What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
Denise Moss ·
Jun 19, 2011 at 12:39pm
I had another invaluable experience in a on-going education of my daughter against the unfairness of big government. We were parking at an old fashioned coin meter and I asked her to put the quarters in. My daughter didn't realize there was a forty minute time limit on the machine. That's two quarters. She put in three. I told her of her mistake and she instantly started looking for a coin return. I told her there isn't one. She was positively outraged. Yup, I said, that's the difference between private enterprise and the government. You put in an extra quarter in the Coke machine, you are supposed to get it back. Give a quarter to the government and you will never see it again.
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Comments :
Jan '11
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
The first step on the road to conservatism is when a young worker receives his first paycheck, and realizes how much money the government takes ... off the top.
Jul '10
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
And if she wants the money back that she overpaid the government, she has to fill out a ridiculously complicated form, enclose copies of other complicated forms sent to her by other people, and hope all the numbers add up right.
Feb '11
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
For a while they were experimenting with meters that had a sensor/eye that sees when the parking spot becomes empty, and then it resets to zero -- no more finding time on a meter. Not sure if it went anywhere. Still, I can't imagine they would have gotten a warm welcome. But still, a good lesson for our nation's youth about governments and your piggy bank.
Oct '10
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
Do recall the first paycheck taxes, the sticker shock just increased over the years.
As all this was to be for the better good of all citizens, one soon found out otherwise. It would be difficult to explain to youth how one would pay taxes for generations and see no personal benifit...Et Al..
May '11
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
Denise, I didn't know there were new fashioned coin machines but I guess there are. Apt metaphor.
Jul '10
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
If you add that, after each coin drops on the government service model, a panel of elite bureaucrats determines whether you live or die, you have a model for government run health care.
May '11
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
A valuable lesson, and lucky it only cost 25c. Where I live (Japan), I have to pay my taxes and govt. health insurance in cash at a Post Office--and as an extra insult, there's a form to fill out when I do. Though I'm sure if I handed over too much by mistake, they'd at least let me know.
Aug '10
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
Denise, You certainly did make good use of a " teachable moment". This summer I hope to motivate my 15 year old niece to read and illustrate Joan Samson's novel "The Auctioneer".
Feb '11
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
Four years ago, I was in the US for a few weeks and I asked my son - then at Cornell - to arrange me a phone that I could use every time I was in the US. Something where I would buy minutes from time to time.
On my following trip, the phone didn't work and after many calls, I was told that since I hadn't used it frequently enough, they cancelled the number and gave it to someone else and confiscated my remaining minutes.
Edited on Jun 20, 2011 at 2:26amFeb '11
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
We had meters here in J'lem - may still, I don't know - where the remaining minutes are visible only from the sidewalk, which means that to see if there are minutres left, you have to park, get out, look for a meter and then move the car. Or have your passenger do it.
There is also the matter of the lost free time before the rates kick in. If parking costs from 8 AM, but you park at seven thirty for an hour, you have to pay for the whole hour.
May '10
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
They just installed a group of these in my town. They haven't enabled all the features yet, but they include a sensor for cars moving out so they can be zeroed. There is a limit on total continuous time in one spot so I imagine they will also be programmed to forbid adding additional time. They also take credit cards and using a credit card will eventually require paying a premium.
I am sure the next version will snap your license and send you the ticket. When public safety becomes revenue generation, law enforcement starts to become the enemy.
Mar '11
Re: What Do You Mean They Kept My Money?!?
Ha. Wait until she gets to the opt out on having to abide by the Do Not Call list.
The government racket is alive and well here in SF. New meters that take credit cards but that with variable times across the city (some areas you pay until 6pm, others 11pm) and tied to events (Giants baseball, it's gonna cost). Have annoying blinking lights on them. And don't get me started on the design of the the single unit pay stations in tourist spots. Atrociously confusing.
Always get a kick going to outlying areas and other states where it's free or $.25 for an hour. Feel like in a time machine and expecting to see Marty McFly rolling out of the diner and Mr. Sandman playing in the background.