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Smart Parking Spaces In San Francisco

2centplain sends along a report in the NYTimes on San Francisco's smart parking initiative. He asks, "Any guesses on the when this will be hacked? Like, 'reserving' an empty spot by convincing a sensor that a car is actually parked there, or, perhaps using the wireless mesh network for some other purpose?" Quoting: "This fall, San Francisco will test 6,000 of its 24,000 metered parking spaces in the nation's most ambitious trial of a wireless sensor network that will announce which of the spaces are free at any moment. Drivers will be alerted to empty parking places either by displays on street signs, or by looking at maps on screens of their smartphones. They may even be able to pay for parking by cellphone, and add to the parking meter from their phones without returning to the car."

5 of 202 comments (clear)

  1. useless for women by William+Robinson · · Score: 3, Funny

    They know how to find free space.

  2. Parking? by owlnation · · Score: 4, Funny

    Having spent many hours driving around SF. I didn't think there were ANY parking spaces, smart or otherwise.

  3. Let me fix that for you... by denzacar · · Score: 5, Funny

    1. Add reservation option. Mark the spot as yours before you get there.
    Drive calmly to the spot, as central server knows how far you are from the spot and it won't start charging you for the time it takes you to get there driving at the allowed speed.
    2. Add red LEDs to the parking spot markers. Have them light up when the space is reserved. Have them turned off by sending a code from your mobile.
    3. Add option to report people taking your reserved spot. Have tow-trucks ready and waiting.
    Also have option to charge them for "stealing" your reserved parking spot, since you have already paid for it.
    4. Profit!

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
  4. Re:So long, thanks for all the gas. by xaxa · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah, but over in europe, the gallons are bigger...

    I don't know why you've been moderated funny.

    1 Imperial gallon = 1.20095042 US gallons (only the UK uses gallons AFAIK, and only unofficially)

  5. Re:Leicester's already got it. by Damocles+the+Elder · · Score: 2, Funny

    "Traffic and roadworks" shows planned roadworks, and presumably accidents (none, currently)

    Good thing, too; if they were showing planned accidents on it I'd be worried.