People seem to think traffic wardens are there to give you a hard time. The only reason they are strict is because people think they can push them around. Now to save them from mouthy drivers comes the auto-clamp. built in to car parks, you pay the meter for your space to indicate the amount of time you wish to stay. if you are still in the space when your time is up, clamps move out of the floor and onto your wheel.
Of course, there would have to be a bit more extra time to allow you to pull away, so 15-20 minutes leeway?-- Deadlock'd, Jan 30 2004 Denver Boot http://www.denverboot.comHas to be manually attached, but serves the same purpose [toiyabe, Oct 17 2004] Angle Grinder Man http://news.bbc.co....england/3112670.stmI'm wondering how this guy would take on the automated system. [DonBirnam, Oct 17 2004] I'm going on vacation for a month - please pay for 15 minute parking. The clamp will ensure that nobody steals my car ...-- Letsbuildafort, Jan 30 2004 Why would I install something on my car that would hinder me in any way ?
How is the clamp connected to the parking meter ?-- SystemAdmin, Jan 30 2004 I quite like this one, although I recognise it for the eeevil it is...-- yamahito, Jan 30 2004 I think that such a system would need to be fairly sophisticated to deal with the huge variety tire/wheel sizes/types and for the variability of the location of the tires within (sometimes only partially) a designated parking space.
It would also need to be highly vandal resistant. Not that I would carry an acetylene torch or plasma cutter everywhere I go...-- half, Jan 30 2004 why'd you delete my anno [Dead]? I only said councils use traffic wardens for revenue generation, therefore they're not going to go for giving you any leeway-- hazel, Jan 30 2004 //I think that such a system would need to be fairly sophisticated// A set of those floor teeth they use in car rental places should work. You drive into the spot and push them down. That starts the clock. There should be an additional device (metal sensor?) to make sure its not just kids jumping around on the teeth. When you come back you feed the meter until the teeth retract. Then you have another 5 minutes to get out. After you drive off (detected by metal sensor?) the teeth rise again.-- kbecker, Jan 30 2004 I guess I should have said "the proposed system". I like the "teeth" idea though. A couple of lengths of 2 x 12 carried in the trunk would probably get me out of those spaces. (Not trying to be contrary, just trying to think like a petty criminal)-- half, Jan 30 2004 //A couple of lengths of 2 x 12 carried in the trunk// They would make carrying 2 x 12 in your trunk a crime. You would need a licence to carry lumber if you are a contractor. ;-)-- kbecker, Feb 02 2004 What you've described is pretty much a standard wheel boot, the only difference is that it's automagically applied by a parking meter. They are often used (in the US at least) to keep egregious offenders from taking off without paying their parking fines. They seem to work very well, apply to a wide variety of vehicles and are very difficult to remove.
If you are a Simpsons fan, you may remember such an incident from the episode where they go to New York City.-- toiyabe, Feb 03 2004 Bear in mind, people, that i live in the UK, and some of the things you have over in the U.S of A. don't exist here, and this is one of them.-- Deadlock'd, Feb 09 2004 Angle Grinder Man ROCKS!-- Zimmy, May 11 2005 // Mouthy drivers can't have their way anymore. //
I Thought was something to clamp over the mouths of the mouthy drivers.
Might work in the movies, if not in the real world.-- popbottle, Mar 18 2017 Won't the global corporation own the autonomous car and the the car parking building? The all-seeing AI will just send you another car later on.-- wjt, Mar 18 2017 random, halfbakery