Blink Charging Spaces Mostly Used by Gas Cars

[KellyROlsen]

I think we are beating dead horses here so I'll stop with this last one. We don't have any towing rackets in this community, but I know that many others do. This is just not an issue here, but if you are still fearful and can't accept this fact, I suggest that you not drive to Santa Monica and charge.

Cars are not just "rarely towed" for EV violations, they are never towed. I can see where a gas car was abandoned and left for a week in a space, then maybe it might be towed if somebody complained or if it was on City owned lot and the parking enforcement people noticed that the gas car had been there for several days it would be towed, possibly. So, if we have any more discussion about this community, let's leave out the speculation and fears of a EV driver (or any driver in an EV space) being towed.

The whole thrust of this action here in my community is to have a law and a sign that is a deterrent where no action is really needed at all other that the posting of sign that has teeth and motivates people to comply.

 

[Msquared]

I did a forum search for this topic and am so glad I found this thread.

I just got my Leaf about a week ago, and at first it seemed that the Blink L2 charge stations at my local Fred Meyer were easy to access and worry-free. However, I have noticed over the past couple of days (weekend days) that the spots are being blocked by non-EV vehicles, even though there is a "No Parking" sign with the crossed-out "P" and also shows an "EV charger" symbol and says "except for electric vehicle charging." The signs are nearly 2 feet tall. There are also tall chargers next to the signs. To me, it would take a blind person not to see them.

However, the other day I came upon someone parked in my usual spot. Luckily I was able to park in the spot next to it and still have the charger reach. Then, as I was plugging in, a Subaru full of pseudo-hippies drove up and blocked the other EV charger.

As they were getting out, I was like, "Hey, this is an electric vehicle spot." That's all I said, so maybe I could have been a little less blunt, but I didn't say it in a nasty tone. Well, one of the girls was like, "Why, it sure is!" and then WALKED AWAY, leaving her car there! :evil:

After my husband and I were done shopping, the Subaru was still there, so I left a polite note explaining that by parking there, they were blocking the car's ability to refuel, and to next time please show more courtesy. Hopefully it sunk in.

Right now, I am back sitting at the charger. There is someone parked in the actual EV spot that I could be parked in, but luckily I was again able to land a nearby spot to charge. Still, it makes me mad that someone would have blatant disregard for the sign. BTW, it's a Chevy Suburban 2500 parked there. :roll:

One thing I will say in favor of the ignorant is that, every time I come here to charge up, someone exclaims "Why, this is the first time I've seen anyone using this thing!" Or, "Wow, it's great to see someone doing this now!" So, my theory is that some people think no one uses the EV charge stations.

Sitting in my car, I've gotten several stares and quite a few questions. Most people are positive about the car and really want to know more about it. I don't at all mind taking questions.

However, I'm seriously tempted to get one of those pads of fake parking tickets and put them on someone's car every time I see a blocker. :lol:

AAANNNDDD...the lady in the huge SUV just came back, and I politely told her that by blocking the spot, she was blocking someone's fuel, and she seemed genuinely not to care and to in fact be hard-headed about it. Guess she loves sucking gasoline and hates EV's! :x

 

[waitingforaleaf]

More so than towing, parking tickets would be infinitely easier. The law as written is ultimately flawed as there has been a lack of enforcement. If the penalty for parking at EV spots cost someone a pricey parking ticket, we might see some actual change in behavior. Plus, it's significantly easier for the meter maid to just issue the ticket than to stay around for a tow truck.

 

[KellyROlsen]

Yes, it is frustrating and yes, the people that park their gas car in these spaces don't really care. I am surprised to see this behavior, but I'm glad in a way to find out that it is not just a Los Angeles area thing. As I've stated here in this thread, the goal in my community has been to get clarification on the laws and then get the signs in place that will look like they are official and mean business and have the option of ticketing (not towing yet) if needed.

I'm pretty convinced that the signs I have designed and fulfill the requirements of the State Vehicle code will be effective, IF the businesses or operators of the chargers put them in place. As it stands now, ECOtality (operators of the blink chargers) has expressed no interest in cooperating with the businesses or local authorities or putting up the signs necessary at the businesses in the video. It can still be done without then, but one would think that they would have a self interest in seeing the chargers used. However, this has not been the case so far.

I suggest researching your State and local law and if there are some in place work to get the laws enforced and if not, work to get a law in place.

 

[Herm]

I dont see anything unusual about a citizen issuing one of those green stickers warnings to an ICE parked in the wrong spot.. just dont get the ones with the nasty aggressive adhesive and dont state you will tow someone. You are just providing a public service.

 

[hill]

It's not just Blink spaces. Regularly, at Fashion Island newport beach, and also at the Irvine Co, there are employees that work there who believe (apparently) they are the only plug in hybrids in the world. EV's might as well assume they're always occupied, because during business hours, regardless of being fully charged in a couple hours, they'll squat there 'till the end of their day. Just lovely.

 

[garygid]

AB475 seems to make no provision for changing the wording
from towing to ticketing. Specific wording is apparently required.

It also says "will be towed" not "may (or might) be towed".

As a visitor to any town or business, I have no way of knowing
what the local customs are for failing to properly enforce
the state laws. I can only go by what is posted.
I have no other viable alternative.

Thus, since I cannot afford to come back to the charging space
and find my vehicle missing, I cannot park in the designated
(and AB475 posted) charging spot.

However, if there is a non-charging parking space within reach
of the charging "hose", I could use that space and not be
legally towed under AB475.

Also, it is apparently not illegal for one to disconnect a connected car.

It is not clear that using some form of wire-cutters to disconnect another
car is a substantial offense, even if caught doing it.

Those of you who decide to use an AB475-marked space (or parking lot)
should not bother to complain if your vehicle is towed.

I will not support businesses that have AB475 signage, unless I have
no alternative. I would only charge there in an emergency, and then
I will stay right there with my car.

I believe that GM pushed this abusive wording to hinder and slow the
adoption of EVs, not to provide access to Volt owners.
I do not see another explanation that fits all the apparent facts,
except gross incompetence and stupidity, and I judge that to
be much less likely than an attempt to hinder EV adoption.

Yes, just my opinion, probably not for everybody.

 

[PracticingHuman]

I've only charge twice at a public parking space and I didn't look very carefully, but is there a small hole under the trigger of the hose? If so, does anyone who uses those regularly run a small lock through them to keep someone from disconnecting them from your port?

 

[hill]

AB475 seems to make no provision for changing the wording
from towing to ticketing. Specific wording is apparently required. . . . . . . . . . . . snip

Gary it sounds like you've been listening to Chelsa Sexton:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1065314_gm-riles-ca-electric-car-world-again-over-ab475-charger-sharing-ban" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Cheezmo]

I seem to find a plug in Prius in many of the SF L2 stations often parked there for 4-6 hours or longer. Nothing like having one bar and not being able to charge because both L2 stations are occupied almost the entire day by cars that need about a 30 min charge on average, perhaps the correct word is "can use" not need. As soon as there are many plug in hybrids there will be no station access because people have discovered the "convenient" parking slots.

Well, that certainly validates the Blink policy of counting time until the car is unplugged.

Of course Blink charges for 1 hour even if you charge for 30 minutes so those people will surely stop when they see how uneconomical it is to use those charging stations. Probably 3x what they pay for gas per mile.

 

[hill]

I seem to find a plug in Prius in many of the SF L2 stations often parked there for 4-6 hours or longer. Nothing like having one bar and not being able to charge because both L2 stations are occupied almost the entire day by cars that need about a 30 min charge on average, perhaps the correct word is "can use" not need. As soon as there are many plug in hybrids there will be no station access because people have discovered the "convenient" parking slots.

Well, that certainly validates the Blink policy of counting time until the car is unplugged.

Of course Blink charges for 1 hour even if you charge for 30 minutes so those people will surely stop when they see how uneconomical it is to use those charging stations. Probably 3x what they pay for gas per mile.

I am SO very glad Blink rates are sky high. Plug in's do the math, then refuse to charge. Only THAT will free up a spot that may very well get ICED by a plug-in all day long, until the owner's work day is over. The poor slob in an EV whose charger didn't charge as the owner thought, or maybe someone else drove it and didn't charge (or whatever) will then have an emergency alternative - allbeit high priced.

 

[ksnogas2112]

The county just put in 2 sets of double charging posts at two libraries-ChargePoint network.. I checked out both libraries this weekend. At each library one of the stalls was ICE'd. In fairness to the second one there were no signs yet. They were also so new the mud hadn't dried on the concrete for the post and the grass seed was still unsprouted. Got one favorable wow that's a neat car comment with follow on questions.

 

[garygid]

I just read the "Chaptered" version of AB475.

Perhaps CS did also.
She appears to operate with brain "On" and eyes wide open.

 

[cracovian]

A stack of nice green citizen tickets is twice as much as a good quality ice pick. Why overpay for something that's not even half as effective?

 

[Msquared]

A stack of nice green citizen tickets is twice as much as a good quality ice pick. Why overpay for something that's not even half as effective?

:lol: I wish. I just don't want to get caught destroying others' property. Plus, it really is against my code of ethics.

Update: "Blink Blocking" seems to be rampant. I was in downtown Portland today and located a Blink charger inside a parking garage. Out of the three chargers, one was free (which I took), one was occupied by a Tesla, and another was occupied by a large Lexus SUV. I left a friendly note on it (smiley faces and all).

Later on today, after my friend told me about some Blink chargers at a Wal-Mart near my house, I saw that one of the two chargers were blocked. I didn't bother with a note because I noticed the person had a handicap sign in their window, and figured they either mistook the space for a handicapped one, or perhaps all the handicap spaces were used up, so they took the Blink one. Whatever.

Luckily, my car was not damaged or vandalized after leaving it there for over 4 hours. When I had the '11 Hyundai Elantra, I got my car dented in that same parking lot. :x

The county just put in 2 sets of double charging posts at two libraries-ChargePoint network.. I checked out both libraries this weekend. At each library one of the stalls was ICE'd. In fairness to the second one there were no signs yet. They were also so new the mud hadn't dried on the concrete for the post and the grass seed was still unsprouted. Got one favorable wow that's a neat car comment with follow on questions.

Husband has ChargePoint at his work and got us a card. Hope to try it soon.

 

[cracovian]

Half of the people at Wally World look and act handicapped (referring mainly to the size and resulting inability to walk), so I'm not surprised they're running out of spaces and hover rounds only contributing to the electric movement.

 

[KellyROlsen]

AB475 seems to make no provision for changing the wording
from towing to ticketing. Specific wording is apparently required.

It also says "will be towed" not "may (or might) be towed".

As a visitor to any town or business, I have no way of knowing
what the local customs are for failing to properly enforce
the state laws. I can only go by what is posted.
I have no other viable alternative.

Thus, since I cannot afford to come back to the charging space
and find my vehicle missing, I cannot park in the designated
(and AB475 posted) charging spot.

However, if there is a non-charging parking space within reach
of the charging "hose", I could use that space and not be
legally towed under AB475.

Yes, just my opinion, probably not for everybody.

There's a great line from a Buffalo Springfield song that goes, "paranoia strikes deep, into your heart it will seep."

But the facts are that the law allows a local authority to designate EV spaces and regulate how those spaces are used and what the penalties are. For the purposes of towing, which you seem to incorrectly insist is mandatory, it says that "the owner or person in lawful possession of a privately owned or operated offstreet parking facility, after notifying the police or sheriff's department, MAY cause the removal of a vehicle from a stall or space designated."

It says MAY. The law does not REQUIRE that a car is towed. This is discretionary to the local authority as well as the parking lot operator.

Again, for the umpteenth time, no EV driver in my community is going to be towed by a business owner or even the City because somebody disconnected the j-plug from an EV. And in fact, at any business parking lot, nobody is even going to get a ticket from not being connected.

So, no matter how you wish to misinterpret the law, and no matter how many times you say it, it just isn't going to happen in the community I'm speaking about, which is Santa Monica, Ca.

 

[Msquared]

Became a bona-fide vigilante today. :lol:

Purchased an inexpensive pack of fake parking tickets. They are yellow and ticket-shaped, so will definitely "trick" someone, at least for a second!

Went to Wally to buy some thread for hemming husband's pants, and of course both spots were taken. I didn't ticket right away, but my new rule is to wait until I am about to leave before putting the ticket, so that way no altercations come about.

So, I went into Wally and when we came back out, one of the original offenders was still there: a BMW 1-series with a "Princess" sticker on it. :roll:

Fake ticket for "Princess."

 

[KJD]

As long as charge stations are placed right next to the front door of the business in question, they are going to be blocked 90% of the time. Fat ugly americans drive fat ugly SUV's and they will circle the parking lot waiting for a spot close to the door.

It is crazy and it is a fact of life.

Salt Lake City installed a charge station at the downtown library due to a request from the local EV club. When we met with the people doing the install we were very specific in requesting that the charge station be installed at the spots that were furthest away from the front door.

If you place the charge stations at the very back of the parking lot they will NEVER be blocked.

 

[garygid]

Handicapped parking spaces were often blocked until the
Police started issuing BIG tickets, and now they are rarely
blocked or misused.

Laws vary from one location to another.
Santa Monica might have one policy for enforcement,
but a block outside that jurisdiction, it could be different.

CA AB475 requires specific wording on the signage, if it is
to apply to the EV charging space. That includes the
"WILL be towed" wording, apparently thanks to GM.