Proper EV Etiquette - Charging/Parking

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kaikara said:
With a quickcharger I can understand being right near there to move the car. With L2 it just might not be possible. For example we regularly drive to another city and park at a specific parking lot that has L2 EVSEs. We plug the car in and then take a ferry to where we want to go and spend the day. I am not going to get back on the ferry to come back once the charge is complete just to move the car. I assume situations like this for L2 spots is pretty common unless it is a workplace charger or something you use on a very consistent basis.

I think there's a market for slow EVSE chargers; where you pay for parking time only, and where there's enough of them that you can stay plugged in for as long as you like. Parking for the day, airport parking lots, overnight hotels. Even workplace charging. These are all places where you probably want to stay plugged in for a 1/2 day increments or overnight, or all day. Not 1 or 2 hour increments. Ok, I own a Volt, so its not really a big deal if I don't plug in, but if there's a lot of 120v plugs, maybe that would make more sense then a few higher power chargers where your taking up some other EV's critical resource. That's why I think maybe bring your own 120v EVSE with lots of inexpensive 120v plugs might make a lot of sense, rather than more expensive L2 EVSE's. A full charge takes 14-30 kwh, at 0.15/kwh so no more than $2-$5 worth of electricity, wear and tear on the 120v outlets which would require occasional maintenance.
 
Hmm, different world here. I'm currently plugged-in to the public charge station here not because I need it to get home but so that other people can see it getting used. The city went to the trouble and expense of installing it so the least I can do is use it. It is rare that I share the charge station with anyone but today a Cmax from Arizona is using the station also, which is nice to see since that's what this tourist city was hoping for. I can tell that the station gets used when I'm not around because others often don't leave the cables coiled up neatly the way I do. The other public charge station that I use in another city when grocery shopping, I really do need to get home, especially in winter, since my battery capacity has declined. But, again, it is rare to share it.
 
Lasareath said:
My Goal is to mock the small percentage of people who are EVHOLE's. To have fun and get a laugh and then the people who are enjoying themselves by laughing at these people will most likely not do this themselves because they don't want to be an EVHOLE as well.

But if you think you have ideas on how to teach more people and get the word out then by all means come and join my facebook group and post all you want.

I am on Instagram too, posting away trying to teach people that they shouldn't be an EVHOLE.

Sal


GetOffYourGas said:
Lasareath said:
The only person this would piss off is the #EVHOLE, And who cares if that pisses them off.

If your goal is to change their behavior, then this is not a good approach.
Had a similar situation this past Sunday, albeit with bike racks. Some person has been regularly locking their bike along the bike rack, taking up 4-5 spaces and preventing others from using them. My instant reaction was "what a jerk!"*, and I considered leaving a nasty note. But then I thought "do I just want to vent, or do I want to try and change this person's behavior?" If the latter, which is more likely to work, leaving a nastygram or a courteous note? So here's the note I left, as best I remember it: "Please don't take up multiple spaces with your bike. It's discourteous to other cyclists, who value their bikes as much as you do yours!" We'll see if it leads to a change - mysteriously flat tires or broken spokes are a possible option if necessary, but a step I prefer not to take.

*It was actually more scatalogical than that.
 
A bit of an old topic, but this doesn't happen much here in Florida. (If there is a better place for this please move the reply, I researched and this thread seemed the best, and no I don't have Facebook.)

This happened to my wife, I wasn't there, and we have a bit of a debate here, so I wanted to hear what others think.

Situation, a free EVSE, at Kohl's, who owns the charger and provides it for their customers, and can provide for one 240V charge from two possible parking places. A man in a Volt, sitting in one spot, she parks in the other. The Volt has the ICE running while he is charging :?: which I didn't know you could do that, so she thought he was ready to leave and went to speak to him. He said, "No, I've got another 40 minutes." There was no indication anybody he knew was in Kohls. He did know that it was a LEAF, and asked what the range was, my wife said "70 miles, but now that we've used it so much the range is less." Which was the first hint. Toward the end of the conversation he asked if she knew about the Volt, and she said it was "a glorified Prius" just with a bigger battery. That is one point of the debate, I consider the Volt an electric vehicle but including an engine, she considers it a hybrid with a big battery. Now, and prior to the "glorified Prius" statement, not once did he ever inquire about the actual state of charge for the LEAF, but he did mention that there was another charger provided by the city about 10 miles away, but there really should be more chargers installed so more people could charge. My wife then informed him that this specific charger was owned by Kohl's, not the city, and it says right on the charger too it is for Kohl's customers (while shopping). He said that there was a 110V outlet too, implying that she could use that, but she told him that didn't work, as it trips a ground fault, and of course he never offered to switch to the 110V either. One other detail was that he had somehow gone into the parking space so that the charge port was on the wrong side, instead of backing in, and had the cord stretched to the maximum almost breaking, so my wife didn't want to ask such a person to just plug it in to the LEAF when he left. I have on a rare occasion left a note even, and the other person did plug it in without incident.

So I think it can be agreed that at the least he should have asked about the amount of charge remaining, as with the Volt it is a choice, but with the LEAF it isn't moving without.

Then the question is does the LEAF have more right to the charger than the Volt? My wife thinks they do, and further that these almost EVs shouldn't even be able to charge there, since the sign says "EV Charging." I look at it more as an electric vs. gasoline debate, and if you're offsetting it is fine. I also think though that if somebody in a true EV is low and needs the charge, they take priority, even over another EV with an adequate charge.

Now, my wife was there for a good amount of time, but we don't know when the Volt left. So if the Volt left, even at 40 minutes, the charger then sat unused until my wife returned.

The final debate is whether he could have made it home on the charge he had already gotten, which was about about 4 kwh as he had been there over an hour, and if he just had 40 minutes to full had an almost fully charged battery and a range of maybe 40 miles? If so, should he have given the charger to her? Now, what if my wife, instead of being low, just needed the same 40 minute charge to full, and even without charging could make it home? In that case is it "first-come, first-served?" I think so. She did make it home, but with just 20 miles on the GOM, so it was closing in on LBW, but never did hit it.

And finally, should it have made a difference, and the man have given up the EVSE to a lady? She said it seemed that he wanted to show her how much he knew about these vehicles, implying that she was a lady who barely knew how to get the charge port door open, but every time he said something she knew the facts and was able to answer.
 
Volt drivers don't have range anxiety therefore he probobly didn't consider your wife possibly needing charge as an issue.

Also, my wife always states women don't get the same respect as a man, unfortunatly.

If I needed a charge to get home in that situation I would politely let the volt driver know it and ask if he would mind relinquishing the plug as a favor or would he mind plugging my car in when he was done.

I use the sign hangers when plugged in and I'm away.
 

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sub3marathonman said:
This happened to my wife, I wasn't there, and we have a bit of a debate here, so I wanted to hear what others think.
Sorry for your wife's situation. Unfortunately, she encountered someone who is willing to break the rules (charging for Kohl's customers only), doesn't really care about running EV only (running gasoline engine while charging), is uncaring to other people (unwilling to relinquish to another user), and feels entitled (because he was there first). She made the correct decision to just go into the store and forget about charging. He didn't sound like a person to negotiate with. However, I think you wife made a few slight errors, but one never really know what you're up against until you're deep into it. First, she might have pleaded the "desperate" card, or maybe the "scared female" card (unable to get home), but even those might not work with this guy. The real mistake was engaging the discussion about whether the Volt is an EV, prius, or ICE. Another thing to avoid is who has more priority to charging. These are VERY polarizing subjects and there is essentially no way to convince someone that their particular viewpoint is incorrect. Unfortunately, first-come first-serve is the most common method and seems to work "relatively" well. Obviously some people are more courteous than others and are willing to defer charging for another, but not everyone is this way. Some times it's just best to move on. The good news is that she was able to make it home with a 20 mi buffer (which is quite large actually) and now has a bit more knowledge of the car's capabilities. The Volt driver got a few more electrons ( and given what you described was only charging there because it was free and could easily have made it home without charging).
 
Here's a good handout to print and keep some in your car. Not bad at all. I like it. I wonder if Tom will like it?

http://tinyurl.com/evreferee

evnote.jpg
 
I think communication is key here. Between EV drivers that is. I've all but given up on idiot/asshole ICE drivers that blatantly park in EV charging spaces.

Oregon has new fines (yes actual fines!) for being in a charging space CLEARLY marked and not charging. Even EVs could be ticketed. Will have to see how that works out down the road:

"Oregon – $250 Fine for ICEing an EV Charging Station

Oregon House Bill 2625 created a law effective January 1, 2016 that is punishable by a maximum fine of $250.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. (1) As used in this section, “alternative fuel vehicle” has the meaning given that term in ORS 469B.100, except that “alternative fuel vehicle” includes vehicles registered in any jurisdiction.
(2) A person commits the offense of unlawful parking in a space reserved for alternative fuel vehicle refueling if:
(a) The person parks a vehicle in any parking space that is on premises open to the public;
(b) The parking space is marked or signed as reserved for alternative fuel vehicle refueling; and
(c) The vehicle in the parking space is not engaged in the refueling process.
(3) The offense of unlawful parking in a space reserved for alternative fuel vehicle refueling is a Class D traffic violation."


So...leave your phone/text number on the dash and if another EV driver has questions or what not...call or text! it's not hard to talk and get things shared. It's a start. Assuming will not work. We are all human beings and...wait...how will this work with autopilot...hmmm.

We all have a smart phone. or some sort of mobile phone. if not, well, get one and join the rest of us. Communicate!

Curt
 
I like the concept of the sign hangers but what I don't like is that they are paper. They don't last too long in the rain and they can fly away.

What I've used for years is a Nissan LEAF Frisbee I got from a Nissan Dealer who was handing out brochures, cups, sunglasses and frisbees all with Nissan LEAF branding on them.

I took a sharpie and just wrote on the inside my name and number and I would put that on the dash with another note that said what time I should be done.

But every once in a while I did not have a piece of paper in the car, I wanted to make something I could mark up over and over and have it stand out as well.

So I created the #EVFRISBEE

What do you think?

http://www.EV-FRISBEE.com




evfrisbee.jpg



evfrisbee1.jpg



It also Glows In the Dark! :)
 
Lasareath said:
I like the concept of the sign hangers but what I don't like is that they are paper. They don't last too long in the rain and they can fly away.

What I've used for years is a Nissan LEAF Frisbee I got from a Nissan Dealer who was handing out brochures, cups, sunglasses and frisbees all with Nissan LEAF branding on them.

I took a sharpie and just wrote on the inside my name and number and I would put that on the dash with another note that said what time I should be done.

But every once in a while I did not have a piece of paper in the car, I wanted to make something I could mark up over and over and have it stand out as well.

So I created the #EVFRISBEE

What do you think?

http://www.EV-FRISBEE.com




evfrisbee.jpg



evfrisbee1.jpg



It also Glows In the Dark! :)

What a neat solution, I like it!
 
DarthPuppy said:
Love the EV-Frisbee idea. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!

Here's one of the people I sold it to, they shared some pics of using one today.


EVFRISBEE.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10110378876485141&set=pcb.742947799201661&type=3&theater
 
hi,

i saw ev with charge pot opened sometime when i unplug my leaf from dcfc. the evgo dcfc need card to start charging. so,
- do you know if the evgo dcfc will stop a session after 30 minutes? i afraid that if i use my no-charge-to-charge card to activite a charge session from someone else, my credit card will be charged for the extra time....
- how about liability? it is someone else car afterall....should i be better let the owner to plug-in himself?

best regards
 
soldcake said:
hi,

i saw ev with charge pot opened sometime when i unplug my leaf from dcfc. the evgo dcfc need card to start charging. so,
- do you know if the evgo dcfc will stop a session after 30 minutes? i afraid that if i use my no-charge-to-charge card to activite a charge session from someone else, my credit card will be charged for the extra time....
- how about liability? it is someone else car afterall....should i be better let the owner to plug-in himself?

best regards

Some EVgo DC quick charger has a timer so it would stop. But some do not, so I set a timer on my cell phone, "Ok, google, set a timer for 29 minutes" just to remind me to unplug before 30 minutes is up.

Once you press stop or unplug on the charging station, then your session of 30 minutes of free charging is over.
 
Just FYI, a Volt will start the engine without your permission every so often to run fluids through. Devil's advocate - The Volt owner considered a pure EV and decided that the concessions were too great. He bought a car he didn't really want because of that. If someone else decides to put up with those concessions, they shouldn't burden him with their decision.
It's kind of like a couple that decides to have kids vs. one that doesn't. I shouldn't have to pick up that extra shift of work because your kid has a Christmas play.
(This is not my belief, but it does have a lot of validity.)
 
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