The City of Birmingham, Alabama, is replacing their parking meters with new ones that are said to be Vandal Proof. Read all about it here. I think there may be some wishful thinking going on. I know that the city of New York had some Pay and Display machines specially designed and manufactured to exacting specifications and could withstand a battle ax. (The head of the parking department personally confirmed the “ax resistant” quality of the machines. I’m not too sure about Vandal Proof. Aren’t those two words like throwing down a gauntlet?
Bobra, I need some help here. I know that there are many techniques that manufacturers use to make these things “Cool Hand Luke” resistant, but VANDAL PROOF? Don’t companies go out of their way to ensure that there is no misunderstanding?
“My meter is tough, and will withstand a lot and frankly, most attacks. However if a person is persistent enough, they are going to take it down.”
It seems like that is a reasonable statement. Even a Timex, that took a licking and kept on ticking, was water resistant, not water proof.
Just saying…
JVH
One Response
Considering the orifices into which a vandal could insert a firecracker or plastic explosive, I doubt any manufacturer would sell their product as “vandal-proof”. I suspect the reporter was over-zealous in his description. We do try to make it more trouble than it’s worth to break into the meters these days.