Have you ever asked yourself “why can’t all municipal councils in the country have parking meters/machines on top of the coupon system?”
I have many times.
Most recent was last Thursday. I received a parking ticket in a new commercial area which did not have any parking meters and I could not find a shop selling parking coupons.
While ranting about this “injustice”, some good did come out of it as a friend told me about an app called Smart Selangor Parking.
With it, you do not have to hunt for parking meters or coupons.
This is a brilliant idea and one which will surely come in handy the next time I go gallivanting around Selangor.
The app was launched in late June and came into effect on July 1.
But sadly, there has not been much publicity about it.
I checked with my friends and asked several WhatsApp chat groups. Only a handful have heard of Smart Selangor Parking. This is a pity as this is a much-needed app.
Many a time I have found myself in a new area and needed to park but could not find a parking meter.
Finding shops that sell coupons is a chore and even then, most of them only sell the booklet so you have to buy all of the coupons – usually 10 to a book – instead of just the one coupon you need.
Then, there are the unscrupulous ones who sell a coupon at a higher price (but, it is better to buy one at a higher rate rather than get a parking ticket).
Hopefully, the other states follow Selangor’s example (confession, I have not checked if they have) and come out with a parking app.
I just wish there was more publicity about Smart Selangor Parking … could have saved me a few ringgit on Thursday 🤣🤣
Been there before
However, this was not the first time I got a parking ticket.
The first was several years ago when I visited Malacca after a long while.
After passing 20,205 traffic lights (or so it seemed), I saw a fast food restaurant and decided to take a break.
I thought it was my lucky day as there were several parking spots available right in front of the restaurant.
But there were no parking meters in sight.
Bear in mind, I had just left the highway, was heading into town and it was late on a Saturday, so I did not think much about it.
To my surprise, there was a parking ticket when I returned to the car after my meal.
How Malacca expects those coming to the state to have a parking coupon is a mystery.
I am heading back to Malacca this weekend. Time to check Google Play Store for parking apps in the state!
