April 11
...serving up your daily dish.
When we saw this large ad in last week’s Montclair Times, we couldn’t help wonder if Baristanet had helped to shame jumpstart the powers that be into ponying up another pay station. Back in January, Barista Deb Galant reported her strange encounter at the new parking deck. We know Mayor Ed Remsen took note, and maybe the town officials saw this shocking video. ... So now we get a "full service pay station" and a backup if it goes on the fritz. Let's see if this puts an end to Saturday Night Fever around the Crescent Deck.
The worst is the people who dont read the numerous signs all over the place and instead try to pay as they leave. Then they realize their mistake, have to get out of their car, walk to the pay machine, pay, come back, and leave.
Posted by: Butch | Apr 11, 2006 11:05:09 AM
Wow...thank god they put another one in. Even though I usually only have a short wait on Friday nights I try to park my car near where there is a pay station because I have to walk alone at night. What truly is annoying is those that try to pay at the gate. There are signs everywhere explaining what to do. Never fails when I am leaving that I have to wait behind someone who now has to get out of their car and go and pay. Whats comical is when they start yelling at the attendants...because I guess somehow its their fault.
Posted by: Pat | Apr 11, 2006 11:05:14 AM
no.
the worst is people like you who start to honk and wave your arms. what's a few minutes wait.
you are the same people who speed up and cut pedestrians off in crosswalks.
Posted by: pissant | Apr 11, 2006 11:45:34 AM
Sorry pissant not me. From me saying "annoying" you figure that I am one of those waving my arms and cutting people off? Sorry I am an adult and act like one so I just sit in my car patiently waiting.
Posted by: Pat | Apr 11, 2006 11:54:52 AM
i agree not you.
i was responding to butchs post "The worst is the people who dont read the numerous signs all over the place and instead try to pay as they leave."
if that's the worst then you lead a charmed and overly protected life.
Posted by: pissant | Apr 11, 2006 11:57:30 AM
Last time I parked there (Januaryish), the signage wasn't that great - especially compared to other prepay lots I've parked in. They need to install a pay station on each parking level.
Posted by: tiny | Apr 11, 2006 11:58:54 AM
There should be a big, fat "PAY FIRST AT THE MACHINE OVER THERE <-----" sign right near the exit lane, but before you have to commit to it. That way the inattentive would get a final chance before delaying Butch.
Posted by: appletony | Apr 11, 2006 12:25:40 PM
Common sense doesnt come in droves when these things get designed. I love the fact that the machine that actually takes your ticket when you drive out has money taking features on it and all kinds of other functions, that are duct taped over. So when designing a parking garage where pay-before-you-go to your car is the plan it made sense to spend the $$ on a machine that takes more than just paid tickets at the gate?
Posted by: darren | Apr 11, 2006 12:39:30 PM
I agree that the machine that is at the exit shouldn't have the money taking features on it..it only sets for confusion. They had to put the duct tape over because of those trying to still pay there. Fact of the matter is that there is a HUGE sign when you first drive in telling you what to do, there on every landing of the stairwells, by the elevator and sparadically placed on the walls of every floor.
What they really should do...just like every parking garage in the city does...is have us bring our ticket to the security booth, let them give us a paid ticket and then we go to our cars. 2 people should be in there. 1 taking money and 1 still watching the security monitors. Theres no why you can have people paying at that exit booth from their car because you know there will be those that wait to get any kind of monies out until they see what they owe backing everything up.
Posted by: Pat | Apr 11, 2006 12:51:13 PM
Can the town -- or the facility that runs it -- explore how we might be able to use our EZY Passes to pay for parking -- just like at the lots at Newark Airport?
Posted by: Aussiebookguy | Apr 11, 2006 1:25:09 PM
I was unaware that Newark Airport did that...great to know as well as a great idea!!! I'm for it.
Posted by: Pat | Apr 11, 2006 1:32:09 PM
The Barista-in-chief takes full credit for this improvement and the Parking Authority, if it had any class, would have sent their advertising dollars here instead of to the Montclair Times.
Posted by: The Barista | Apr 11, 2006 1:35:36 PM
Yeah right Barista, taking credit again? I took care of this by meeting with the leadership of the Parking Authority. You get an assist because I shared some of the psosts with the MPA.
Posted by: Ed Remsen | Apr 11, 2006 6:17:55 PM
Hey Barista -- in my book it was YOU publicizing this back in January that got our officials working on a solution in a timely fashion.
It's my guess that you've done ANOTHER public service by giving this item some space here today. It's a shame though that you and your staff had to learn about the new pay station by reading an ad in the Montclair Times -- as a courtesy you would think that maybe Ed and his merry parking gang could have given you a heads up -- if not bought an ad -- to advise there was a fix.
Posted by: Barista Fan#99 | Apr 11, 2006 6:53:56 PM
How about "in addition to" instead of "instead of"? :)
Posted by: friendly competitor | Apr 11, 2006 7:28:08 PM
Last time I was at Newark Airport their EZ Pass scanners were on the fritz, & you had to rip your EZ Pass box off of its velcro mount & hand it to an attendant in the glass booth to get it scanned.
Ah technology!
Even when the scanners are working, they are only marginally quicker than paying by cash; you still have to insert your tik into one of those machines & wait for the info to process.
Posted by: crank | Apr 11, 2006 7:39:38 PM
Mayor Ed....Shame on YOU!!
As an elected official you should be grateful to Barista for providing you with the information you needed to argue the case.
Without the support of Barista and the good people of Montclair you are but a one term mayor -
How about showing some humility?
Adios mi amigo!
Posted by: GO BARISTA | Apr 11, 2006 8:09:34 PM
Dear Barista,
Please don't take the MPA's money. Keep your integrity and independence.
The Montclair Times lost it a long time ago. Maybe when they started valuing the town's advertising dollars over finding truth.
Did anyone ever discover anything about the Montclair Water Bureau deficit?
What else will go unreported?
Posted by: OX | Apr 12, 2006 12:38:39 AM
OX, do you always see conspiracies everywhere or just in Montclair?
The Montclair Times has no reason to not report what they uncover, nor to avoid pursuing the truth. What evidence do you have that they've "lost their integrity"?
Posted by: grace | Apr 12, 2006 12:59:23 AM
grace,
since the montclair times chooses not to look they don't find anything.
i agree with ox, they have no integrity.
try calling something in, you won't see it covered there.
go barista!
Posted by: pissant | Apr 12, 2006 1:11:30 AM
Well, since it was the Montclair Times that broke the story in the first place about the Water Bureau deficit, forgive me if I disagree with you and OX.
And I have called things in, and seen them covered. Some things weren't covered, but I got the impression it was more about lack of resources (not enough reporters, or space, or whatever) than about any grand conspiracies, or "lack of integrity."
And I don't see this as an either or. I like baristnet, but I'm glad the paper is there too.
Posted by: grace | Apr 12, 2006 1:28:22 AM
