TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online
Garage Finds Unconventional Gas Saver
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Published: May 9, 2008
It was one of those charity breakfasts where 500 people show up at the same time to park in the convention center's parking garage. Next to the machine that dispenses parking tickets at the garage entrance was a sign telling you to take a ticket and then proceed and pay inside.
I was as confused as the other cars that followed in a line to the assigned parking area. I had no idea what to do, but figured I'd better bring the ticket with me.
There was a knot of 30 or 40 people near the stairs you climb to cross the street to the convention center. They all were huddled around what appeared to be two soft drink machines but instead were where you were supposed to pay the $5 dollar fee.
Things were not going well.
The idea was you had to feed one of the two machines. The directions said it would take $5 bills but not new $5 bills. It wasn't too clear as to whether it would take $1 bills or not. What it obviously wanted you to do was to use a credit card and speed things up.
The woman at the first machine had inserted a $20 bill. The machine gave her nothing back. She swore at it, but that didn't seem to help. Fortunately there was a button that promised assistance.
After a minute or so a voice came through the machine and the woman said she wanted her change. The voice said the money was in a chute at the bottom. It wasn't. The voice insisted it had to be there. The crowd all looked. There was no money. The voice said help was on the way.
Attack Of The Machines
Naturally "help" was on the other side of the garage. The guy showed up about the same time the crowd was discussing how to lynch a machine. His first comment to the woman was that she had better get used to these machines because they were going to be everywhere. His next move was to open it up, setting off the alarms, to get her money back.
When it was my turn I had a few wrinkled dollar bills. I started to insert one, but I swear I heard the machine sneer at me. I put in a credit card instead. It didn't work either and I pushed the "help" button. The voice mumbled and the card reappeared.
Inside the convention center, the topic around our table was how everyone had struggled with the machines, except for Monsignor Higgins, who said he'd heard about the machines (he has high sources) and parked in the street.
It wasn't over. To get out of the garage you had to get into another line to insert your card into a machine that didn't seem to want it. If you had not yet paid, as you approached the exit another sign said your money was no good ... you had to use a credit card. There was another parking guy standing there raising the bar because the machine didn't work. Boy, are we saving money or what? At least they don't have to sweat me driving the car to that garage any time soon, so maybe we will save on gas.
Spaghetti With Wild Bill Minahan
Finally, if you don't have lunch plans today, or even if you do you can change, and come over to the Spaghetti Warehouse in Ybor City. For the 10th year, former Jesuit and Plant High coach Bill Minahan is hosting a celebrity "Tip-the-VIP" day, with all money raised in tips going to the Kidney Foundation. Minahan is supposed to be taking a radiation treatment today, but he is so dedicated to this event he will be there. Hey, it's Friday; a great day for some pasta and a long lunch.
Keyword, Otto Graphs, to read and comment on Steve Otto's blog.
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