn’t it?
Calgary Transit is USELESS!!! face the facts
First off, the train system. The fact that it is above ground makes it subject to the laws of traffic. So if some retard decided to liqor it up, the train will be stuck behind some accident or another.
Second. Bus terminals. they dont exit. I mean, there are places like the University loop, and Westside terminal, but WE NEED MORE OF THESE! If busses link up at terminals, they increase efficiency of transport. Now, all these need to do is go to different locations throughout the citty. depending on which part of 17th ave im on i can take one of MULTIPLE busses to get downtown. okay fine, its useful, but increased frequency for one part of the system does nothing for comprehenseive system coverage.
Third. Calgary Transit is run by retards. Who else but an incompetent would send out the accordion-bus (the new long ones) out past 11PM, when there are hardly any travellers, and send out the normal length ones at peak times?
Fourth. Parking fees. Between having to pay for a CT pass both ways and the parking fee, etc. I might almost have done better by driving into work at a strategic time.
Fifth. Service by calgary transit is useless. If you rely on transit, then youre as good as stranded past 6Pm and on weekends if you live around the periphery of the city. If the 453, 53 or 61, as a few examples, actually provided better service at all times, then they would be used. CT is using the logic that once demand canot be met by existing service, they will expand…. but demand will never get there because people know its shit, and so wont rely on it.
Honestly, ive tried my very best not to curse, so if this has to get edited, blot out the belligerent parts. Calgary Transit has been my main mode of transportation for the past 8 years, and i dread using it. I would rather walk the 20/30 minutes than trust CT, and i have the student pass, so its not like im saving myself busfare by walking. Simply by improving and increasing efficiency of the system in a legitimate manner, they can start turning a revenue. It takes me over one hour to get from one end of the city to another. When visiting madrid, which is a considerably larger city with far more comprehensive metro that extends to the cities it has annexed, it took 40 minutes to travel from the periphery of the city to anywhere i wanted to go, and this was in a country where i didnt speak the language!
bah…. i could go on about the follies of calgary transit, like the fact that they claim the lack of all publication of information for safety reasons and to prevent ‘terrorists’ from being able to abuse it…. i think ive gone on wayu too far and the reader can tell ive got nothing better to do
kinda reminds me of Friday november 27 and the infamous salting trucks. The service exists, but its not being provided.
The retards decided to install the parking meters outside without cover! Hey guess what………..we get snow and blizzards in this shithole and strange things happen…………..the snow and ice screw up the meters and you lose your money.
This is typical of how this city is run!
Two things, CPA:
If you can get out of your little camera-equipped van and walk around to the rear of these vehicles to get their license plate numbers to issue them a ticket, then why don’t you just run the plate to confirm they have paid and leave it at that? This is nothing more than penalizing people because CPA wants to optimize a system into which they put no forethought. This is not the users’ problem. It is CPA’s.
And secondly, most of the vehicles are not backing into stalls. Early in the morning when no other cars are present, it is safer to park in a stall facing out to avoid a backing-out collision later in the day when leaving. While backing into a stall is not permitted, parking in a stall facing out when no other vehicle is around does not go against any legislation.
This is ruthless abuse to gouge people who already pay for both parking and monthly passes. Spend your administration money elsewhere, CPA.