Henry Grabar

So, Henry, does it work when communities, city governments institute paid parking to replace free parking to discourage people from parking? Does that work?

In most cases, it does, and here's why. Paid parking works best, these city planners say, when it's not designed to raise money. The point of paid parking should be to organize the way people park and how long they park for. So you push the people who are parking all day into the spots a little further away, and the people who are parking for a shorter amount of time can park closer.

In most cases, it does, and here's why. Paid parking works best, these city planners say, when it's not designed to raise money. The point of paid parking should be to organize the way people park and how long they park for. So you push the people who are parking all day into the spots a little further away, and the people who are parking for a shorter amount of time can park closer.

In most cases, it does, and here's why. Paid parking works best, these city planners say, when it's not designed to raise money. The point of paid parking should be to organize the way people park and how long they park for. So you push the people who are parking all day into the spots a little further away, and the people who are parking for a shorter amount of time can park closer.

Unfortunately, in the last 70 years, many governments have thought of parking meters simply as a way to raise money for motorists. And I think that is not the purpose of parking meters. The purpose of parking meters is to organize parking demand. It's the only way we have because otherwise it's just a total free for all.

Unfortunately, in the last 70 years, many governments have thought of parking meters simply as a way to raise money for motorists. And I think that is not the purpose of parking meters. The purpose of parking meters is to organize parking demand. It's the only way we have because otherwise it's just a total free for all.

Unfortunately, in the last 70 years, many governments have thought of parking meters simply as a way to raise money for motorists. And I think that is not the purpose of parking meters. The purpose of parking meters is to organize parking demand. It's the only way we have because otherwise it's just a total free for all.

Well, I know there are a lot of communities that, for example, at Christmas, they'll put little hoods over the parking meters and let you park for free. So obviously that's to encourage more business, which would what I infer from that is by having parking meters, you discourage business.

Well, I know there are a lot of communities that, for example, at Christmas, they'll put little hoods over the parking meters and let you park for free. So obviously that's to encourage more business, which would what I infer from that is by having parking meters, you discourage business.

Well, I know there are a lot of communities that, for example, at Christmas, they'll put little hoods over the parking meters and let you park for free. So obviously that's to encourage more business, which would what I infer from that is by having parking meters, you discourage business.

Yeah, unfortunately, I think a lot of those communities have it backwards. The problem with hooding the parking meters is that let's say I want to run an errand downtown. I'll drive there and I will leave my car there all day, right? And I'll go around and do whatever. In fact, you know who's going to leave their car there all day is the people who work in the stores.

Yeah, unfortunately, I think a lot of those communities have it backwards. The problem with hooding the parking meters is that let's say I want to run an errand downtown. I'll drive there and I will leave my car there all day, right? And I'll go around and do whatever. In fact, you know who's going to leave their car there all day is the people who work in the stores.

Yeah, unfortunately, I think a lot of those communities have it backwards. The problem with hooding the parking meters is that let's say I want to run an errand downtown. I'll drive there and I will leave my car there all day, right? And I'll go around and do whatever. In fact, you know who's going to leave their car there all day is the people who work in the stores.

They're the people who get their first thing in the morning. They may usually pay for parking in a garage or park further away, but when the meters are hooded, they're going to park right in front of the shop, and when you show up at 2 p.m. to do your Christmas shopping, you will find that there is no place to park, and you'll get mad, and you might even drive to the suburbs and shop at the mall.

They're the people who get their first thing in the morning. They may usually pay for parking in a garage or park further away, but when the meters are hooded, they're going to park right in front of the shop, and when you show up at 2 p.m. to do your Christmas shopping, you will find that there is no place to park, and you'll get mad, and you might even drive to the suburbs and shop at the mall.

They're the people who get their first thing in the morning. They may usually pay for parking in a garage or park further away, but when the meters are hooded, they're going to park right in front of the shop, and when you show up at 2 p.m. to do your Christmas shopping, you will find that there is no place to park, and you'll get mad, and you might even drive to the suburbs and shop at the mall.

So I think free parking downtown is pretty much a losing proposition for business owners if there's not enough parking. Sure, if you're in some tiny country town where there's, you know, Only 100 people live there. Yeah, you don't need to make anybody pay for parking. But in a congested city district, it's the only way to make sure that there are spaces available.

So I think free parking downtown is pretty much a losing proposition for business owners if there's not enough parking. Sure, if you're in some tiny country town where there's, you know, Only 100 people live there. Yeah, you don't need to make anybody pay for parking. But in a congested city district, it's the only way to make sure that there are spaces available.

So I think free parking downtown is pretty much a losing proposition for business owners if there's not enough parking. Sure, if you're in some tiny country town where there's, you know, Only 100 people live there. Yeah, you don't need to make anybody pay for parking. But in a congested city district, it's the only way to make sure that there are spaces available.

And I think most people, they don't like paying for parking. But when push comes to shove, they prefer paying for parking to looking for a space for 20 minutes and then giving up and driving away.