Parking meters

This is a fairly typical Leichhardt Council parking meter, complete with graffiti tag.  This was photographed just off Balmain Rd, in Rozelle.

I have included it because it is likely that the metres are emptied by contractors rather than Council staff.  For security reasons, emptying meters and transporting cash is usually done by a contracted security firm, like Chubb.

Do you think it likely that a contracted security guard is really going to care if the meter is vandalised?  Will they even notice if it is working or not?  Will they report it if the coin slot is jammed full of chewing gum?  Or will they just go about their business of collecting a bag of coins and move on?

Unless I see evidence to the contrary, I doubt the guards would give a hoot about the external appearance of the meters.  Their job, rightly or wrongly, is to collect the cash as quickly and safely as possible and nothing else.  Keeping the meters clean is somebody else's problem.