Nice lunch in Wellington... $40 shout... oh and some parking...

Forums › Off topic › Nice lunch in Wellington... $40 shout... oh and some parking...

DonGould

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Topic # 128806 23-Aug-2013 20:57

Ok so I told my wife "shouted myself a splosh lunch, $40, and paid $5 for parking..."

She commented... "I'm guessing you mean the other way round?!?!?!"

Yip, visiting Wellington today cost me $5 for lunch and $40 in parking.

The PM goes on TV and says that Wellington is dying. Bunch of folk in Wellington go "No... that's not true..."

Well John, if you wana know why its dying, start out by having a quick look at what you guys charge for parking v's what you can buy a roll for lunch and a drink.

Next time I want to go to those meetings, I think I'll be attending via video conference.

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Reply # 883614 23-Aug-2013 21:01

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does John Key own a parking building?

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DonGould

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Reply # 883616 23-Aug-2013 21:02

jeffnz: does John Key own a parking building?

hahahahahahah..... nice

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Reply # 883620 23-Aug-2013 21:05

did I sound innocent enough

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Kingy

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Reply # 883625 23-Aug-2013 21:15

Where exactly did you park to pay $40? Hell, even in the more expensive places it's not much more than $20 for 12 hours. If you're willing to walk 5-10min you can park for free.

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Reply # 883640 23-Aug-2013 21:34

Street prices are set by Wellington City Council, not the New Zealand government... And if it's a private car park building then the price is set by the business owner.

Not sure why involve the Prime Minister on this one. It must be a snapper.

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Reply # 883669 23-Aug-2013 22:25

DonGould: Ok so I told my wife "shouted myself a splosh lunch, $40, and paid $5 for parking..."

She commented... "I'm guessing you mean the other way round?!?!?!"

Yip, visiting Wellington today cost me $5 for lunch and $40 in parking.

The PM goes on TV and says that Wellington is dying. Bunch of folk in Wellington go "No... that's not true..."

Well John, if you wana know why its dying, start out by having a quick look at what you guys charge for parking v's what you can buy a roll for lunch and a drink.

Next time I want to go to those meetings, I think I'll be attending via video conference.

It is a selective deterrent to keep out people we don't want here. Bad luck?

DonGould

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Reply # 883719 24-Aug-2013 00:43

freitasm: Street prices are set by Wellington City Council, not the New Zealand government... And if it's a private car park building then the price is set by the business owner.

Not sure why involve the Prime Minister on this one. It must be a snapper.

The relationship to the pm is that iirc it was him on TV not so long ago saying that wgtn is dying.

Folks are quite right that if you know where you're going and the place to park then you can save...

The $40 was because I parked on the street for my first appointment and then after that I put the car in a parking building. I wasn't early enough to catch the early bird pricing and had to pay using my eftpos card.

You might argue that I could have just caught a train in for a fraction of the cost, but I didn't know quite where I was going and how long it would take, so I took the car expecting that I was going to need to drive to my second appointment. As chance would have it, that didn't happen that way.

But this is really about the general dynamics of a city for a visitor.

Personally I think we've got it wrong when lunch costs $5 while parking ends up hitting you for $40.

John Key commented the city was dying. I don't really know why, but if my experience today is anything to go by then I just think the reasons are obvious.

It cost me eight times as much to leave a car sitting than it cost me to feed myself.

When you go to a shopping mall anywhere in this part of the world you get free parking, then you spend your money in the shops. People come back time and time again to malls. ...and yes, I do know that's exactly how the suburbs work.

It just struck me as a bit bonkers that the day panned out as it did.

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DonGould

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Reply # 883721 24-Aug-2013 00:46

scottjpalmer:

It is a selective deterrent to keep out people we don't want here. Bad luck?

hahahahahahaahhahah

yes well...

though I really don't think that the council and parking buildings put up the prices on meters just today so they could catch me out.

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Reply # 883722 24-Aug-2013 01:10

It's funny you made this thread as the cost of parking is the clearest memory I have of Wellington, and I've had the misfortune of having to go there 4 times, luckily one time didn't involve me driving/parking.

Sure you can park at New World and walk everywhere, but for a visitor it just sours the experience. Actually one memory I do have was walking down cuba street... oh wait that's been 'upgraded' too.

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 883731 24-Aug-2013 01:45

You bought a nice lunch for $5?
You're kidding right? A bottle of water is $3.40...

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Reply # 883735 24-Aug-2013 02:22

Dunnersfella: You bought a nice lunch for $5?
You're kidding right? A bottle of water is $3.40...

$5 only gets you a coffee in welly, with no change. You usually get some change when buying a coffee in auck.

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Elpie

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Reply # 883736 24-Aug-2013 02:36

Regs:
Dunnersfella: You bought a nice lunch for $5?
You're kidding right? A bottle of water is $3.40...

$5 only gets you a coffee in welly, with no change. You usually get some change when buying a coffee in auck.

My thoughts exactly. Coffee prices in Wellington are horrific. So is parking. And the weather (which makes parking close to a meeting venue more attractive).

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Reply # 883758 24-Aug-2013 07:41

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Regs:
Dunnersfella: You bought a nice lunch for $5?
You're kidding right? A bottle of water is $3.40...

$5 only gets you a coffee in welly, with no change. You usually get some change when buying a coffee in auck.

Auckland coffee is terrible and usually only a single shot. Welly coffee is worth $5.

DonGould

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Reply # 883764 24-Aug-2013 08:24

Dunnersfella: You bought a nice lunch for $5?
You're kidding right? A bottle of water is $3.40...

Well... by 'nice lunch' I really meant I got a $5 Subway combo.

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cr250bromo

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Reply # 883765 24-Aug-2013 08:30

DonGould:

The $40 was because I parked on the street for my first appointment and then after that I put the car in a parking building. I wasn't early enough to catch the early bird pricing and had to pay using my eftpos card.

[..]

When you go to a shopping mall anywhere in this part of the world you get free parking, then you spend your money in the shops. People come back time and time again to malls. ...and yes, I do know that's exactly how the suburbs work.

Private Parking buildings in city areas are trying to attract two different types of customers, one is all day commuters (with the early bird rate) and short term visitors (with the per hour or half hour rate). The land they take up isn't exactly cheap. The building I park in (Auckland CBD) charges $12 per day for early bird parking, and an eye watering $5 per half hour (up to a maximum of $40) for short term parking. However it is all there on the board as you enter the carpark and if you don't like the charges you can exit within 10 minutes without charge. Streetside parking is usually cheapest for short term visits in the city.

As for free parking in a mall, they are generally situated away from CBD areas where land for parking is cheaper (ie open air carparks rather than multi-level parking buildings). And you are indirectly paying for that parking when you shop in the mall, so it isn't really free. Plus if you park in a mall or private carpark and then leave to shop or visit unrelated areas not serviced by the carpark the mall are well within their rights to clamp your car or tow it away as the parking is only there for users of the mall - you are entering private property and need to abide by their terms and conditions.

Expecting cheap carparking in a CBD area does seem a bit unrealistic to me.

/ben

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