Forum Topic

RingGo and electronic CPZ visitor tickets

Dear Readers,I have been trying to engage with councillors about the problem for older people to operate these electronic technologies. Very soon you will only be able to park using unmanned phone systems. And in car parks mobile phone and pay systems. Anyone with any problems please write in here and tell your friends to add to this post. I've raised it and no one in power seems to care. I think I have been labelled an out of touch nutter.

Arthur Breens ● 3406d6 Comments

Arthur I wouldn't go as far as to say that you are not an out of touch nutter!  Your knowledgeable input borne of experience is worth as much if not more than the tick-box theoretical ideas put forward by pen pushers so insistent that they know everything and yet so lacking in complete understanding and experience.  There are a lot of the young who are completely arrogant self-centred self-opinionated and out of touch with practically anyone older than themselves.  Whereas we were young once and may have thought similarly - the situation is not the same in reverse!  Their attitude to new technology exemplifies this. Who looks after their technology? Their IT department?

Philippa Bond ● 3404d

It might also be noted that like certain operating systems and browsers on Macs, Ealings parking does not support all smartphone OSs. They did not support Nokia/Microsoft smartphones. This may have changed but very few over 55 have smartphones and the statistics Ealing use are not accurate.They omit the most important words SAFE ACCESS which a great many simply do not have. - Hence the huge problem with identity theft.

Mark Kehoe ● 3406d

I dont have a smart phone. I have a pay as you go Nokia. I resent phoning automated services, utility companies, banks, councils, at no doubt inflated costs, while I press 1 for this & 2 for that.As for parking, I refuse to pay to park in residential streets & base any shopping expedition on that.Like others I move my car to the dwindling & near extinct free parking places which the council are intent on abolishing. CPZ schemes etc which push cars outside others areas.

Peter Yale ● 3406d

Ian and Mark,Big thanks for your contributions. Cllr Manro said kindly as an aside that there were two phones to every person. But that's not the point. Cllr Mahfouz said something about not having 10 £1 coins. Cllr Rai asked for the name of someone who had this problem at the Walpole ward forum on Thursday. I gave a friend's phone number and name. As I expected she hasn't contacted that person so far. Early days.

Arthur Breens ● 3406d

I was told by one councillor that "everyone has a smart phone". No they don't and they include some of the people who most need coin-enabled parking.

Ian Richardson ● 3406d

You are most certainly not Arthur.There is a campaign called Keep Me Posted. http://www.keepmeposteduk.comSeveral large organisations have signed up to it.Age UK and several other charities for the Elderly and those with less dexterity and memory capacity - which is normal for almost all when old age kicks in are also campaigning against the ostracisation of a whole sector of society particularly by councils, many of whom now recognise this.Also try writing to the editors of a few national newspapers as I do know a campaign is being considered by one or two.When I could not get Safari on my Mac to allow access to LBE website I had to make a call to Customer Services.The incredibly obstinate and thoroughly unhelpful Customer Services operatives advice was repeated continually. "Go to www.Ealing.gov.uk". The operator could not or would not understand that the only reason I am on the phone was because I cannot do such. As it was I was phoning on behalf of others with no safe internet access who had also fared no better.Her solution. " Use a smartphone instead"When I requested her name or put me through to speak to her boss she cut me off.Really helpful..Not. Have since found that this is quite regular for those who do have to call by phone.I have lodged a complaint .

Mark Kehoe ● 3406d