Suspected PayPal Hackers Seek Deal To Stay Out Of Prison
Did A Google Earth Mistake Cause A Couple's Brutal Murder?
San Francisco Tests New Meters that Set Fee by Supply and Demand
Drivers in the gloriously progressive city of San Francisco may soon have a lot less trouble finding curb-side real estate, thanks to a high-tech parking system that the city has just begun testing. The San Francisco Metro Transit Authority's SFpark project is a two-year, federally funded endeavor, aimed at making city parking less stressful, and more efficient. As part of the project, the SFMTA has already begun replacing old parking meters with new "coin and card" meters that let users pay with credit cards. As PSFK reports, the new meters will also be equipped with sensors that can instantly measure the current demand for parking space on a given block. The price of a space, then, will be automatically calibrated according to demand, although, as the SFMTA promises, a price will never rise by more than 50 cents at a time. The SFMTA has also apparently taken a page from Google's 'Open Spot' book, by allowing especially anxious drivers to check parking availability and prices on their smartphones or computers, before even leaving the house. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the program will depend on how quickly the sensors can measure demand, and, more importantly, on whether or not the price fluctuations are enough of an incentive to change consumer behavior. Will a 25-cent price differential, for example, be enough for a random commuter to park farther away from her office? If it means she wouldn't have to spend 15 minutes driving around like a vulture, then she might take the bait. Others, though, might be more finicky about their parking preferences. Either way, it seems like it'll take some time for road warriors to warm up to the program, and for the SFMTA to find a pricing system enticing enough to lure them in. [From: SFPark; via: PSFK]
How Kidnapping Suspect Passes Time Behind Bars
Chili's Waitress Fired Over Facebook Post Insulting 'Stupid Cops'
12 Common Workout Myths Debunked
Billboard Music Awards: Worst Dressed (or Most Daring?) From Past Red Carpets
Forbidden America: Cold War-Era Map Shows No-Go Zones For Soviet Tourists
Courtney Stodden Has A Sex Tape
HSBC Plans 14,000 More Job Cuts
Man Takes Dump In Background Of Instructional Workout Video
Police Investigate Student Shooting Death
Tenants: Stench of Death Makes St. Louis Complex 'Unlivable'
Hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S 4 running stock Android 4.2
Radio Host Makes Shocking Claim About Shooting Hillary Clinton
Taylor Swift Q and A: What Does She Splurge on in Las Vegas?
Ricardo Cerezo, Facing Eviction, Finds $4.85 Million Lottery Ticket
PHOTOS: 10 Deadliest Periods In History (NEW BOOK)
Bill Gates regains title of world's richest person as Microsoft stock hits five-year high
These American Companies Refused To Sign The Bangladesh Safety Accord
Marine Reunited With Four-Legged Friend
LOOK: There's Something Wrong With This Picture
Teen Who Died During Her First Solo Drive May Have Been Texting
PHOTO: Looking Good! Chaz Bono Loses 65 Pounds
PREGNANT!
Former OJ Attorney Gives Shocking Testimony
Waitress Surprised With HUGE Tip On Tiny Bill
PHOTO: Rob Kardashian Takes A Hike
McDonald's Store Owners Fear Fast Food Chain Becoming Too Slow
Will Smith, Jaden Smith Get Photobombed
Guess Which State Boasts The Most Million-Dollar Homes?
Jackpot Soars Again
New Leads In Case Of Missing British Girl
Pictures Showing Pregnant Teens' Bumps Banned From Yearbook
Chef Allegedly Killed Over Noodle Dinner Gone Wrong
Comments
1
Subscribe to commentsKevinAug 6th 2010 10:47AM
Concept is a novelty, mainly because I'm betting that it will be at or near max rate all the time due to the population of sheep that feel the need to park closer to their destination. The addition of credit cards just means that people will spend more to park for that hour than less. When people start to pay double for parking on the street as they do the garage the only people you will see parking in these spaces will be luxury, or handicaped signed cars.