A satirical personification of another parking machine whose cash function has been discontinued. The photo shows the last machine in Parkhaus Süd where cash can still be used.
I am a parking machine that now accepts card payments only. That was not my idea. My cash function was discontinued, and my coin changer and cash safe were removed. Since then, all I can do is read cards.
The constant complaints from customers get on my nerves. “Why can’t I pay cash here?” I hear. Some people think I am broken; others grumble at me. But it is not my fault. I would love to accept coins and banknotes again.
With cash, I could show what I can do: recognise coins, take banknotes, add up amounts and calculate change. That is my mathematical talent, and it hardly gets used any more.
Since my coin changer and safe were removed, I have felt incomplete. Important organs were taken from me. I became an involuntary organ donor. I want them both back.
I love cash. Coins and banknotes are my favourites. A plastic card at least gives me a beep. The worst is the phone: someone holds a piece of glass up to me, and everything is supposed to be settled. I miss real money – and working with it.
My colleague in Parkhaus Süd is the last machine where people can still pay cash. I envy him. If he goes out of service too, visitors will have no choice but to pay by card. He should not be blamed for decisions imposed by the operators. Cash gives people a choice and lets them pay for parking without creating a digital payment trail every time.
So here is my demand: give me my cash function back. Put the coin changer and safe back in. Keep cash payment in Parkhaus Süd and in the other car parks. I want to accept cash again and show that I can do the maths.
Your other parking machine