ABSTRACT
Cruising creates a mobile queue of cars waiting for curb vacancies, but cruisers are mixed with traffic that is going somewhere, so no one can see how many cars are in the queue. For each additional hour that a car is parked on a crowded street, other drivers have more difficulty finding an open space and will spend more time cruising for parking. Cruising is especially harmful in crowded areas where many pedestrians are breathing the exhaust of drivers who are hunting for a parking space. Consider how awful traffic would be if off-street garages and lots used time limits and turnover rather than prices to manage occupancy. Market-priced curb parking enables good vehicle miles traveled because people are driving to where they want to go without having to drive around after they get there. Demand-based prices are much better than time limits to manage curb parking.
