But this mindset gets applied to everything, and people valiantly leap to defend it as applied to everything because apparently if it's a market it must be virtuous.

I live in Southampton I know a bunch of people who would have a problem with this becoming the norm there - poorer local people would be priced out of city-centre parking as we have a regional shopping-centre. A first-come first-served basis lets everyone have a chance at access rather than reserving for those who can pay most.