My non-NYC jurisdiction requires most parking lots be paid by mobile app. As I do NOT carry a phone, I just don't bother paying [fake license plate trick]. I would (and did) pay for this parking before they removed the in-person cashmeters.
People won't believe me when I inform "I don't carry a phone;" even less so when told "I don't use email anymore." Both TRUE statements.
The good ones at least have a machine where you can pay cash. I found myself having to park in such an area recently, and did some recon the day before, just to make sure there were machines on site - and there were. What I found funny was that the lot was attended by a live human being, too, which made me wonder why the owner of the lot in question had opted for an automated system at all.
It bothers me that they insist on collecting license plate numbers. Why not just number the parking spots so they are classed as 'paid' or 'not paid' and dispense with the unnecessary surveillance?
Is it even illegal to use a fake plate in a situation like that? Certainly if you are driving, but what about parking?
Do they not offer an SMS alternative? Because both in ATL and Seattle, they always put the app upfront, but on the same sign there is usually a “or text abc to phone number xyz” signage.
Just checked to confirm, PayByPhone (which is the most common parking app signage I see in Seattle) indeed has official support for paying parking through SMS listed on their website as well.
Machines should accept payment, on-site, themselves.
Doesn't posting on forums count as transmitting/receiving messages using a digital electronic device, like email?
It's been really nice. Honest-to-god, I have a numeric pager (one-way comms) and don't even carry that out anymore. When asked for "your phone number" these are the digits I provide.