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Comment by kingnight | Hacker News Reader

What's a bigger incentive to leave a space than "I have things to do"?

Also, $20 is too little for people who don't have things to do.

$20 is probably more than enough to incentivize a market of people who will occupy spots in order to resell them, though, if this takes off. I bet you could do 10+ spots/hour driving around at the right day/time.

As one who has spent a considerable part of their life looking for parking spots in San Francisco - it will be challenging during busy hours to find more than 2-3 spots an hour. Which is the entire reason why this app is feasible - many people don't want to spend 20-30 minutes looking for a parking spot.

Fair, I'd love to see some hard data on this. I don't think I've ever spent more than ten minutes looking for a spot, though it's certainly seemed like a lot longer during the process itself.

This may be a stupid question, but why don't people drive in with a bike rack, park in a non-busy section a mile or two from the busy section, then bike to the busy section? It'd probably be faster, and healthier too.

Bikes get stolen quite a lot in SF, and the cops don't really make any effort to find them again. Also, the bike lanes are mostly really taxi lanes.

The alternative strategy of parking a three or four miles away and taking a taxi is pretty common in San Francisco. Sometimes we don't even look for a spot, and just park at the Sony Metreon Lot, and head across town.

Think about people who are currently unemployed, or stay at home parents, or teenagers on vacation, or retirees, or etc etc.

People camp out all night to save a few bucks on Black Friday, this is probably a better "deal".

$20 might not be a lot to you, but for a lot of people it is, especially if it's just side cash for a few minutes of work.

$20 is probably enough to convince someone to wait a minute or two while another car gets around a block for them.

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