Comments on: Yuppie says what?

By: stushea

stushea — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:03:12 +0000

I wonder if Mary Schmich lives in the city. (If she doesn’t, I don’t really give a rat’s patootie WHAT she thinks about it.)

Chicagoans are up in arms about the parking boxes because
1) parking now costs more;
2) the new rules hurt local businesses; and
3) the city gave away a great source of revenue for pennies on the $20. We’ve seen this kind of idiocy and corruption before. It’s not because we’re lazy.

By: Fruzsina Eordogh

Fruzsina Eordogh — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:29:20 +0000

You’re absolutely right, Laura. I forgot to mention the lack of dollar slots/charging the credit card in dollar increments.

Thanks for bringing it up!

By: Laura Heller

Laura Heller — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:01:42 +0000

Here’s another thing that’s puzzling and seemingly elitist about the parking boxes — they don’t take dollars, just credit cards and coins. Businesses in commercial districts aren’t giving out change and at $1 or more an hour, finding that many quarters can be difficult. If you don’t have a credit card or debit card, you can’t park. Lower income folks often have neither.

By: Marjie Killeen

Marjie Killeen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:32:46 +0000

I see your point about cost vs. availability, so I’m embarrassed to say that when I read Mary Schmich’s column, I agreed with it.

Parking on the streets of Chicago is daunting, especially for suburban me, who gets into the city only a few times a month. To avoid the hassle and anxiety, I take the train whenever possible. However, the one time I did have to use the new meters, I was relieved to find a spot right away and the whole payment process efficient and stress-free. But it was expensive, and for a regular parker, that creates a different kind of stress!