https://www.siliconvalley.com/2024/12/12/when-tech-gets-in-the-way/

My wife and I recently drove to Davis to attend a concert at UC Davis Mondavi Center. The next morning, we decided to walk around the campus to enjoy the grounds, grab a cup of coffee and perhaps visiting one of the museums. I pulled into a parking spot where there was a sign instructing us to “pay by app.” There’s nothing unusual about parking apps, and they can be an enormous convenience, especially for frequent parkers. But there were no other payment options such as a meter or an attendant.

What would you do if you didn’t have a smartphone or its battery was dead or you couldn’t get a signal? I have a working phone, so I downloaded the app, but I couldn’t get it to work. After numerous attempts, I called the university parking office. The person tried to help, but I still couldn’t get the app to work, and there were no other ways to pay. The sign warned that I could be “cited and/or towed.” As much as we wanted to walk around campus, it wasn’t worth the risk. So, the museums and coffee shops didn’t get the money we would have spent.