I saw this article today in the Times Union about being able to top off a parking meter with your cell phone, which could also tell you if the meter was about the run out.

Tim O'Brien reports: "Pilot programs have been run in Washington, D.C., and New York City, he said. [Michael Klein, executive director of the Albany Parking Authority]  didn't want to be a pioneer with the technology, he said, but he wants Albany to be an early adopter."

Klein said he hopes to start using this technology, or have a pilot program, within a year, according to O'Brien.

As someone who can't leave meetings sometimes to feed the meter, this would be awesome. I'm finally starting to see the perks of using the digital meters too, though I still keep quarters in my car for the old school ones.

This company looks like a possible option for this new technology (now available in Provincetown, Mass).

According to this ABC report about a Florida community being the first in the country to have this technology in 2005, the person would have to register and then pay a 25-cent convenience fee. But, compared to paying a $35 parking ticket/going around to stores looking for people to break a dollar, I think I'd take the 25-cent fee.