Students defeat new 'Barnacle' parking clamp, skip fines and get free internet • Hacker News Board

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

#161

Post by jimmaswell » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:33 PM UTC

orhmeh09 wrote: post #134

jimmaswell wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't need to mold the whole world into the tightly packed metropolis model. Those areas are fine for people who like that kind of living but a lot of others including me don't. Make the parking lots more efficiently packed, expand a bit of parking into grassy areas, build a parking garage instead of spending more on sports, there are lots of solutions here.

Increasing density is precisely what we must do, because the alternative, car-centric kind of living is this close to giving us an expiration date that’s perceptibly on the horizon.

I'd rather deal with climate change than have every nice woodsy town turned into Manhattan-lite.

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

#162

Post by beerandt » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:34 PM UTC

cgriswald wrote: post #72

cortesoft wrote: post #26

> Obviously, some students thought that fee was ridiculous – just like paying for parking at a university where you’re already paying a hefty tuition fee I hate parking fees as much as the next person, and totally appreciate the creativity of the people who defeated this device. However, how should we handle distributing a limited number of parking spaces when there are more people who want to park than available spa…

My community college had more parking spaces than students on campus at any given time. They then did construction, resulting in one of the largest lots and some of the smaller lots being closed. There was still would have been enough parking for everyone, except they then rented out another parking lot to a pair of local companies. So, we ended up paying for parking when no parking was actually available. This was,…

>get on campus earlier

Parking spots (and their demand) are a time constrained resource, so arriving earlier than you need to, even if practical, increases overall demand.

Think about it, if you arrive for a 10am class at 9am, you're now taking up a spot that someone who has class at 9am could be using. You've essentially wasted an hour's use of a limited resource, before you even factor in your personal opportunity cost.

I'm sick of universities not being subject to market forces. Student-aid reform did so much more harm than good, even before you consider student debt. This is just one of the many unintended consequences.

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

#163

Post by yellow_lead » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:35 PM UTC

the8472 wrote: post #116

xyst wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

meh - one can argue with the advent of the internet the entire college system is a farce. College at this point is just for building your network and securing that “dream job” because employers like to check off those boxes instead of actually finding qualified applicants. Although there is one thing that you can’t teach or learn which is having common sense or the ability to apply theories in practice.

People still need motivation to learn. Just because the knowledge is available doesn't mean they'll ingest it on their own. College may provide a structured environment helping with that. Or in this case a different kind of motivation to learn.

I do think paying for something is a great motivator. When you pay for college, the risk of failing is you wasting your money. When you pay for therapy, the risk of not doing as the therapist suggests is you wasting your money as well.

Of course, I dont think college needs to be on the "life-crippling debt" scale of payment for this to work.

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

#164

Post by trynewideas » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

Jamwinner wrote: post #4

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #2

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 alternative, tire boots, are equally asinine and more likely to damage the car. These seem fractionally better up to the point where they are hacked. Unessarily connected devices are a liability beyond measure, and it floors me that nobody seems to notice.

I appreciate the many definitions of "hacking" and "turn on your defroster for 15 minutes" qualifies as a clever exploit.

But at some point a bad product has to be called a bad product. A deterrent that can't deter anyone, but does less damage than a boot, is still useless, not better.

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

#165

Post by Sharlin » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:40 PM UTC

XMPPwocky wrote: post #159

mikequinlan wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is the University allowed to accept tuition from more students than it has parking spaces? How would a student unable to park be able to attend classes? I can see using parking fees to allocate more desirable parking spaces, but effectively preventing tuition paying students from being able to attend classes is not acceptable (my opinion).

> How would a student unable to park be able to attend classes? Except in the (very significant, and needs to be considered) case of disability... By walking between close-together classes, and bicycling or taking buses whenever longer distances need to be covered? This just sounds so alien to me... If I can't bring my gigantic metal box and engine with me, how am I supposed to get places?

These are the sort of topics where the US-ness of HN really shines through. Though it’s true that if the alternatives to driving require infrastructure that does not exist in many places then they’re not really short-term solutions.

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

#166

Post by themagician » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:42 PM UTC

cortesoft wrote: post #26

> Obviously, some students thought that fee was ridiculous – just like paying for parking at a university where you’re already paying a hefty tuition fee I hate parking fees as much as the next person, and totally appreciate the creativity of the people who defeated this device. However, how should we handle distributing a limited number of parking spaces when there are more people who want to park than available spa…

Free-for-all is the best solution. This way everyone is disappointed evenly and randomly.

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

#167

Post by mertd » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:43 PM UTC

notatoad wrote: post #160

flatiron wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who commuted to college parking illegally is just something you have to do. I had parking fines I had to pay before receiving my diploma even though I made the grades and such. Parking and universities is a mess.

>parking illegally is just something you have to do driving to college is not something you have to do . it's something you choose to do. parking is a side effect of driving, not a god-given right.

In a lot of North American towns, driving is not a choice.

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

#168

Post by whichquestion » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:45 PM UTC

notatoad wrote: post #160

flatiron wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who commuted to college parking illegally is just something you have to do. I had parking fines I had to pay before receiving my diploma even though I made the grades and such. Parking and universities is a mess.

>parking illegally is just something you have to do driving to college is not something you have to do . it's something you choose to do. parking is a side effect of driving, not a god-given right.

If you are low income, and need to get to school but have no other way to go than to drive, what else should you do?

It seems like you are suggesting that some people have other choices than driving. There are a lot of colleges with no accessible public transportation infrastructure.

Many people don’t have the financial means to do anything else, especially when there isn’t the public transportation infrastructure to support them.

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

#169

Post by dreamcompiler » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:46 PM UTC

cortesoft wrote: post #26

> Obviously, some students thought that fee was ridiculous – just like paying for parking at a university where you’re already paying a hefty tuition fee I hate parking fees as much as the next person, and totally appreciate the creativity of the people who defeated this device. However, how should we handle distributing a limited number of parking spaces when there are more people who want to park than available spa…

Universities are incentivized to build buildings and destroy parking areas, because buildings make money and parking lots don't. Thus most universities are parking-constrained. The solution is to change that incentive structure, not to ration ever-dwindling parking spaces.

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

#170

Post by beatgammit » Sat, Jan 18, 2020, 6:52 PM UTC

mikequinlan wrote: post #157

cortesoft wrote: post #26

> Obviously, some students thought that fee was ridiculous – just like paying for parking at a university where you’re already paying a hefty tuition fee I hate parking fees as much as the next person, and totally appreciate the creativity of the people who defeated this device. However, how should we handle distributing a limited number of parking spaces when there are more people who want to park than available spa…

Why is the University allowed to accept tuition from more students than it has parking spaces? How would a student unable to park be able to attend classes? I can see using parking fees to allocate more desirable parking spaces, but effectively preventing tuition paying students from being able to attend classes is not acceptable (my opinion).

The vast majority of universities are accessible by more than just cars, such as buses/shuttles, biking, and walking. If all else fails, you can organise your own shuttle service through carpooling.

I don't see why students who don't use parking should subsidise those that do. Driving is a preference and is absolutely not mandatory, so it should be paid for separately.