|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
PRESS PARKING One of my co-workers heard that you could get parking privileges at the local metro airports if you had to fly on assignment, somewhere. Here is the e-mail that I sent to him, explaining how to get Press Parking. John, Here's the info about airport parking at the metro airports Call P A Public Relations at *** ***-****. You need to do this about 10 days before your trip because they will mail you a parking pass that you have to give to the gate attendant when you leave. Tell whomever answers the phone who you are (I'm sure that they will be impressed) and that you work for {blank} Photo Dept. (More impress). They will ask for your Lic. Plate number. They'll mail you a pass. On the pass, it will tell you which lot to park at in each airport. You must park where they tell you. It's usually the Long Term Parking so be prepared for a long shuttle bus ride. When you return to the airport be prepared for a hassle at the toll gate. DON'T give them your parking pass and the gate ticket that you got when you entered the lot. I repeat...DON'T. First explain to the attendant who will be Pakistani or Haitian and who will speak little or no English, but will nod his/her head up and down as though he/she does understand, that the pass that you are about to give them entitles you to park for free for the entire period marked on the pass. Using simple words, explain to them that this means you will not have to pay ANYTHING. It is all FREE. Tell him/her that if he/she doesn't understand this, to call their supervisor before they punch any buttons. The attendant will smile and say "Yes sir." And then will punch some buttons and tell you that you owe $147. You will try not to scream, after going through all of the above. Tell him/her to call the supervisor. He/she will and it will take some time. He/she will try to explain that there is a crazy man who doesn't want to pay his bill. Eventually you will be passed the phone, whereupon the supervisor will explain to you that The Press is entitled to the first 24 hours of free parking and you must pay the rest. You will then grit your teeth and explain the purpose of the P A Parking Pass and you will point out the dates that you were given to park at no charge. The supervisor will ask to talk to the attendant. Sometimes this is all that is necessary and the gates will go up and you will drive out and only 20 minutes will have been wasted. More than likely the attendant will punch some more buttons and then ask you for $86. You will repeat the above procedure, perhaps several times and will waste as much as an hour before you are finally allowed to pass. And all the time you will wonder if all of this is worth the privilege of free parking. The last time I did this, I had to sign a waiver before I could go home and I ended up getting bills for the parking for the next three months before it finally got cleared up. Good luck, John. Don't say that I didn't warn you. Dick |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dick
Kraus
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Contributor
since 1998
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Behind
the Viewfinder - A Year in the Life of Photojournalism |
