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How do we pay for parking?

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Re: How do we pay for parking?

#181

Post by throwawaysleep »

6177c40f wrote: post #17
burcs wrote: post #5

Modern parking lots always seem ripe for physical phishing, whats stopping someone from sticking up a couple of QR codes that link to a fraudulent payment page or some other malware? This is one of those things that tech really didn't "fix" and now I have to select from one of 20 apps instead of just paying with cash or even a credit card.

One would think this would happen pretty often, but at least my cursory search didn't turn up many specific examples of it happening in the US. I wonder why that is?

A lot more work when there are an abundance of gullible people via email.

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#182

Post by xg15 »

bluepnume wrote: post #160
xg15 wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds good, and you probably have the best intentions, but right now, that would just make you standard no. 15. It's quite possible that the third sign on OP's parking lot would have led them to a perfectly user-friendly app with a pleasant and simple payment flow. But with so many apps to choose from and each lot only supporting a random subset of them, it'd be basically luck if you get to use the "good" app, even…

You can also imagine a world where you have a single phone number saved. You text it "I'm at XYZ parking lot in ABC city, how do I pay?" and it gives you the easiest possible option. Definitely standard no. 15, but there's room for something better to win out here right?

One obstacle to this is mentioned on the OP: People might not actually know the street address of the parking lot they are standing in, so you'd have to use some other means of identification, like a lot number or geolocation - however, then you're back to requiring an app...

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#184

Post by TulliusCicero »

version_five wrote: post #149

Just an observation, parking, self checkout, payment terminals, etc are examples where the general public is forced to interact with "enterprise" style software, as in software that's not bought by users and so ignores their needs and prioritizes what business buyers want. Anyone who works with such software at work (like SAP) knows it's UX is garbage and it's not for them. But now the same model is being foisted on…

Have you been to a Uniqlo lately? Actually good self checkout. You just dump your clothes in a bin and it scans everything. Like black magic compared to typical self checkout systems.

Edit: system described here- https://www.chargedretail.co.uk/2022/08/26/4-stand-out-examp...

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#185

Post by klyrs »

bluepnume wrote: post #158
ill13 wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So an enterprising individual puts a QR sticker right near or over yours and does the same thing, except theirs is a scam. - That should take all of 4-16 hours to setup the software / web side and payment processing [processors who do cannabis / adult products]. - 1 hour to run to Staples and get some laser Av3ry pre-cut stickers. - 1 hour to replace | supplement your 'real' stickers.

Sure -- phishing is a huge problem, but it's also an argument to never build anything ever, because QR codes, sites, apps, emails, etc. can all easily be cloned and used as a phishing attack vector.

Nope, QR codes are the easiest phishing vector. Just slap a sticker over the old one.

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#186

Post by throwawaysleep »

throwawaaarrgh wrote: post #104

I. Hate. Technology. I hate working in this field. I hate how unprofessional every company is, from the largest to the smallest. I hate how incompetent all the engineers are. I hate how no business I have ever worked for has ever trained its workers on anything but how to fill out a time sheet. I hate all the blog posts about inane technical details. I hate how people start building a solution to a problem they're no…

> I hate how seemingly obvious and painful problems never get solved, because nobody has ever forced the entire product team to listen to a brand new user's feedback.

Usually in this case the user is not the customer, so it does not matter.

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#187

Post by salad-tycoon »

slashdev wrote: post #80
LandR wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my city, in the rougher parts it used to be somewhat normal to pay someone to "look after your car", of course you were paying them not to vandalise it while you were away! Especially popular on football days when parking near the stadium. It was only a couple of pounds or so. I haven't been to these parts of town for years so I have no idea if this practice still goes on.

This is common all over the developing world. I always give them a little something, despite the feel of extortion it has to it. It’s marginally better than begging, and they will really watch the car, and often help with parking and leaving. Fair enough.

In the one of the Third world countries I lived in, the more attentive ones would also put a piece of cardboard on your windshield. A nice touch.

Not so much the guys that insist on spraying your windshield with soap at every traffic light.

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#188

Post by idle_zealot »

13of40 wrote: post #174
burcs wrote: post #5

Modern parking lots always seem ripe for physical phishing, whats stopping someone from sticking up a couple of QR codes that link to a fraudulent payment page or some other malware? This is one of those things that tech really didn't "fix" and now I have to select from one of 20 apps instead of just paying with cash or even a credit card.

What it's ripe for is for someone to put up a box that accepts cash and credit cards then works as a proxy to one of the other services.

Of course! The solution to this state of affairs is to add yet another middleman.

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#189

Post by TheMode »

pb7 wrote: post #179
rootusrootus wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I. Hate. Technology. I hate working in this field. Periodically I joke around with my family that when I retire (I'm 49 now, so it's not all that far away), I'm never touching another computer again. Ever. Each time I make that joke, it's a little less joke and a little more of an actual plan.

I’m sorry to say but you guys haven’t had a single hard day in your life if computers and technology are this traumatic to you. You would crumble under the weight of life just a hundred years ago. You are an artist with a blank canvas that countless people in the world will pay you life changing amounts of money to draw on. If you choose to paint in a way that you hate, that’s on you.

Humans are quick at adapting. Saying that our specie has been living in absolute terror for the past millenniums and that we somehow solved it in our century is pretty arrogant.

Re: How do we pay for parking?

#190

Post by djbusby »

konschubert wrote: post #169
djbusby wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm aware, and have used, this practice in Oakland, CA, Los Angeles, SF, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle and Portland OR. One reason I keep a small amount of cash around - just for the vig.

It's extortion. You're paying protection money.

Yep, and my stuff was protected. Been doing it since at least 1995.
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