Little inventions that make the world go round…

Ever driven around and around in a parking lot looking for a free place? Some parking lots mark on a digital board outside that there are X number of free spaces on certain levels and sometimes, judging by hard it is to find a free spot, you would have thought there was a zero too many. Aside from the waste in petrol and time, as you swing down yet another crammed aisle, you have the growing frustration and the intake of additional toxic air in underground locations. Well, I found an answer to that pain below. This is a small little innovation that just tickled my fancy and I felt merited a post.

Aix-en-Provence parking lot
This underground parking lot in Aix-en-Provence [pictured above] installed a small lighting system, whereby when the spaces are taken, there is a red light above each spot in the alley and, if there’s a free place, a green light indicates its location. Ironically, there was no dearth of free spaces in this parking lot… but love the idea.

Since coming across this system in Aix, I have found out, of course, that Aix was not the first city to have such a system…. There are many other parking lots that have been similarly equipped many years ago: Barcelona via Pogue’s Post, LAX and in Baltimore’s BWI Airport among others.

Have noticed it yourself and thought, wow, that’s a great idea! What about commenting on any other small little innovations that help improve our daily existence?

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