July 9, 2005 3:06 PM PDT
Smart meters mean no free parking
It's one of life's little pleasures--a reward for all of the time and energy you've put into finding a parking spot in the first place. You go to put your only silver coin in the meter and--yippee--it's still got 25 minutes left.
Well, savor those moments, because it looks like technology is making them a thing of the past. A story on smart parking meters in the Wall Street Journal last month referred to meters in Pacific Grove, Calif., that know when a car pulls out of the spot and quickly reset to zero.
It's rare that stories on new technology make me sad. At least I was joined by some of the 13,368 visitors to a FARK.com discussion on the issue, who also feel like something is being taken away from them.
Michelle Meyers is an associate editor who tracks online happenings in media, entertainment, and politics. E-mail Michelle. 
