From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for Feb. 1, 1989:

Lt. Dave Cobb, the Lawrence Police Department officer who was in charge of overseeing downtown parking meters, was receiving more complaints than usual these days. “I put a dime in and the stupid thing didn’t show the time,” read one note enclosed in a yellow fine envelope. Cobb said he had expected a learning curve after the installation of the new “time check” mechanisms about two weeks earlier. “Unless people turn the handle slightly to the right, they won’t see the time,” Cobb explained. This prevented people from being able to spot a meter with time remaining on it while still in their cars — another source of frustration. Local drivers were also annoyed that the meters no longer accepted pennies. Cobb added that people should be pleased that the new meters allowed 90 minutes of parking, rather than the maximum of 60 minutes on the old meters.