(this was so long, I decided it was better as a blog post than a Facebook status update)
TL;DR – stupid decisions are stupid, First World Problem
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(Not actual gate)
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I’ve been getting allergy immunization shots since January. Shots
did not require appointments. There were windows of time during the week when
you could go--first come, first serve.
The clinic is located adjacent to the hospital. The parking
lots are loosely connected. The hospital has a pay parking garage. The clinic
parking, though it is a simple lot, was also pay. I assumed it was to help the
garage loans and to discourage patients from parking for free and walking over
to the hospital (if ambulatory enough.)
The system at the clinic had been a security guard in the
booth, issuing tickets and taking money on exit. Once COVID appeared in March, there
was a guard in mask for a couple of weeks. Then the clinic closed for shots.
I started up again in October. No more guard. Gates open.
Shots now by appointment. Super convenient for me because I
work-from-home for the pandemic and I’m right in town. I pop over and pop back.
A month ago, the shack and gates went away. Open parking!
Then the islands went in.
Then the new-fangled automated gates went in.
And that’s when it all went to shit.
These kiosks are terribly designed. They’re awful.
Same units on enter and exit.
On enter, there is what appears to be a button. It’s round.
It’s large. But, no, you don’t press it. It doesn’t press. It’s a laser, and
you need to wave your hand in front of it to dispense the parking receipt.
Yes. A receipt. Like from a register. No, it is not a ticket
or cardboard or heavy paper. Flimsy, barcoded receipt.
And did I mention the slot where the receipt prints out? The
slot *way down at the bottom* that was clearly designed with Lamborghinis in
mind?
You know what happens on entrance, now, right? The cars line
up and the line barely moves because no one can figure out how to get their
ticket, and when they do, most people need to climb out of their car to retrieve
it.
Join me, won’t you? Over on the exit side now.
Yes. That *is* quite the line of cars, all backed up.
Same unit.
Grab your flimsy receipt.
(Oh, of course, you’re supposed to pay inside at the automated
station or get your slip validated with a bar code sticker … you did that, right?)
No. No. Of course, you don’t hold your slip barcode up to
the laser ‘button’ you used on the way in. Why, it’s clearly not wide enough to
scan code. No, use the big scan window at the bottom where the *other* reader is.
What’s that? It doesn’t have a big sign
and arrow that reads “SCAN HERE” ? Well, maybe not. But on the screen above, it
instructs “scan below” with absolutely no highlighting of the words so they
will be readily noticed.
Shall we amp up the frustration? Let’s throw in hospital patients.
You know, from all walks of life. Maybe some who aren’t familiar with written
English yet. Let’s not forget senior citizens who get flummoxed at the
slightest whiff of technology.
Why yes. I did get line line behind *two* cars the other day,
each of which had to back out of the line because they couldn’t get the gate to
open.
Did I mention to “call before you enter” stuff? See, now
when you get to the hospital, you’re supposed to call from your car, answer
COVID screening questions, and then they’ll call you to come in.
Did I also mention that they have an online pre-screen where
you can answer all the questions before you leave home and it doesn’t matter
because you still need to call and answer all the questions again, anyway?
Did I mention that new number is for the entire hospital and
clinic? Yes, I can’t call the Allergy desk. I need to call the central hub, and
when I’m done being on hold, especially on mornings just chock full of
appointments, then I get put through to allergy. If they don’t hang up by
accident.
That was fine. Until a month ago, when the simple message
had a full minute preamble added to it about coming alone, no help unless you
really need it, don’t come if you have COVID symptoms, etc.
Literally a one-minute message …. I need to sit through …
every time I go.
I could literally drive over, get my shot, and be home in
forty minutes, tops. (need to wait 30 minutes after the shot … if we don’t count
that, literally, the task should take under ten minutes.)
Now, I need to add “traffic jam at the entrance” time, 5+ minutes
of phone time in the parking lot, and “traffic jam on exit” time, to my
personal scheduling.
Why? Why would you do this during the pandemic? Why not wait
until next year?