Aren't the new machines in the airport car-park just dandy?No more waiting for fifteen minutes for the man, who should have been sitting in the booth instead of shooting the shit in Costa Coffee with his mates, to come and bash the old barriers to make it open.
Instead we have ACS Parking Systems in place!
A company who are dab hands at making trouble-free parking zones. They even have a registration plate detection system at some airports around the world so that staff and aircrew can enter and exit without a ticket. Wonderful!
They claim that the use of their systems will help to reduce the long queues that we have been seeing at Muscat International Airport for the past few years, due to the high-level reliability of their systems.
But there was one thing that they did not factor in to their queue reduction plan.....the high number of twats in Oman.
Now before the regular window-lickers start thinking that this is a witch hunt for Omanis and Indians - it is not. I have seen an eclectic mix of idiots doing this over the past two weeks.
The initial problem is this: There are no buttons on the new machines. None. It's all pressure sensors on the front panel which is smooth like glass.
Jet Driver likes to stand beside the unit in the evenings when he is in need of amusement.
Typical scenario follows:
Drive up to the unit and stare at it.
Screen says: "Press to receive ticket".
The area to press is marked in a circle and is flashing like a Christmas tree!
Driver (while trying to push the screen): "Where's the button?" Two cars now behind.
Driver: "Huh? Press where?" Three.
Passenger: "It says the button" Five.
Driver: "There's none. It's not....." Beeep beeeeeeeeeep! Seven apoplectic drivers now.
Driver: It must be broken. I'll press the Help b......where's the Help button?!" Ten. Beeeep!
Driver: "I know! Why didn't I think of this stroke of genius before? I'll reverse out! There must be another way to get into......" BEEEEEP!
And a whole new level of chaos is born!
Well thought out guys!
Must be the Lulu Car Park Consultancy Service again!
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