Oklahoma City, motorists were “Forced” to park In the second and third row to the point that the congestion of traffic was taking on the size of an authentic emergency. The regular parking spaces, along the sidewalks, were occupied at dawn and freed when it was already evening. Therefore, those who needed to stop for a few minutes had to arrange themselves, trusting in the patience of those who were behind him.
The arrival of the patterns
To respond to the complaints of the merchants and to the irremousness of the urban police, at work under the weight of the traffic jams, they arrived “The parcels”. The first to be installed (July 16, 1935) were boxes that resembled cuckoo watches and, in fact, they worked like an alarm clock with a spring to be loaded with a key.
One hour of parking cost 5 cents. Figure not entirely negligible. While with some approximation, it would be equivalent to two and a half dollars. Which advised the habitués of the stop to the bitter end to consider the use of the parking lot differently. And he forced them to keep the coins to be put in the crack of that machine at his pocket.
Diffusion in the United States and in the world
The American administrations found the worthy idea of being copied. THE parcels They contributed to ensuring a better order on the roads and, in the end, translated into an active item in the municipal budget.
In three years, in the USA, the parking spaces used were 180 thousand And, within a decade, the oceans crossed to become a road furniture gadget of each city of some dimension.
At the beginning of the third millennium, the active parcels exceeded quota 12 billion. Only some regions of Africa and Asia did not care to install them. But, now, they also decrease on the central arteries where the use was widespread.
From analogical era to digital apps
The definition of “Pedestrian islands” and of “Limited traffic areas”together with Digital payment apphas reduced the use of traditional parcels.
- TO Rome It has gone from 14 thousand to 10 thousand.
- Milanfrom 16 thousand to 8 thousand.
- Florence It is the third Italian city with 4 thousand.
- Turin, Genoa and Palermo They do not reach 3 thousand installations.
Carl Magee, a forgotten inventor
The success of these plants and their widespread diffusion in the shade the inventor in the shade. Carl Mageewhich the construction of the prototype and its marketing is due, was an eclectic and brilliant character. Graduated in Law in Iowawas passionate about journalism More than the courtrooms.
In the 1922 he founded the Magee’s Independent In the New Mexicowhich then became theAlbuquerque Tribuneleft on newsstands until 2008.
The Teapot Dome scandal
Magee fucked the pot of the Teapot Dome Scandalone of the greatest cases of corruption in the history of the United States, concerning oil concessions assigned without a call and in exchange for bribes.
The negative protagonist was Albert Bacon Fallsecretary of the Harding Administration interiors, who ended up in prison. Magee, with his investigations, was decisive in the opening of the case.
Life as an assault reporter
Magee paid dearly his courage: he was attacked, beaten and involved in a shooting in a saloonfor which he was tried and pardoned by the governor. He sold the newspaper and moved to Oklahomawhere he founded theOklahoma News.
Just there, after taking care of the problem of city traffic for a long time, the mayor proposed him to find a solution.
The birth of the parking meter
And so, from the intuition of a journalist who became inventor, the parceldestined to change the way of living cities forever.
