Common myths about parking attendants

We see them on our streets every day, patrolling and seemingly prowling around our parked cars - the parking attendants. Behind the uniformed façade and the often serious face is a group of professionals who, despite their reputation as 'mood killers', are fundamentally focused on creating a safe and smooth traffic environment for all road users in our society. 

Parking attendants carry a lot of misconceptions that have created a negative image of their role. What is the truth about this profession and the people who work daily to maintain order in our parking lots? In this blog post, we look at five common myths and misconceptions about parking attendants.

The parking attendant profession - how it came about

During the 1950s, our society went through a huge change when it came to car ownership. More and more people could afford to buy their own car, and the increasing popularity of cars among the general public brought with it a host of problems. In particular, streets and squares became crowded, but there was also chaos in parking areas.

To meet the new challenges and create an organized structure for parking management, both parking discs and parking meters were introduced. The discs were used to mark the start time of parking, while the meters were used for payment, creating a first level of order in the parking chaos. 

Despite the introduction of parking systems, urban planners realized that additional measures were needed to control parking areas. Therefore, in the 1950s, a completely new profession emerged in Sweden: the parking attendant. These pioneers were the first to be assigned the task of monitoring and controlling parking lots.

Training became a key aspect for the first parking attendants. They learned parking rules, laws and the art of ticketing in order to perform their duties effectively. Their role was the same as today's parking attendants - to ensure compliance with parking regulations and rules. At a time when monitoring and enforcement of parking was a novelty, they used basic tools such as notepads, pencils and tickets to carry out their work. 

Fun fact: From 1957 until 1977, there were only female parking attendants, hence the nickname "Lapp-Lisa".

Myth 1: "Parking attendants are only out to fine"

You might think so, but fining is not the main purpose of parking enforcement officers. Their main task is to ensure that traffic rules are followed by motorists to create a safe and smooth traffic environment. Fines are only a consequence of violations, and the focus is on road safety rather than punishment. By keeping parking lots in order and monitoring traffic, they contribute to a safer and more organized parking environment for all.

Myth 2: "Parking attendants just want to make life difficult for everyone"

Parking attendants carry out their work in accordance with current regulations to create a safe traffic environment. The aim is not to make life difficult for others, but to ensure that traffic rules are followed for the benefit of all.

Myth 3: "Parking attendants fine regardless of circumstances"

Parking attendants have to take into account different circumstances, and in the case of emergencies or technical problems, for example, this may lead to certain situations being exempted from fines. Parking attendants use their judgment to ensure fairness and flexibility in their work. It is not only about following the rulebook slavishly, but also being aware of and adapting to different situations to maintain a safe traffic environment.

Myth 4: "Parking attendants don't care about wrongful fines"

Parking attendants are aware that errors can occur and take appeals seriously. Most parking companies have established appeal processes, and if a fine is found to be incorrect, it will usually be corrected.

Myth 5: "Parking attendants have nothing to do but fine"

Many people think that the only job of a parking attendant is to swipe cars to put a yellow sticker on the window at the first opportunity. This is not true. Parking attendants have several different tasks. In addition to ticketing, they assist traffic flow, report damage and monitor parking lots to prevent crime.

We are more than parking attendants

At Parkit, we call our colleagues in the field parking hosts instead of parking attendants, and we do that for a reason. They're there to make sure YOU have a satisfying parking experience. And they're more than happy to answer your questions, and know all about parking signs, rules and car models. Dare to ask something next time you see us!