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Comment by hussong | Hacker News Reader

Pipe dream: municipalities make parking permission data available over an API, app makers create an app that shows you the current rules for your location, you can figure out the situation at the push of a button and the data provided is legally binding.

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Why would any municipality want this? The aim is to raise revenue and making it easier for people to avoid a fine is not going to help revenue.

Pipe dream 2: The populace rises up and refuses to pay any fine unless the data is available via an API and legally binding.

Or a higher level of legislature mandates it… why does everything have to be a riot?

I don’t know where I or anyone suggested a riot. The most effective social change comes when the people no longer passively obey unjust laws.

Despite conspiracy theories its more likely that the aim is to avoid congestion at peak times, and control demand for parking, but hey, its a government policy, so has to be evil by default. Everyone should just be able to do whatever they like, and let the free market economy ensure only the rich live well.

Making such information is not going to affect any of the purported reasons for having parking restrictions it will only reduce the risk that someone will park somewhere by accident. If anything making the parking restrictions clearer and more accessible can only reduce the level of congestion since people won’t be parking somewhere they should not by accident. The only thing affected would be revenue.

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