And Then A Trip…

   I had a task to do today wot required a trip into the city centre. Bright and early I was on my way in the car. The roads were quite busy but fortuitously free flowing. In town and parked-up in a multi story car park wot’s part of a shopping mall.
   This is when a phew things started to become apparent.
Firstly, the car park was very quiet, secondly, the shopping mall was very, very quiet with very many stores shuttered.
   Out into the city and a short walk to my destination. Job done so I took a little wander round. Man, it was quiet shopper wise which I could relate to with very many shuttered shops. Close to as many shuttered as those still open.
   Okay, back to the car park and the fun began. Since my last visit the pay machine has become just a screen asking me to scan the QR code on screen with my phone as other options were not available. Scan the QR code? Wot’s that all about then?
   I started off back into the shopping mall in the hope of finding an office to get help.
   As I got to the door, a young lady was coming out. I asked her how you paid to get out of the car park and she offered to show me. This involved a four floor search of a machine wot took a card. No money machines left. She talked me through the complexities of paying and showed me the almost hidden means by which I could get a receipt. Guess wot? Do you want your receipt via SMS or E-mail? Guess wot? Cancel button.
I thanked the lady for her time and patience concluding with the belief old folk should possibly be confined to home.
   As a further sign of the rapidly passing years, I’d completely forgotten wot floor I parked the car resulting in further adventures up and down in the lift.
   Found it and finally got home reasoning that part of the demise of the high street must surely be the parking zoo and if the high street ever takes off again, the queues at car park pay machines with folk using phones and filling in on screen forms for a receipt will become the new traffic jams.
   Yet another not so subtle message that you WILL go cashless...

Quote; Princess Diana.

“I don't even know how to use a parking meter, let alone a phone box.”