Paphos signs contact for "smart" parking system

[The Aquila]

Do some of you still watch black and white TV or did you embrace the new technology and get a colour one?

[Paul]

Smart parking, some drivers cannot get the car in one parking space I saw one car in 3 spaces one day.
Like they say the biggest nut on a car is the one holding the wheel!

[Paphos Pete]

When you download the relevant app for the particular flavour of car park you wish to use, as part of configuring the app the first time you use it, you enter your vehicle registration details, and a valid method of payment such as PayPal / credit card / debit card etc.
Then whenever you exit the car park after your stay, this is the payment method used to pay for your visit.

Nice and simple.

Unless you have no data/ no connection to download the app.

I'm sure they'll have thought of that. After all, the carpark system itself will require network connectivity.

With all due respect, you need to stop thinking of a mobile 'phone as a device for making the occasional call or text. It's a tool required for everyday life in the same vein as a car or TV.

In the UK the with the ever-growing 'Internet of things', it's pretty much mandatory as there are an increasing number of services and facilities that have no cash or human alternative. If you don't have a connected smart device, you simply cannot use them. Admittedly, the UK and other parts of Europe are adopting this approach a lot more rapidly than cyprus, but I'm sure you'll get there quicker than you think..

I tried to impress this on my parents over the last few years while they still had the ability to embrace the technology. They didn't, and now with ever decreasing mobility are paying the price. Literally.

Your choice.

Pete

[trevnhil]

Do some of you still watch black and white TV or did you embrace the new technology and get a colour one?

Just because a town changes to a multi thousand parking system does not mean we all have hundreds of pounds to spend on a Smart Phone

[brengreen]

It could cause a problem for tourists who only have UK mobile. How would the phone charges work out. I saw somebody in Ayia Napa in a car park who couldn't use his phone for it as he had run out of credit.

[Tuppence]

Perhaps we should all wait & see what happens when everything is up & running. Maybe you will be able to use either a pay machine as now or a mobile phone. Perhaps you'll get a ticket when entering a car park which will register the time & car registration like at the airport. Unfortunately the media only give the briefest details about a lot of things which causes a lot of speculation. Hopefully those inconsiderate people who take up more than one parking place will have to pay more!

[Kili01]

Yes, I agree with what you say about the way some people park their car using several parking spaces. This is particularly bad in some supermarket car parks .Paps on Ellados Rd have fairly small parking spaces, quite unsuitable for huge duocabs, and the newish huge SUV's which some use to for the supermarket shop of a few carrier bags of groceries.

Dee

[PolemIan]

Are we supposed to base our vehicle purchases on some sort of formula based on quantity of shopping bags?

Ian

[Kili01]

Polemi Ian,
In answer to your last post. No, of course not. But at the same time huge vehicles in small psrking spaces can easily take up more than one space. When my husband was alive, we had two cars. We seldom took the LWB Pajero to supermarkets. Instead we usually took my small car which was easier to maneuver and park.

[PolemIan]

Dee,

So whats the point in saying Emory meaningless phrases like “which some use to for the supermarket shop of a few carrier bags of groceries”. What’s the fact the that a big car may only have a bit of shopping in it go to do with anything? It’s as pointless as arguing that nobody need a house with more bedrooms than they can sleep in and not relevant to a thread about how a smart parking scheme may work. And yes, I do have a new huge SUV and have previously owned cars capable of in excess on 170mph which are equally pointless but all about personal choice. 95% of us own computers that we only use, or understand how to use, about 5% of their capability. Again about personal choice.

Ian

[sued51]

Does this mean I will no longer be able to park outside M &S to nip in for my monthly wine fix (takes literally less than 5 min) unless I pay for at least one hour’s parking by card?

[Kili01]

Even before the advent of this new hi tech parking scheme, M&S Foods in Paphos has parking meters outside it. When the traffic warden is about, I've seen him putting tickets on cars which aren't displaying a ticket from the machine!

Dee

[sued51]

I deliberately go just before closing time so I can park right outside to avoid carrying heavy weight further than necessary, at this time of day the traffic wardens are not working and in any case I am happy to take the chance of a ticket once in a while, what I meant was if there is number plate recognition are you obliged to always buy a ticket or face an automatic fine even if stopping for less than 5 minutes? The same question applies to the driver waiting in the car whilst a passenger goes into a shop/checks po box etc

[trevnhil]

I know in my hoe town in the UK there have been a number of complaints re ANPR cameras at car parks. They see the car come in, they see the car go out... No ticket was obtained, so an automatic fine was generated. BUT.. There were no vacant parking places , hence the driver not paying for a ticket >
Hopefully these 'Smart' car parks will know all this ..

I also wonder how they send a fine. My driving license has my name and Polemi on it .. But they will find a way

[jagwheels]

Hopefully these 'Smart' car parks will know all this ..

Good point Trev. Got caught in the same way in my local town. Waited for about 10 mins to see if anyone left & gave up. As the registered owner the letter came to me by post & a £60 fine if paid within 14 days

A sign before I entered saying what spaces are available could have prevented this

[trevnhil]

I do have a 'smart phone' but I have no mobile data on it.. I always have some cash with me for smaller purchases. As you know there are places that don't take a card, even for Gesy prescription..

[Oxfordboy]

It's simple enough to look at INNET's brochure on Smart Parking, It shows four means of input from the user side, including coins.

It's here if you're interested https://inntenet.com/wp-content/uploads ... ochure.pdf

[trevnhil]

Yep, I looked at it, and have seen where it says you can use coins

[Kili01]

Interesting statistic, but not particularly relevant here,

[PolemIan]

It was just a general observation Dee, in reponse to the technophobes who earlier on this thread decried the need to own such high-tech wizzardry.

Many of whom are probably using such witchcraft as tablets to read this.

Ian