July 16: A nickel and a future that fines you
On July 16, 1935, the world's first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City. Tonight's film: Demolition Man (1993).
July 16, 1935. Oklahoma City, in the middle of the Great Depression. The city government needs money, and the drivers need space. Cars have choked the downtown core, and a shopper who just wanted to run inside a store often could not find a single free spot. The politicians tried everything. Los Angeles at one point even threatened to ban all downtown parking during daylight hours. It did not end well. Drivers organized caravans that paraded through the streets, and the ban was repealed before the month was over.
