discrimination - a follow up to the angry post

You aren't alone - there's quite a hoo-hah about parking machines going cashless at the disadvantage of those without a smart phone. It's the thin end of the wedge and sometimes I lose my temper with frustration when changes don't make sense. I hate it when after juggling my mobile and finding my glasses I'm asked for my registration number - I can never remember it so that's another trip back to the car to jot it down and then back to the queue at the b****y ticket machine . Now I have it jotted down ready but why is it all so much harder? Put cash in a machine, press a button, take ticket and put on windscreen - what's hard about that?

I’ve just been on a break for a few days, and I commented to my son that the only thing you can be certain of when you go to pay in a carpark you haven’t been to before is that the operating instructions will be different to all other car parks you’ve been to previously. It’s designed to confuse. I don’t know why they don’t all just allow you to scan your bank card and give you a receipt to confirm you’d paid. I carry cash in my car in case too, but now it’s so expensive to park, unless they take notes as well it’s hard to accumulate enough.

Our station uses APCOA which encourages you to pre-buy and also offers season tickets, however as it is a small car park there are often no spaces, you must apply for a refund at the time you should have parked as refunds are not given if you don't apply at that time, ridiculous when you have to find a space elsewhere when time is limited as you are obviously catching a train. It can only be paid for on the app.

I never park at a car park that takes just cash as I dont carry any but yes that sounds a sensible idea casdon.

I agree totally with you Casdon. I am happy to pay by cash, card or Apple Pay, but I’m am not willing to download one of the myriad apps each car park has its own.

We were recently caught out in Port Isaac, attempting to pay by card both machines froze! We could not get a signal on our phones and on calling the number later we were told there is no alternative but pay £100 fine.

Such a stressful end to what was supposed to be a treat ( our adult children had booked a surprise meal at a special restaurant).

Can I politely ask why you didn’t load an app knowing that you were going to park. You could have downloaded one at the station carpark.
It was bad that you were given the wrong info when you called.

Sidelined
Keep a record of you reg plate either on your phone or on a slip of paper in your phone case.

Try going to the car park at the Llanberris Slate Museum. Difficult to get a signal there because of the mountains. A long queue at the ticket machine , holding their phones high and cursing. There was not a funny side to it.

I've used the station car park at Ely and unusually it gives drivers 24 hours to pay! That makes some allowance for needing to catch a train in a rush (assuming you can get a space - small car park) or were like me, baffled by the instructions, so I assume your plate number is captured and monitored. I don't mind, it seemed a generous way to go about things. The rest of the car parks in the town are free, btw.

For most places the apps work well - obviously not at the Llanberris Slate Museum!

I am a fan of the apps - especially PayByPhone (the one with the rectangle of green dots as the logo).

I like not having to have any change, not having to input my car registration, not having to queue- or stand in the too-hot sun or wind and rain.

The apps remember my vehicles, offer me the car parks I'm sitting in and allow me to also pay for my daughter's car if we are meeting up at (say) a local beauty spot.

I tend to do my payment before I leave the car - but have also done it once when in a queue in a shop at the edge of the car park.

So long as there is a signal I'm happy to make payments this way.

I bought a permit for about £50 (looks a bit like a disabled persons “clock” card but red) from our district council. It lasts for 12 months. I bought it last Nov and I can park for up to 3 hours at any of our councils car parks.

It is brilliant. I reckon I have saved loads plus I don’t have to queue to use the machines. We are full up with holidaymakers and the queues for ticket machines are crazy.