Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Where are Kevin and Ruth now? Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Where are Kevin and Ruth going next? Kuwait City, Kuwait on March 31st.

Monday, July 7, 2014

If you give someone an inch...

they'll try and take a mile!

The Regional Parks of Saskatchewan have a policy that every passenger vehicle in the park has to have a permit on it. We sell day use permits for $8.00 per day, or season passes for $40 that are valid in every Regional Park in Saskatchewan.

We have an entrance booth where we check for passes and sell them to people who need them. But it's only worthwhile having someone sit in the booth when it's busy on Friday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

But our booth doesn't have the facilities to accept electronic payment, so if anybody needs to pay with a card they need to come to the office. Ruth will then radio me and tell me there's someone on the way.

So the other day, a younger girl comes through saying she doesn't have the cash. Ruth directs her to the office, then radio's me. And, the girl never shows up. So I do a drive around and find her vehicle and put one of my reminder notes on the windshield!

Reminder note.

I read the park bylaws, and found out that I have the authority to issue fines. It's probably never been done, plus I'm not sure how you would collect if the person refused to pay!

Anyhow, sure enough when I went to check later on, the car had disappeared and she hadn't paid. The morning of the next day however, she returned and this time came and bought a pass.

We learned from that experience, and now Ruth radio's me while the car is still at the booth and the people can hear her. This way, they know if they drive right by, I'll chase after them!

During the week, it's an honor system and there's a sign that directs people to make their first stop at the office to buy their pass.

I'd guess that only 75% of the people actually do that.

So once a day, I try and go around and check for vehicle passes. Most people have a season pass, but I always find a few who have no pass at all. I leave a note, and probably half of the ones I leave a note on end up coming and buying a pass.

And then there's the people who think they can get away with scamming a night or two of free camping. Hey, gotta give them credit for trying. We like free camping too! But it doesn't work here. One guy had paid for two nights and then wanted to stay longer. But he had to move sites, and we agreed that was fine. So he did, but he never came to the office to pay. I stopped by his site after the first night and collected the $25 and he said he would come to the office and settle up. But he's still there, and still hasn't come to the office.

But, the vast majority of people are pretty good.

We're really enjoying this park compared to last year. It's really a family oriented park, and everybody is very friendly.

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14 comments:

  1. "Fun" stuff. As if looking after the place wasn't enough, you have to be the enforcer too. Oy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's in our job description, well it doesn't say "enforcer" but it does says something to that effect.

      Delete
  2. Some people will try anything to rip off the system, pretty disgusting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If they think they can get away with it, they will do it!

      Delete
  3. Looks like the one percenters are everywhere! :c(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, they sure are. The funny thing is, is that most of these people will return throughout the summer and will end up getting a seasonal pass, so why don't they just buy it and have done with it and not have to try to make an excuse each time!

      Delete
  4. Someone has to pay for the maintenance and up keep of the park and it should be the people who use it. $40 for a year pass good at ANY of the parks is an incredible bargain. Send the 1%ers to Wisconsin or Texas if they want to see charges.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Most of these 1%ers are locals, who think it is "their" park so they shouldn't have to pay. Eventually they will all end up buying a pass sometime throughout the season, I just don't understand why they just don't buy it and not have to worry for the rest of the season in the first place.

      Delete
  5. It says a lot about the character of people. Maybe it IS time to post a sign that late penalties will be added after a certain amount of time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think they should have to be made to buy a season pass if they are caught, even if this is the only time that they are entering the park. The problem is trying to catch them. We can put an note on the windshield but it they take it off and drive away, how can we stop them unless we physically see them leaving. There are a lot of vehicles here on weekends and we can't watch each and every one of them.

      Delete
  6. Attach a winch and a loud backup beeper to the newly restored Jedmobile. Back her up behind the miscreant's car and they will come a-running, willing to pay anything to avoid being towed.

    ReplyDelete

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