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駐車場◇ちゅうしゃじょう (Parking lot)
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Here is another type of popular parking lot.
A new driver may be impressed by the fancy system of controls. There is a large machine set up at the entrance area of the lot, and a strong locking device placed at each parking space. When a car is driven into the vacant space, the lock will immediately raise up. The driver will pay at the machine when he/she returns, input the space number, then the correct amount of money. Needless to say, the driver has to move the car from the space in a very short time. The sign says that this type of parking system is called "jikan-gashi" (lit., rent on the baseis of hour) or "hourly parking", although the fee is calculated for each 15 or 20 minutes. Essentially, this is the Japanese version of meter parking, but it requests the owner to pay the fee only after using the parking spot, and therefore, requires only the exact amount that it costs, avoiding the frustration of Western parking meters which expect you to guess how long you will be parked. In the West, if you guess wrong, under the risk of getting a parking ticket or paying too much. |
