Hahaha there are a bunch of big colorful signs at the entrance, but yeah, you are correct, it is cancerous bullshit. That parking garage constantly has issues with lines of people getting stuck and having to wait.

It’s also a new system, as of maybe 2023, which was bad enough, being automated and only accepting card, before.

Another bad detail to ruin your day is that it’s at a hospital and is basically the only parking available.

Wow, thank you for taking the time to give such thoughtful answers.

I have one more slightly more complex question, though, since I run into it occasionally and absolutely abhor it: do you ever have to use a scan-only pay-to-park or anything like that? You said you live in a rural area that has paper/physical things, still - does that imply that you never encounter these digital-only things? Or that maybe you do and just choose not to engage with them? If you don’t, what would you do if you did?

For example, you go into town and the available parking at a restaurant is pay to park, and there is no physical meter, only a scannable code on the signs everywhere, telling you you scan it and pay with an account at a website or through their app.

A real parking garage I often really visit has a system that scans your license plate on entry. Then on exit, there is no booth anymore, but another camera that scans your plate at the exit. If you don’t have an account or haven’t paid, the bar blocking your way doesn’t lift. The system is designed to be interactionless, but only as long as you’ve made an account with a valid payment option on it.

I’m assuming, then, though, that you do have a computer, in order to receive emails and such. Too much in society is attached to having other stuff: mailing address, email, phone number, two factor authentication, running privacy violating software on Windows, etc…

If you’ve been doing it since the 80s, have there been eras that have really challenged your desire or whatever to not have a mobile phone?

Do you think life would be much easier if you did have a mobile phone?

Why do you not have a mobile phone?

Do you think other or younger people should follow your lead?

I’m so curious about your story. I’ve thought about it many times, and as much as I think the technology is super cool and amazing, I also really wish it wasn’t all but legally required to participate in so many aspects of society. It makes me wonder where you’re from and where you live and if you’re American or not.