Charging Station etiquette? Volt owners hogging the juice!!

JasonA said:

I think there is a pattern starting to show which kinda sucks. I don't have a problem pulling out their plug if they're charged up and the alarm goes off for 30 seconds..

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I think it's less than 20 seconds.. :roll:

davewill said:

Geraldk said:

With all these plug-ins selling the charging stations are getting crowed.

The spot I use was taken up by a Volt and a Prius when I went to charge. I did not "have to" charge, so I left it alone. I did feel that if I needed the charge, I would have unplugged the Prius as they can still get home. ...

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I'm confused. If you didn't need the charge and you intended to "leave it alone", why didn't you just park elsewhere and let that be the end? Why did you keep expecting other folks to plug you in? Did you ask any of them to, or even leave a note? I assure you that I certainly wouldn't touch someone's car without express permission.

Also, it may be that they had more need than you did, since you said you could get home, while they may have needed a charge to avoid burning gas to get home.

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Sorry let me be more clear, did not mean to be confusing.
I could easily get home, I left home to go to this store. I was being a patron of the business with the charger. The reason I go to that store, I have my choice of stores to patron, is they have a charger and the others don't. I try and support companies who want to earn my business with "free charging". It's a nice perk. I save .25 when I shop there. ;-)

I parked in one of the two electric parking spots. This lot has about six spots that can use the two chargers. If I came out and saw another electric car with the charge port open, I would remove the plug from my car and plug them in. I don't think that is unreasonable. And I would assume the reason their port is open is they wanted me to plug them in, otherwise they would have A) parked somewhere else or B) left their charge port closed. It would be nice to see a note.

The other two owners were not there to ask if I could plug in and I did not have a pen and paper handy, so no I did not leave a note saying plug me in if you get back first. As I said when I got back the cars were still there charging, so I don't know what would have happened. I have heard others on this forum say they have left their port open and come back to find the plug just lying on the ground and the driver didn't even put it back on the stand, let alone plug them in.

Again, I said IF I had needed to charge to get home, I might have unplugged a hybrid type car, especially if I knew their state of charge. I have not come across that need and I hope I don't, but I don't really know what I do, yet.

I have been in that situation before and left a note both on my car & the charging car and ... it worked. They plugged me in after they left. I would not presume to plug in someone else without a note.

I also won't hesitate to unplug any car that has finished charging if I need it. But I won't unplug any charging car - even a PIP (oh but I have been tempted ...).

is there a charger out there that does not indicate when its actively charging? if not, why are we looking at the car to determine whether or not its charging?

GregH said:

JasonA said:

I think there is a pattern starting to show which kinda sucks. I don't have a problem pulling out their plug if they're charged up and the alarm goes off for 30 seconds..

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I think it's less than 20 seconds.. :roll:

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Ok... and your point of the rolling eyes is?

Again, I think Loitering Volts (which now seems to be a proven theory) is not right.

JasonA said:

GregH said:

JasonA said:

I think there is a pattern starting to show which kinda sucks. I don't have a problem pulling out their plug if they're charged up and the alarm goes off for 30 seconds..

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I think it's less than 20 seconds.. :roll:

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Ok... and your point of the rolling eyes is?.

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Not like I've timed it or anything..

If I *NEED* a charge I have no problem unplugging a Volt (or PiP) regardless of it's SOC (assuming it's not paying for the juice, that's different).
The vast majority of the time I don't actually NEED the charge and it's just a matter of who is more deserving of free juice? Aside from the whole first come first served notion, I suppose in that situation I should let the Volt charge under the assumption that he/she needs it just to avoid burning gasoline and that's probably a good thing for all of us...

Well not only do we have to worry about other Volt and jerkoff EVer's hogging the juice.. we have to worry about A-HOLE ICE owners hogging our spots also!! :twisted: :evil:

Went last night to the food trucks in Mission Hills and decided to try out my new Blink card.. look at what I found waiting for me...



A BMW driver no less... :roll:

EDIT: I think now when I go to get RedBulls and other drinks at the gas station.. I'm just going to start pulling up at the pumps

JasonA said:

Well not only do we have to worry about other Volt and jerkoff EVer's hogging the juice.. we have to worry about A-HOLE ICE owners hogging our spots also!! :twisted: :evil:

Went last night to the food trucks in Mission Hills and decided to try out my new Blink card.. look at what I found waiting for me...

A BMW driver no less... :roll:

EDIT: I think now when I go to get RedBulls and other drinks at the gas station.. I'm just going to start pulling up at the pumps

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i saw the same thing the other night at Union Station's charging stations. One was ICE'd by an old Ford Escort, and the other was taken up by a 2013 Cayenne Red Leaf SV whose charging was already completed (and still was there 3 hours later when I left). Fortunately there were two empty spaces with working chargers.

I am not quite so bold, but has anyone ever blocked an ICE car in their spot in a situation like this? Park directly behind the offending car, plug in, leave a note with cell phone number

It would certainly send a clear message to anyone passing by in addition to the car owner.

Firefighters have interesting ways of solving similar problems

P71VIC said:

I am not quite so bold, but has anyone ever blocked an ICE car in their spot in a situation like this? Park directly behind the offending car, plug in, leave a note with cell phone number

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The only thing I'd be afraid of is vandalism to my Leaf. And the only note I'd leave is one telling them what a selfish doosh they are, and certainly nothing with my phone number on it!

Firefighters have interesting ways of solving similar problems

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Someone needs to update this classic Mentos commercial, showing a BEV driver finding a charge station ICE'd and coming up with a clever solution around it once he or she has popped a Mentos:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfp2Bg6iUdY[/youtube]

Was there any signage stating the spot is reserved for charging ev only? I don't see any signage restricting parking...

vsiev said:

Was there any signage stating the spot is reserved for charging ev only? I don't see any signage restricting parking...

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In October 2011, the Governor of California signed AB 475 (Butler) that restricts the use of spaces
designated for EV charging to only those vehicles that have established a connection for electric
charging purposes. The new law requires that the space be properly identified with a sign, posted in
a visible spot adjacent to the space or at the entrance to a privately owned offstreet parking facility.
The new law also provides that the owner of the space may have illegally parked vehicles removed
if the removal is posted in accordance with the law.
Private property owners are not restricted in their choice of signs placed on their property, provided
those signs do not impact the public right-of-way, as set forth in the CA MUTCD, or unless the signs
are otherwise regulated by the local jurisdiction.
The California Vehicle Code (CVC) allows a local jurisdiction or a property owner to have a vehicle
removed if it occupies a space in violation of the posted regulations. The CVC requires proper
notification of vehicle owners through posting, as well as notice to local law enforcement.

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http://www.evcollaborative.org/sites/all/themes/pev/files/PEV_Accessibility_120827.pdf



Look.. in the end, the X5 could have been towed.. they are in the wrong and they know it.. but they still choose to. Next time, he/she won't be so lucky..

If you're that much of a douche-bag to park in a EV charging spot.. WITH TONS OF OTHER FREE SPOTS RIGHT AROUND... then I don't have a problem calling a tow truck..

P71VIC said:

I am not quite so bold, but has anyone ever blocked an ICE car in their spot in a situation like this?

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The closest I've come is stretching the cord across a blocking ICE's hood. As it happens I got back before they did.

Actually, this is near me and is behind Kinko/Fedex in Granada Hills. It is not marked or placarded correctly, or even for EVs only, so technically ICEs are not breaking the law. The signage needs to be corrected before they could be cited and/or towed.

JasonA said:

Well not only do we have to worry about other Volt and jerkoff EVer's hogging the juice.. we have to worry about A-HOLE ICE owners hogging our spots also!! :twisted: :evil:
Went last night to the food trucks in Mission Hills and decided to try out my new Blink card.. look at what I found waiting for me..

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Etiquette probably needs to adjust based on location and climate and if the spot is "paid for".

There are about 2 dozen 6KW charging stations located at Logan airport and most of the time my Leaf is fully charged up before I take off. Looking at the other cars parked there I can see that most have been idle for days. Are they done with the plug? Not if it is 20 degrees out! Remotely starting the climate control before the journey home is a great benefit. In this case it is not free parking, it costs $27 a day.

I would argue that it would be better to have plentiful level 1 connections at most grocery stores, commuter lots, employee parking and airports, and put most of them at the far end of the parking lot. We're not by definition handicapped, and the time spent at each of these locations is proportionate to the distance the average person travels to get there.

JasonA said:

If you're that much of a douche-bag to park in a EV charging spot.. WITH TONS OF OTHER FREE SPOTS RIGHT AROUND... then I don't have a problem calling a tow truck..

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Surely you've seen able bodied people using relatives' handicapped placards to park right next to the door, rather than walk 10 feet more to the adjacent parking space. Well these are the same sort of people, and they aren't going away any time soon. The best I can hope for is that slowly improving signs, enforcement, and awareness will make an impact on the much more numerous drivers who are ignorant with no bad intentions.

This is why I would love to be able to buy (not build it myself) a J1772 extension cord, maybe about 20-30 feet, so some of those adjacent parking spaces would be usable.

TomT said:

Actually, this is near me and it is not marked or placarded correctly for EVs only, so technically ICEs are not breaking the law. The signage needs to be corrected before they could be cited or towed.

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Now I'm just playing devil's advocate here... so please don't get upset (just looking at both sides of the coin).. and again.. I'm the new guy here but this crap pisses me off...

It probably doesn't matter much to you because those stations are right next to your house so they are of no use to you. But to the rest of us here in the valley and other travelers that WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT BLINK'S site for availability (which showed BOTH chargers AVAIL)... I would have been screwed..so would have another person if they NEEDED THOSE UNITS.

You are fine... you live right there in the area, so you're agreeing with the X5/ICE's decision to park there. It's the same decision as parking in a HANDICAP SPOT..



Goto GOOGLE IMAGES and lookup "Handicap Parking Sign" and most DO NOT HAVE an VC or local codes..

We just know NOT TO PARK THERE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT HANDICAP..

Funny.. my BRAIN USED TO TELL ME NEVER TO PARK IN A EV PARKING SPOT WITH A BIG ASS CHARGER IN FRONT OF IT with my Ice cars :roll:

Again.. BMW drivers..

EDIT: Just looking out for our local EV buddies that's all!!!

walterbays said:

This is why I would love to be able to buy (not build it myself) a J1772 extension cord, maybe about 20-30 feet, so some of those adjacent parking spaces would be usable.

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Here's a 10' one: http://www.tucsonev.com/J1772Extension.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm sure they'd build you a longer one if you wanted.

JasonA said:

vsiev said:

Was there any signage stating the spot is reserved for charging ev only? I don't see any signage restricting parking...

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Look.. in the end, the X5 could have been towed.. they are in the wrong and they know it.. but they still choose to. Next time, he/she won't be so lucky..

If you're that much of a douche-bag to park in a EV charging spot.. WITH TONS OF OTHER FREE SPOTS RIGHT AROUND... then I don't have a problem calling a tow truck..

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I totally agree with you being ICE'd sucks but there doesn't seem to be any proper signage from the picture. If they had their spots properly marked as well as the proper signage (CVC towing warning, EV only parking only, etc.) and not just the blue EV sign, then I would totally agree they should be towed. But since it seems that there is a lack of signage, I would blame the property manager for not putting up proper signage/markings. Let them know your complaint and that they need to have the spot properly marked. They should use a standard color to mark the spaces and have it written at the end of the parking spot too. I mean even handicap spots are color marked and pictured on the ground.

vsiev said:

They should use a standard color to mark the spaces and have it written at the end of the parking spot too. I mean even handicap spots are color marked and pictured on the ground.

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That's the problem. I don't think there is a standardized color to denote an EV charging space the way there is with handicap parking. Green would seem like a good choice, except in California that denotes a limited-time parking space (say, 20 minutes) but otherwise available to any vehicle.