Definition of parking meter

The term "parking meter" came into existence in the early 20th century to tackle the issue of unregulated parking in busy urban areas. In the late 1800s, streets in major cities like Boston and Philadelphia began to fill up with cars, causing congestion and making it difficult for emergency vehicles to pass through. To address this, the first-ever parking meter was installed in Okoloma, Oklahoma, in 1935 by Carl Magee. The original parking meters were rather cumbersome and required the driver to deposit a nickel into a coin-guzzling machine every thirty minutes for their car to remain legal. In the following decades, the design of the parking meter evolved to be more efficient and convenience-oriented, with digital displays and payment methods like tokens, credit cards, and smartphones being implemented. The term "parking meter" combines the words "parking" and "meter," with the latter referring to an instrument used for measuring or tracking quantities, like water or electricity usage. In this sense, a parking meter measures the time a vehicle remains stationary in a designated space, and the driver pays a fee for the quantity of time they wish to use the space. The concept of a parking meter has now spread worldwide, with cities using advanced parking systems that help drivers find and reserve spots, as well as promoting greener and more sustainable transportation practices by encouraging the use of public transportation and car-sharing services rather than personal vehicles.