Gransnet forums

Technology

Paying for car parks.

(43 Posts)
MayBee70 Thu 25-Jan-24 17:55:20

I want to meet up with some friends at a local beauty spot and they recommend paying for parking in advance with Ring go. I’ve realised that I haven’t been to any car parks since the pandemic began ( the places I do go to have free parking with a disc). My mobile phone is just a cheap one and I don’t think it’s very secure. I use my iPad for most things because I was told that Apple is very secure. I feel that I am completely out of touch technology wise. I’m not planning to go abroad but when my daughter did it seemed that she did everything on her phone. I’m so worried now that I’ll go somewhere and get fined because I haven’t paid for my parking!

MayBee70 Sun 04-Aug-24 10:13:14

It seems that there is a time limit for the car park at a new Lidl that has been built nearby. But people didn’t realise that if you returned to the car park the same day, even though you’d only been parked there for a short amount of time, you’d be fined. It’s been catching a lot of people out.

Oreo Sun 04-Aug-24 10:08:49

Grantanow

It seems that officialdom puts more and more hurdles and hoops for ordinary folk to jump over or through. Makes life more difficult all round.

This😫

Oreo Sun 04-Aug-24 10:08:11

Germanshepherdsmum

It was so simple when you just put one or two coins in the machine …

Wasn’t it just!
The problem is that apps don’t always work and different areas of the country take different apps.
I prefer therefore to use card or cash.Sometimes nothing works with the machine and you have to either park there and take a risk of a fine or find another carpark.🤬

Jackiest Sun 04-Aug-24 09:18:39

I try and avoid all car parks with cameras and apps to pay. I have heard too many stories of them getting it wrong. I would much rather walk a bit further.

Grantanow Sun 04-Aug-24 09:00:51

It seems that officialdom puts more and more hurdles and hoops for ordinary folk to jump over or through. Makes life more difficult all round.

NotAGran55 Wed 03-Jul-24 21:00:09

The app at The Westgate car park in Oxford is the best one imo.
The barrier opens on entry and charges on the way out!
As simple as it gets. No faffing with tickets, cards, cash etc

Primrose53 Wed 03-Jul-24 20:57:28

Casdon

I went in the simplest car park ever in Hereford today. It has number plate recognition at the entrance , so you don’t have to do anything when you arrive. When you get back, you type your number plate into the machine, it tells you the amount, you present your card, have a receipt if you want one, and when you get back to your car you just drive up to the barrier, which knows that you’ve paid, lifts and off you go. No hassle at all.

We’ve got some of those too and they are easy.

However, once we had pulled into this car park and messed about for ages trying to do the app I was concerned that even if we drove off to another car park we could get a parking fine.

Callistemon213 Wed 03-Jul-24 20:44:10

Oh yes, thank you

When I'm mobile again. I used to enjoy a trip to Hereford but haven't been for ages, don't know why.

Casdon Wed 03-Jul-24 20:42:00

It’s the Old Market carpark, and you even get two hours free parking if you shop at Waitrose, which is accessible from the carpark. Win, win!

Callistemon213 Wed 03-Jul-24 20:32:55

Hereford, even!

Callistemon213 Wed 03-Jul-24 20:32:44

Perhaps I'll go to Herefrd to shop in future, Casdon.

Casdon Wed 03-Jul-24 20:14:35

I went in the simplest car park ever in Hereford today. It has number plate recognition at the entrance , so you don’t have to do anything when you arrive. When you get back, you type your number plate into the machine, it tells you the amount, you present your card, have a receipt if you want one, and when you get back to your car you just drive up to the barrier, which knows that you’ve paid, lifts and off you go. No hassle at all.

keepingquiet Wed 03-Jul-24 20:00:05

That option is being taken away it seems- so much for getting our country back lol!

Primrose53 Wed 03-Jul-24 13:05:11

Athrawes

I'm surprised that people are willing to pay for parking in so many different ways. I just get muddled so I don't park in carparks that demand money anymore unless it is a hospital appointment where there is someone on duty to help. My brain just can't handle it!

I only want to pay by cash. I hate apps, phone payments etc.

keepingquiet Wed 03-Jul-24 13:04:14

Athrawes

I'm surprised that people are willing to pay for parking in so many different ways. I just get muddled so I don't park in carparks that demand money anymore unless it is a hospital appointment where there is someone on duty to help. My brain just can't handle it!

I now catch the bus, especially to the hospital. I now have my free bus park and no worries about parking!

Athrawes Wed 03-Jul-24 10:19:24

I'm surprised that people are willing to pay for parking in so many different ways. I just get muddled so I don't park in carparks that demand money anymore unless it is a hospital appointment where there is someone on duty to help. My brain just can't handle it!

Primrose53 Wed 03-Jul-24 08:49:41

UPDATE

Husband has been on to Bank who were really helpful. She said it’s a well known scam. Around the care park are professional signs regarding parking - there were at least 6 in this car park. It explains how to use the RingGo App and what the penalties are if you don’t pay.

What happens is scammers change the phone number on the signs so you are ringing a dodgy number and giving them all your details!! If we had seen any evidence of a changed number we would have gone elsewhere.

Anyway, Bank has cancelled both the £1 and £60 plus any further monthly £60 payments and has stopped his card. She says you may receive phone calls from the scammers still asking for details and to just put the phone down.

You have been warned!

NotSpaghetti Wed 03-Jul-24 01:41:18

Our council car parks are free after 3pm
That seems like a good idea.

keepingquiet Tue 02-Jul-24 23:38:43

It's a nightmare we all get caught up in and quite honestly the rules need to change.

I live in a place where all town centre parking is free. One summer some travellers camped up for a short time in one car park and to dissuade this happening again the council sold the car park.

All other car parks are free except this one and people don't always realise they have to pay. The people who own this car park live on the other side of the country and don't give a fiddlers fig about anything except raking in the fines, even from people with disabilities. It's nothing short of a scam.

The council now regret selling the car park as they get so many complaints but now can't afford to buy back the land.

I am sure this is going on all over the place and it is a disgrace.

Deedaa Tue 02-Jul-24 23:24:57

I will just say that my daughter has a science PhD and I have seen her give up the unequal struggle with her parking app several times. If she can't make it work what hope is there for the rest of us?

Romola Tue 02-Jul-24 23:02:11

RingGo seems to charge about 40p more than paying with cash or card in this town, £2,20 instead of £1.80 per hour (but no change given for cash so really it's £2). And it can be a real faff logging in. I have RingGo and another parking app, but avoid using either.

Primrose53 Tue 02-Jul-24 21:33:56

WARNING

Husband checked bank statement and it looks like we have been scammed. £1 payment to Register with RingGo we thought but it went elsewhere along with another payment for £60 to the same place. I googled the name and one of those stop scammers sites says they are dodgy.

Of course, Bank phone lines were closed so he will speak to them in the morning.

He said he is NEVER using a parking app again.

Primrose53 Tue 18-Jun-24 22:37:28

Trying to pay for parking caused more problems!

Tonight I was trying to buy some items on Ebay. I am well used to doing so. It kept declining my card over and over. Then it said to check my card and funds with Bank. I did so and had plenty in the account.

I spoke to someone at the Bank and it seems my card was stopped some time this afternoon. After going through all the security questions she asked me to confirm that 3 small transactions were genuine this afternoon. One of them was for £1 to register with RingGo. She then told me if anybody asks me to provide any passwords, numbers etc don’t do so and to ring the number on the back of my debit card. She then said she had cancelled the stop on my card and I could use it in 2 mins.

Much rather pay cash.

Tenko Tue 18-Jun-24 21:03:58

I don’t have a problem parking via an app . In fact parking at our local train station it’s easier as you can do it on the platform . Rather than getting a ticket and then walking back to your car to put the ticket on the windscreen .
The only gripe I have is when there’s poor wifi .

Primrose53 Tue 18-Jun-24 18:48:24

Germanshepherdsmum

It was so simple when you just put one or two coins in the machine …

Tell me about it!! 😪