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Students defeat new 'Barnacle' parking clamp, skip fines and get free internet

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Re: Students defeat new 'Barnacle' parking clamp, skip fines and get free internet

#13
post #3

This reminds me of when I was in Hawaii visiting my brother who lived in a high rise building. This was years ago so all I had ever know was the lock and key but his building had key cards and the doors would just unlock with the swipe of a card and you could go to your unit. He explained they are just magnetically locked. I asked well couldn't you just pry them open? We decided to try and sure enough with 2 of use w…

A little mu-metal might be a skeleton key.

Re: Students defeat new 'Barnacle' parking clamp, skip fines and get free internet

#14
post #6

"a user who found out his campus only had 12 wheel boots to go around and bought and illegally parked 12 scrapyard cars that could be “sacrificed” so everyone else could park however they wanted." Not all heroes wear capes.

You beat me to it by a minute. +1

I just don't get why this is such a throwaway line in the piece... I want to read a full interview with this person.

Re: Students defeat new 'Barnacle' parking clamp, skip fines and get free internet

#16

OK, the actual design of the thing where it just uses suction is incredibly idiotic, but the kid who got free wireless internet for months by taking its sim card - that's pretty brilliant.

The SIM card thing might be a felony.

Re: Students defeat new 'Barnacle' parking clamp, skip fines and get free internet

#17

Is scofflaw parking really that big of an issue at OSU? This seems antagonistic towards the students.

the article states that

> After “receiving feedback from the community” – that is, having its new parking enforcement method thwarted – OU has decided to pause the trial use of the five devices it’d borrowed from the Barnacle’s manufacturer.

so I would guess it has to do more with aggressive sales tactics

Re: Students defeat new 'Barnacle' parking clamp, skip fines and get free internet

#20
post #7

Like adversaries who attempt to outrun a radio, "outsmarting" law enforcement who have your license-plate number is a generally poor strategy. Likewise, putting the police-department's SIM in your phone has some pretty clear downsides.

It isn’t actually law enforcement, though. It’s some division of the university which is enforcing parking rules.
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