Don’t follow leaders, watch the parking meters, which now have credit-card readers

West Hollywood brought us transvestite prostitutes in the eighties. And once again, the city is innovating in curb-based commerce. The LAT reports that ATM and credit card-accepting parking meters have been installed on the Sunset Strip. The meters even text-message your cell phone when your time is running out, and you can re-charge your card for more time via cell. Expect more meters in West Hollywood, and possibly elsewhere. (Pasadena just completed a pilot program, and LA will try it out in January.)

As for me, call me old-fashioned, but I think I’ll stick with cold, hard coins. It just feels more manly.

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