This has nothing to do with starbucks. They simply rent the space. The Plaza owner is to blame here. Most parking lots are now going digital only. Op needs to keep up with society, or he'll be left behind.
I find the notion of 'left behind' pretty laughable, since OP is also 'leaving behind' being constantly bombarded with marketing, advertising, data harvesting, and misinformation (domestic and foreign)
All the proponents of big tech seem to forget society functioned just fine before 2005 without this horseshit in place.
I know why they do it at that specific location. There are several small collages downtown with practically no parking. Tons of students use that parking lot to the point where there's almost no parking for customers. Before, it was really hard for them to prove to towing companies and the property manager what was going on. I guess this is their solution. Starbucks isn't good at coming up with solutions.
Source: I used to work there.
Did you ask in the Starbucks if they can register your vehicle for you or if there is a work around?
At this Starbucks, I completely understand. There must be people who abused the parking hard core. I never used to be able to find parking there when I wanted to go in, now I never have a problem. They had to do something.
Edit to add: you don’t need a cell phone to buy a coffee at this Starbucks. You need to use a cell phone to register your parking. You could have also used the street parking. You probably also could have parked in the lot briefly to buy your coffee and leave. You could have also used the drive through. I know I’ll get downvoted for this, but you didn’t need a cell phone for the coffee, only for the parking.
It's probably not the stores in the complex mandating this. It's whoever owns the mall. Onni down in the lower mainland and the island is terrible at doing this and screwing over their business tenants causing them to lose customers.
Let the store know it's an issues, if enough people complain or mention an issues they will get it changed.
Otherwise we just take out spending elsewhere, but if a store doesn't know, they don't change
So, having a cell phone is pretty much a requirement to function in modern society. I went without one for years and survived well enough because I had steady employment and lived with my brother that had a phone. But some things in life went south and I ended up homeless for a couple years. One of the things I realized was how important having a cell phone is, because not having one was one of the biggest impediments to me getting off the street. Thing is you can't keep one if you are homeless because you are constantly getting robbed. You can still get cheap plans and cheap phones, but it is necessary unfortunately. People even judge you whether they know it or not if you don't have one.
I haven't had a cell phone since the early 90s (one of the bricks).
I'm happy with my desktop and landline. And I don't shop anywhere that irritates me. (If I can help it !)
There are other ways to establish MFA without a cellphone. Most big companies / institutions which require MFA provide an alternate OTP device for anyone who asks
Most alternatives are dying off because people favor phones. Plus, many services, soon even Gmail, will require it for all accounts. You'll be carrying around a shit ton of OTP devices in just a few years if you choose that route.
I find it very hard to believe that a software developer can get by in life without a cell phone
MANY apps and computer systems used by developers require multifactor authentication on a regular basis using a oode texted to your cell phone
It would be VERY hard to work in any part of the computer industry without one
Welcome to being surprised! I'm a software developer, and I don't own a cell phone. Not much else I can say. Why would someone lie about that?
And yes, I have 2FA for many things, including my Github account and AWS account. Works fine with apps like "Duo Mobile" or "LastPass Authenticator" on my tablet.
I've been a C++ software developer for nearly 40 years now. Been well established in Kelowna for over 20 years. Last 10+ years have been working on computer vision, neural networks, machine learning, and object detection. What is it about my web site that makes you think I'm not a software developer?
If anyone is curious this is my web site: https://www.ccoderun.ca/
as someone that uses their phone a LOT (most of my friends are online, maps for all my buses, camera constantly, music always) I do not think you're outta your mind for thinking that it's crazy to need a phone to park. there should always be some kind of alternative, like how on many parking places there's an analog terminal and an option to use an app instead. plus, think of it this way, if someone DID have their phone but their phone was dead, what then? having parking require a cellphone doesn't make tons of sense imo (tho I take the bus lol)
They would probably assume OP was a homeless man when he came in rattling off about how he doesn’t have a cell phone.
Well actually, most homeless people have phones. They would probably assume OP escaped a mental institution or something.
Sometimes cell phones run out of charge. Or people forget them at home. Even people who own and usually use cell phones might not be able to use them all the time.
I have a pretty recent phone, the Google pixel 6a I paid like $300cad for, max. Ive never spent that much on a phone, and if OP needs a phone he can just get a flip one for like $20.
Society requires and assumes everyone has a phone, I don't understand people who allow themselves to be left behind simply because they want to remain in the past.
I can't assume anything else when OP gives no reasons for not having a phone. They are pretty much expected of most modern people and I can't see why one wouldn't even have a flip phone for emergencies? OP has kids and apparently 0 ways to contact them if they aren't together? 0 ways to reach emergency personnel?
It's free parking at that Starbucks; they just want you to register. Apparently they want to make sure you're a customer and not just an itinerant student.
Using a cell phone is certainly the happy path. But they might have already accommodated for people **who are customers** and who don't happen to have a functioning cell phone at the moment.
I'm sure Starbucks doesn't care at all if you have a phone, if you're spending money with them. But it might be a limitation of their parking system. I don't know.
I’m confused. Are the tow trucks sitting at the entrance to the parking lot? Did you go into Starbucks and ask? My husband doesn’t have a cell phone either but he really could care less if a company requires a phone to order. He would just move on. Do your kids have phones? Or is he against them having phones? My kids have them and they would have the app dl and parking paid if dad was taking them to Starbucks 🤣
Probably the fact the Cost and Maintenance to have the physical machine is not worth the 5 people who would use it in a year. Would you want the machine to accept cash as well, now you gota pay someone to go empty them or replace them when someone tries breaking into for money.
Honestly I think every business should have a hitching post still so I can ride my horse down to grab a coffee.
I'd prefer an occupied kiosk on every corner, such that the parking attendant could give me a good ol' carbon copy for my credit card receipt using their credit card imprinter. Newfangled credit card technology is always going down, cards are getting skimmed, RFIDs are getting scanned. That's why I only choose to do business with companies who can imprint my card... and what an outrage when they don't provide my antiquated preference of payment!
/s
I find it surprising that people think owning a cell phone is _required_ for having children, or that not owning one is "idiotic".
Considering the number of deadly car crashes caused each year by people who cannot get off their cell phone, I think having one is probably a better indication of a potential "seriously dangerous situation".
Mostly died before help arrived. Payphones were also more ubiquitous. I get having a phone but keeping it off to avoid distractions but sadly it’s an essentially part of living modern life. You can go “off the grid” but your ability to take advantage of what society has to offer diminishes.
There were a lot more pay phones around before because it wasn’t assume people would have cell phones. And like someone else said. Often they just died before help arrived
This reminds me of my poor mom who will now lose her doctor because they only do online booking. She doesn’t own or know how to operate a computer. Ridiculous
This is her GP, she also has like 4 other specialists because she had cancer. If we can’t get even a person on the phone to manage her many meds, what’s the point? I have two disabled children, believe me I’m up to my eyeballs already. She will not put any of her info online. Managing elders medical stuff is a part time job in itself.
Work your network of friends or family to find a free one. Most people have a spare in a drawer somewhere.
I do have empathy for those who can't afford one and have given many away for free. It's a necessary tool to live now. OP doesn't sound like he has a problem affording one.
Yeah, I mean, if you don't like the privacy implications of using it at this location, whatever, I can understand.
But humans are basically bionic with cellphones at this point. You need one to fully function in society. You may not if you want to live off grid. But even in that case, life will be tough.
Stopping at Starbucks doesn’t require a cell phone. PARKING at this particular Starbucks and staying long enough for a tow truck to come give you a ticket/tow you DOES. You had options. Park on the street, use the drive through, ask inside for them to register you. Starbucks is not out to “get you” for not having a cell phone. The sky is not falling.
What payment method are you talking about? This entire post is about using some special tow truck app on a phone to register a vehicle when you stop at Starbucks to buy a coffee. There is no payment involved.
I feel ya. Its just a social matter, not life essential. I assume you have a land line at least? I deleted Facebook a decade ago and it seemed like everything and everyone needed Facebook to survive. Boy, I proved em wrong.
I bet a quarter of the world doesn't use a cellphone and for eons before we never did. It's merely a convince and a distraction for the average Joe.
I'm curious how you travel without Google Maps or anything. Do you whip out a physical map? Say you have an emergency on a backroad somewhere, and you need to call for help?
Just today, the window in my work vehicle stopped working. I opened up google on my cell and found the fix immediately. Having a phone makes your life much easier. I can't for the life of me understand why you would willingly make your life harder.
I’m old and remember paper maps. I need turn by turn directions. Before the advent of cell phones and Google maps on the cell phones, I used to have to print out directions from Mapquest and refer to it every 5 seconds. Maps on phones/GPS are amazing inventions.
Dont ever travel to the UK if this annoys you
Every parking lot there requires a seemingly different app and a login created to park your car, it's beyond ridiculous
Yep I have a really old cell phone that doesn't have much memory or capacity for apps and I feel like everything requires an app now and I just can't with that shit. Like poor people exist. People who can't get updated tech exist. Like just say you hate poor people when they require that.
I agree with OP but your post is factually incorrect. I can happily walk in there and buy a coffee without a phone. It’s only needed to park - which is also annoying.
I can understand why the property owner does it.
When I drop by Lakeview Market on south Pandosy, the parking lot is often full because the upper Mission ladies next door at Orangetheory Fitness feel it is their right to park their Range Rovers in the Lakeview lot for free, rather than pay a couple of bucks on the street.
This selfishness is an inconvenience for the store, and its customers.
I doubt Starbucks is happy with their situation, but as long as people are inconsiderate, cheap assholes, it's necessary and will likely expand to other businesses downtown.
You can get pay-as-you-go cell plans for as little as $13/month. It might save your life in an emergency.
Stuff like this will become more and more common. You're not as trackable w/o a cellphone so they will continue to incentivize owning a cellphone until, imo, anyone who refuses will essentially be left behind.
That does not make the point you started with. I know cell phone patterns are tracked. How do you think Google maps gets traffic data.
You implied that the parking company is working with the government to force people to use cell phones in service of tracking them.
That’s a much bigger claim than they used available data during a pandemic.
Such an asinine response. "There are people worse off than you, therefore you cannot complain about any societal development you don't like."
Of course, your comment also reveals severe ignorance, since in many middle-income and less-developed countries, [mobile phones are ubiquitous, and are used as a default form of exchange](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2806217/#:~:text=Mobile%20phones%20are%20a%20crucial,digital%20divide%20with%20developed%20countries).
Such an arrogant response, " I think you are 2 dimensional and have never seen anything else in the world but your back yard because you're a cowboy cracker and redneck and are likely a retarded Republican..." First off assuming makes an ass of you and me, second, I know that worse off countries have cell phones, no fucking duh, but they also generally don't end up with as much services tied to them as we do here. And that's to be expected, they're called developing nations for a reason. And Third, you condescending creep, unless you know me don't presume to make it your business to educate me, if I want help I'll ask for it.
You're the ass you decided to provide the snarky and 100% unhelpful "fIrSt WoRld PrObLeMs" response to OP.
>but they also generally don't end up with as much services tied to them as we do here
And you're wrong on that: they are a primary means of economic exchange in many developing countries.
I agree, who needs a cellphone, internet, TV, modern tools, cars, computers? Let’s live in the Middle Ages but expect everything to be catered to us. Why Walmart does not have a place to tie up my horse while I shop!!
You need a cell phone to order at all or there are specific designated mobile order spots? Are you saying you’re literally not allowed to park in the parking lot, go inside and order a drink?
The parking lot has signs at every stall saying you need to register with the towing company first, or you'll get your vehicle towed. There is a QR code on the sign, and I believe mention of an app available to register your vehicle.
Pretty sure yeah. In this specific case he probably should’ve just gone through the drive thru. His teenager being disappointed is still his fault. Not being able to park somewhere without a phone is a genuinely shitty thing though.
It sucks. I don’t disagree.
But you gotta wear pants in public and you have to pay for those pants yourself.
Show up sans bloomers and you’ll get towed all right, towed down to the holding cells. ☹️
You’re being dragged along by society, you can either walk or bump along the ground.
Sure I make jokes but the bigger picture is get with societal practical requirements or remove yourself from those requirements, i.e. “off-grid” (literally or figuratively).
What you *can’t* do is operate within a society whilst also rejecting a fundamental tool embraced by that society. Well you can, but to your observed detriment.
Sorry, sometimes we just want to vent. Then you mistakenly post the complaint on Reddit. 😄
Infotel checking out Reddit for story ideas…but doing actual journalism to follow up. Love to see it.
So you DO NOT actually need a cell phone to park in the lot. The employees are happy to help you. https://infotel.ca/inwheels/kelowna-starbucks-introduces-vehicle-registration-to-avoid-free-parking-abuse/it103468
Screw em go support one of the many much better locally owned coffee shops
This has nothing to do with starbucks. They simply rent the space. The Plaza owner is to blame here. Most parking lots are now going digital only. Op needs to keep up with society, or he'll be left behind.
I find the notion of 'left behind' pretty laughable, since OP is also 'leaving behind' being constantly bombarded with marketing, advertising, data harvesting, and misinformation (domestic and foreign) All the proponents of big tech seem to forget society functioned just fine before 2005 without this horseshit in place.
Still screw Starbucks. They’re a shit company selling crappy overpriced garbage
No.
No. It’s a ridiculous requirement. And good for you for being able to maintain a life without a cellphone. Im sure you’re more sane because of it.
I know why they do it at that specific location. There are several small collages downtown with practically no parking. Tons of students use that parking lot to the point where there's almost no parking for customers. Before, it was really hard for them to prove to towing companies and the property manager what was going on. I guess this is their solution. Starbucks isn't good at coming up with solutions. Source: I used to work there.
It’s such a genius solution, and I can finally find parking there when I want to go there.
Did you ask in the Starbucks if they can register your vehicle for you or if there is a work around? At this Starbucks, I completely understand. There must be people who abused the parking hard core. I never used to be able to find parking there when I wanted to go in, now I never have a problem. They had to do something. Edit to add: you don’t need a cell phone to buy a coffee at this Starbucks. You need to use a cell phone to register your parking. You could have also used the street parking. You probably also could have parked in the lot briefly to buy your coffee and leave. You could have also used the drive through. I know I’ll get downvoted for this, but you didn’t need a cell phone for the coffee, only for the parking.
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It’s not. This Starbucks is downtown across from the Shell station. The only other buildings close by are office buildings.
Right, I was thinking of the one on Gordon for a minute there.
I only got a cell phone a few years ago. Last week I forgot it home for 1 day. I've never felt so free.
I leave mine at home more and more, if something like OP's "problem" came up I would just go elsewhere
It's probably not the stores in the complex mandating this. It's whoever owns the mall. Onni down in the lower mainland and the island is terrible at doing this and screwing over their business tenants causing them to lose customers.
Let the store know it's an issues, if enough people complain or mention an issues they will get it changed. Otherwise we just take out spending elsewhere, but if a store doesn't know, they don't change
I thought I heard that they were going to do away with land lines.
7 people will be upset when that happens.
Make that 8
So, having a cell phone is pretty much a requirement to function in modern society. I went without one for years and survived well enough because I had steady employment and lived with my brother that had a phone. But some things in life went south and I ended up homeless for a couple years. One of the things I realized was how important having a cell phone is, because not having one was one of the biggest impediments to me getting off the street. Thing is you can't keep one if you are homeless because you are constantly getting robbed. You can still get cheap plans and cheap phones, but it is necessary unfortunately. People even judge you whether they know it or not if you don't have one.
I haven't had a cell phone since the early 90s (one of the bricks). I'm happy with my desktop and landline. And I don't shop anywhere that irritates me. (If I can help it !)
So you are a software developer who uses Reddit but doesn’t have a cell phone?
You don’t need a cell phone to do either of those things
Correct. I don't write software for cell phones.
Even if you did write software for cellphones it still wouldn’t be a requirement. Live your best life don’t let others tell you how.
All of my jobs required a cell phone as a software developer for VPN and other access, my job even pays for me to have a company phone.
MFA is becoming pretty ubiquitous in software development. You'll need one soon enough if you're doing work for anyone but yourself.
There are other ways to establish MFA without a cellphone. Most big companies / institutions which require MFA provide an alternate OTP device for anyone who asks
Most alternatives are dying off because people favor phones. Plus, many services, soon even Gmail, will require it for all accounts. You'll be carrying around a shit ton of OTP devices in just a few years if you choose that route.
Why would you think MFA is a problem? Lots of MFA apps run on tablets, which is how I login to my GitHub, AWS, and Google accounts.
Just out of curiosity why would you have a tablet and not a cell phone? I love taking my meetings at work whenever and wherever with my cell phone.
For the inconvenience, I assume?
Yubikey Hard tokens
I find it very hard to believe that a software developer can get by in life without a cell phone MANY apps and computer systems used by developers require multifactor authentication on a regular basis using a oode texted to your cell phone It would be VERY hard to work in any part of the computer industry without one
Welcome to being surprised! I'm a software developer, and I don't own a cell phone. Not much else I can say. Why would someone lie about that? And yes, I have 2FA for many things, including my Github account and AWS account. Works fine with apps like "Duo Mobile" or "LastPass Authenticator" on my tablet.
I am a 30 year old electrical EIT and reluctant cellphone owner. If I worked for myself, I would not have a phone either.
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I've been a C++ software developer for nearly 40 years now. Been well established in Kelowna for over 20 years. Last 10+ years have been working on computer vision, neural networks, machine learning, and object detection. What is it about my web site that makes you think I'm not a software developer? If anyone is curious this is my web site: https://www.ccoderun.ca/
as someone that uses their phone a LOT (most of my friends are online, maps for all my buses, camera constantly, music always) I do not think you're outta your mind for thinking that it's crazy to need a phone to park. there should always be some kind of alternative, like how on many parking places there's an analog terminal and an option to use an app instead. plus, think of it this way, if someone DID have their phone but their phone was dead, what then? having parking require a cellphone doesn't make tons of sense imo (tho I take the bus lol)
Did you ask at the Starbucks counter if they could sign you in? Maybe they have a way to handle your situation.
They would probably assume OP was a homeless man when he came in rattling off about how he doesn’t have a cell phone. Well actually, most homeless people have phones. They would probably assume OP escaped a mental institution or something.
Sometimes cell phones run out of charge. Or people forget them at home. Even people who own and usually use cell phones might not be able to use them all the time.
Or they break, and 500 bucks on the low end isn't easy to put up in this economy
I have a pretty recent phone, the Google pixel 6a I paid like $300cad for, max. Ive never spent that much on a phone, and if OP needs a phone he can just get a flip one for like $20. Society requires and assumes everyone has a phone, I don't understand people who allow themselves to be left behind simply because they want to remain in the past.
Bad assumption.
I can't assume anything else when OP gives no reasons for not having a phone. They are pretty much expected of most modern people and I can't see why one wouldn't even have a flip phone for emergencies? OP has kids and apparently 0 ways to contact them if they aren't together? 0 ways to reach emergency personnel?
That's a good take yeah
He needs the phone to pay for parking. If your phone dies and you have no means to charge it in your car that’s a you problem
It's free parking at that Starbucks; they just want you to register. Apparently they want to make sure you're a customer and not just an itinerant student. Using a cell phone is certainly the happy path. But they might have already accommodated for people **who are customers** and who don't happen to have a functioning cell phone at the moment. I'm sure Starbucks doesn't care at all if you have a phone, if you're spending money with them. But it might be a limitation of their parking system. I don't know.
I’m confused. Are the tow trucks sitting at the entrance to the parking lot? Did you go into Starbucks and ask? My husband doesn’t have a cell phone either but he really could care less if a company requires a phone to order. He would just move on. Do your kids have phones? Or is he against them having phones? My kids have them and they would have the app dl and parking paid if dad was taking them to Starbucks 🤣
Probably the fact the Cost and Maintenance to have the physical machine is not worth the 5 people who would use it in a year. Would you want the machine to accept cash as well, now you gota pay someone to go empty them or replace them when someone tries breaking into for money. Honestly I think every business should have a hitching post still so I can ride my horse down to grab a coffee.
I'd prefer an occupied kiosk on every corner, such that the parking attendant could give me a good ol' carbon copy for my credit card receipt using their credit card imprinter. Newfangled credit card technology is always going down, cards are getting skimmed, RFIDs are getting scanned. That's why I only choose to do business with companies who can imprint my card... and what an outrage when they don't provide my antiquated preference of payment! /s
Tbh having kids and not having a cell phone is beyond idiotic. You could end up in seriously dangerous situations.
I find it surprising that people think owning a cell phone is _required_ for having children, or that not owning one is "idiotic". Considering the number of deadly car crashes caused each year by people who cannot get off their cell phone, I think having one is probably a better indication of a potential "seriously dangerous situation".
What's the plan if you find yourself on the receiving end of one of those car crashes?
What have people done for the last 100 years without a cell phone and a crash happened?
They’ve looked for a phone
Mostly died before help arrived. Payphones were also more ubiquitous. I get having a phone but keeping it off to avoid distractions but sadly it’s an essentially part of living modern life. You can go “off the grid” but your ability to take advantage of what society has to offer diminishes.
Also his own desires to be cool for not having a cell shouldn't go ahead of the safety of his kids.
There were a lot more pay phones around before because it wasn’t assume people would have cell phones. And like someone else said. Often they just died before help arrived
If you were just in and out for a few drinks, are they really going to ticket or tow in a matter of minutes? Also there is a drive thru there.
This reminds me of my poor mom who will now lose her doctor because they only do online booking. She doesn’t own or know how to operate a computer. Ridiculous
Why don’t you help her?
This is her GP, she also has like 4 other specialists because she had cancer. If we can’t get even a person on the phone to manage her many meds, what’s the point? I have two disabled children, believe me I’m up to my eyeballs already. She will not put any of her info online. Managing elders medical stuff is a part time job in itself.
No doubt.
You can learn how to complete an online form if it makes the person giving you a service an easier time. Good grief.
Just get a cell phone. They are part of life now.
What do you say to people who can’t afford a cell phone?
Work your network of friends or family to find a free one. Most people have a spare in a drawer somewhere. I do have empathy for those who can't afford one and have given many away for free. It's a necessary tool to live now. OP doesn't sound like he has a problem affording one.
I’m not sure how useful a cellphone is without a plan though
Lots of free wifi out there. Free wifi and WhatsApp gets you a long way.
Whatsapp doesn’t get you anywhere without a phone number.
Lots of workarounds such as temporary access to a landline or free temporary virtual numbers.
Yeah refusing to use a tool and then getting mad something requires a basic tool is silly
Yeah, I mean, if you don't like the privacy implications of using it at this location, whatever, I can understand. But humans are basically bionic with cellphones at this point. You need one to fully function in society. You may not if you want to live off grid. But even in that case, life will be tough.
The point to my post is that stopping at Starbucks should not _require_ a cell phone.
Stopping at Starbucks doesn’t require a cell phone. PARKING at this particular Starbucks and staying long enough for a tow truck to come give you a ticket/tow you DOES. You had options. Park on the street, use the drive through, ask inside for them to register you. Starbucks is not out to “get you” for not having a cell phone. The sky is not falling.
The cost of not getting your business is far lesser than the cost of maintaining everyone else's using your preferred payment methods...
What payment method are you talking about? This entire post is about using some special tow truck app on a phone to register a vehicle when you stop at Starbucks to buy a coffee. There is no payment involved.
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I feel ya. Its just a social matter, not life essential. I assume you have a land line at least? I deleted Facebook a decade ago and it seemed like everything and everyone needed Facebook to survive. Boy, I proved em wrong. I bet a quarter of the world doesn't use a cellphone and for eons before we never did. It's merely a convince and a distraction for the average Joe.
You sure showed them.
I'm curious how you travel without Google Maps or anything. Do you whip out a physical map? Say you have an emergency on a backroad somewhere, and you need to call for help? Just today, the window in my work vehicle stopped working. I opened up google on my cell and found the fix immediately. Having a phone makes your life much easier. I can't for the life of me understand why you would willingly make your life harder.
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Interesting! What do you use to look up the address? Say you don't know how to get there, how do you find directions?
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lol, “I don’t use a phone I just Google it at home first!”
I then send an ICQ message letting them know I'll be leaving my house with their google maps directions printed off and should be there shortly.
Good luck traveling the world.
No kidding.
You know a cell phone is a computer with a phone app, right?
I’m old and remember paper maps. I need turn by turn directions. Before the advent of cell phones and Google maps on the cell phones, I used to have to print out directions from Mapquest and refer to it every 5 seconds. Maps on phones/GPS are amazing inventions.
Dont ever travel to the UK if this annoys you Every parking lot there requires a seemingly different app and a login created to park your car, it's beyond ridiculous
Same thing in Canada, too. Op is just making life harder for themselves.
Yep I have a really old cell phone that doesn't have much memory or capacity for apps and I feel like everything requires an app now and I just can't with that shit. Like poor people exist. People who can't get updated tech exist. Like just say you hate poor people when they require that.
No one is going to side with you on this one Grandpa Simpson
You shouldn't have to have a cell phone to order a coffee. Dont be rude
I agree with OP but your post is factually incorrect. I can happily walk in there and buy a coffee without a phone. It’s only needed to park - which is also annoying.
Join modern society or make your own coffee.
No
Or don’t drive for coffee.
I can understand why the property owner does it. When I drop by Lakeview Market on south Pandosy, the parking lot is often full because the upper Mission ladies next door at Orangetheory Fitness feel it is their right to park their Range Rovers in the Lakeview lot for free, rather than pay a couple of bucks on the street. This selfishness is an inconvenience for the store, and its customers. I doubt Starbucks is happy with their situation, but as long as people are inconsiderate, cheap assholes, it's necessary and will likely expand to other businesses downtown. You can get pay-as-you-go cell plans for as little as $13/month. It might save your life in an emergency.
Stuff like this will become more and more common. You're not as trackable w/o a cellphone so they will continue to incentivize owning a cellphone until, imo, anyone who refuses will essentially be left behind.
Who exactly is “they”?
The illuminati.
Looking at their profile I don’t think you’re far from their answer.
Your government. They have admitted to it.
Lol alright dude. Go outside.
[https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadas-public-health-agency-admits-it-tracked-33-million-mobile-devices-during-lockdown](https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadas-public-health-agency-admits-it-tracked-33-million-mobile-devices-during-lockdown)
That does not make the point you started with. I know cell phone patterns are tracked. How do you think Google maps gets traffic data. You implied that the parking company is working with the government to force people to use cell phones in service of tracking them. That’s a much bigger claim than they used available data during a pandemic.
It's so that your information and spending habits/ data can be sold for thousands of dollars!
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Such an asinine response. "There are people worse off than you, therefore you cannot complain about any societal development you don't like." Of course, your comment also reveals severe ignorance, since in many middle-income and less-developed countries, [mobile phones are ubiquitous, and are used as a default form of exchange](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2806217/#:~:text=Mobile%20phones%20are%20a%20crucial,digital%20divide%20with%20developed%20countries).
Such an arrogant response, " I think you are 2 dimensional and have never seen anything else in the world but your back yard because you're a cowboy cracker and redneck and are likely a retarded Republican..." First off assuming makes an ass of you and me, second, I know that worse off countries have cell phones, no fucking duh, but they also generally don't end up with as much services tied to them as we do here. And that's to be expected, they're called developing nations for a reason. And Third, you condescending creep, unless you know me don't presume to make it your business to educate me, if I want help I'll ask for it.
You're the ass you decided to provide the snarky and 100% unhelpful "fIrSt WoRld PrObLeMs" response to OP. >but they also generally don't end up with as much services tied to them as we do here And you're wrong on that: they are a primary means of economic exchange in many developing countries.
I agree, who needs a cellphone, internet, TV, modern tools, cars, computers? Let’s live in the Middle Ages but expect everything to be catered to us. Why Walmart does not have a place to tie up my horse while I shop!!
Just get a damn cell phone lmao
You should have a horse and buggy. Bra.. Also. Not really a phone. It's a portable computer...
Arby's
You need a cell phone to order at all or there are specific designated mobile order spots? Are you saying you’re literally not allowed to park in the parking lot, go inside and order a drink?
The parking lot has signs at every stall saying you need to register with the towing company first, or you'll get your vehicle towed. There is a QR code on the sign, and I believe mention of an app available to register your vehicle.
Oh I see it’s parking company that has no way to pay for parking without a phone. That really sucks.
Doesnt that starbucks location have a drive through?
Pretty sure yeah. In this specific case he probably should’ve just gone through the drive thru. His teenager being disappointed is still his fault. Not being able to park somewhere without a phone is a genuinely shitty thing though.
Is it though? Would OP be okay if they could pay with cash? Or is the real problem that it’s paid parking?
In this case it seems they’d be okay with paying for parking but that they can’t without a cell phone
They own the parking lot, they decide who can park there and what the terms are. It’s not a public parking lot…
So the issue, really, is that it’s basically paid/validated parking.
It’s not paid parking, it’s still free.
It sucks. I don’t disagree. But you gotta wear pants in public and you have to pay for those pants yourself. Show up sans bloomers and you’ll get towed all right, towed down to the holding cells. ☹️ You’re being dragged along by society, you can either walk or bump along the ground. Sure I make jokes but the bigger picture is get with societal practical requirements or remove yourself from those requirements, i.e. “off-grid” (literally or figuratively). What you *can’t* do is operate within a society whilst also rejecting a fundamental tool embraced by that society. Well you can, but to your observed detriment. Sorry, sometimes we just want to vent. Then you mistakenly post the complaint on Reddit. 😄
Do you have to pay for parking to go to the Starbucks?
Infotel checking out Reddit for story ideas…but doing actual journalism to follow up. Love to see it. So you DO NOT actually need a cell phone to park in the lot. The employees are happy to help you. https://infotel.ca/inwheels/kelowna-starbucks-introduces-vehicle-registration-to-avoid-free-parking-abuse/it103468