EV owners get mad for unplugging them when they are done?

[thait84]

Has this happened to anyone? Today I went to go park and all the electric spaces were taken. I was able to park next to one of the cars and I decided to leave a note on their car to plug me in once they were finished. (The charging is free).

On a whim, I checked to see if they were finished charging. One was a Leaf that was still charging and another was a PiP. The PiP was done, so I unplugged them to put plug in my car. I also removed the note from their car.

The PiP owner ran out and got mad at my and interrogated why I unplugged him. I told him that it said he was finished charging according to the EVSE and if he didn't believe me he could verify it. He was still irritated, but after a minute or two I was able to diffuse the situation and he drove off without saying a word.

Is this against proper charging etiquette? I thought it was okay to unplug someone when they were done charging. (Assuming it is either free or the accounts get reset by swiping my Blink / ChargePoint card). I have parked in various locations and left a note on someone's car with my charge port open and they have plugged me in.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

first thing is not everyone has a clue that charging etiquette even exists so ignore his reaction.

as far as what you did, I don't have a problem with it. the chargers are there to be used, not as some lame excuse to hog prime parking spaces.

 

[TomT]

It's interesting that much of the problems we have at work and I have seen and heard of elsewhere involve the PiP.
I don't know if they are particularly sensitive because they have basically no EV range and must charge everywhere,
or if it is some other reason, but they are uncharacteristically represented in numbers...

And yes, you were correct to do what you did.

Is this against proper charging etiquette?

 

[ericsf]

Not a problem to unplug someone who's connected? Did I miss something or AB475 is no longer in effect? As far as I know, unplugging this person's car made him a potential target of being towed.

http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0451-0500/ab_475_bill_20110621_amended_sen_v95.pdf

 

[Yogi62]

If it is a paid charger, don't unplug without some authorization.
sort of a grey area when the charging is free.

Reasons the driver would not want to be unplugged:

0. Some places you get a ticket if you are in the spot but not plugged in.

1. Someone might think you are going to swipe their EVSE (probably not the case here but)

2. A Leaf can be charged to 80%, and then the owner might get the "not drawing much" and continue the charge remotely after a period of apparent inactivity

3. In hot and cold climates the driver might want to cool/warm the car on charger power before attempting a max range journey.

Leaving the note is a good idea. Unplugging another person's car works best in "work" parking lots where you have some kind of agreement to do it or a "unplug me" card system is used.

 

[ericsf]

0. Some places you get a ticket if you are in the spot but not plugged in.

You must be a C programmer

 

[pchilds]

Not a problem to unplug someone who's connected? Did I miss something or AB475 is no longer in effect? As far as I know, unplugging this person's car made him a potential target of being towed.

http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0451-0500/ab_475_bill_20110621_amended_sen_v95.pdf

Doesn't AB475 require the car to be charging? If it is done charging and they don't move their car, they should get a ticket/tow.

 

[ericsf]

Not a problem to unplug someone who's connected? Did I miss something or AB475 is no longer in effect? As far as I know, unplugging this person's car made him a potential target of being towed.

http://leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0451-0500/ab_475_bill_20110621_amended_sen_v95.pdf

Doesn't AB475 require the car to be charging? If it is done charging and they don't move their car, they should get a ticket/tow.

I believe AB475 just says the car has to be physically connected. The exact wording is "connected for electric charging purposes" which to me doesn't clearly mean "actively charging". I'm pretty sure this was discussed. Searching...

EDIT
Got it : http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?style=3&f=7&t=5288

 

[smkettner]

If I am full.... go for it. Close it right and treat it like your own and no worries from me.

 

[ebill3]

Up in this neck of the woods (WA), if you are occupying a properly marked EV parking spot and not charging - $124 fine.

A lot of these problems could be avoided if drivers would leave contact information on the dash.

 

[abasile]

I say, if there's no danger of the other EV being ticketed and it is unambiguously done charging, then feel free to unplug it. If someone has a problem with that, then they need to chill.

 

[planet4ever]

Not a problem to unplug someone who's connected? Did I miss something or AB475 is no longer in effect?

You missed something. AB475 applies only if there is a sign with letters at least an inch high posted either at the entrance to the lot or visible from the EV parking spaces which states:

Unauthorized vehicles not connected
for electric charging purposes will be
towed away at owner’s expense.
Towed vehicles may be reclaimed at
______________________________
or by telephoning _______________

I have yet to see one of those signs, but I would certainly hope no EV owner would disconnect another EV if it was present. If I ever charged at such a location I would be sure to lock the J1772 to the car.

Ray

 

[Tomasz]

I have yet to see one of those signs, but I would certainly hope no EV owner would disconnect another EV if it was present. If I ever charged at such a location I would be sure to lock the J1772 to the car.

I don't think we have any similar law here in Iowa but when I charge at public station (whether free or not) I always use auto lock option - if they can disconnect it, it means the charging is done and I'm more than fine with providing electricity for others.

 

[UBUYGAS]

I always find these posts interesting since there are no public charging stations in NJ/NYC that I know of except for Nissan Dealers and Pay to use EVSEs in parking decks.

In 8 months I've only charged 10 times outside of my house. All EVSEs in parking decks were open and I was the only EV there and the 5 to 6 times at the Nissan Dealer I charge at only once there was another Leaf there. 3 EVSEs and only once there was one LEAF charging. Each time I went I used the same exact spot to charge up.

When I was there charging I set the J1772 charging connector on my LEAF to auto so that I can get my full charge. Without it I ain't getting home.

If eventually there are too many LEAFs showing up to use the EVSEs then I'll make up a sign and put in my window with my phone number and telling them I'm on auto and they can unplug me when it's done. Or please plug me in when they leave. (Only problem about this is that my timer bypass button needs to be pressed to charge)

 

[gaswalla]

No one has the right to have an ev spot after they are done charging... Connected or not. Totally ok to unplug after charge is done.. If the guy gets ticketed, it's his fault for planning to keep the spot after the charge was finished. The spirit of any ev law that addresses this issue is that the car should be charging while in an ev spot.

If you leave a note on the dash with a time after which it will be ok to unplug and your phone number, we can all practice top notch etiquette

 

[EVDRIVER]

Let's not forget the Tesla owners :roll: . One was in a spot and not charging, I asked if he was leaving and he told me the EVSE was not working and he had been on the phone for 20 min trying to get it checked. I asked him how far he had to go and he said 10 miles. When I asked him his SOC he told me 180 miles left, he really needed the charge clearly. Then he left his car in the only available spot which someone could have used for the next available unit in the adjacent slot. I was able to use a half space at the end of the line of cars approved by the security guard and unplug a charged 500E. Turns out the security guard said the 500E I unplugged sits there all day every day after a few hours charge from his short commute. He also said the guy freaks out when anyone unplugs his car. This is extremely typical in this area and in other garages Teslas use is as their full-time private parking spot, many of which drive only very short distances, this goes for PIPs as well. I came back after 4 hours and still charging to find all eight slots empty except for the 500e and the Tesla. The 500e must have been there about 11 hours.

 

[UBUYGAS]

Congrats on your 5000th post!

Let's not forget the Tesla owners :roll: . One was in a spot and not charging, I asked if he was leaving and he told me the EVSE was not working and he had been on the phone for 20 min trying to get it checked. I asked him how far he had to go and he said 10 miles. When I asked him his SOC he told me 180 miles left, he really needed the charge clearly. Then he left his car in the only available spot which someone could have used for the next available unit in the adjacent slot. I was able to use a half space at the end of the line of cars approved by the security guard and unplug a charged 500E. Turns out the security guard said the 500E I unplugged sits there all day every day after a few hours charge from his short commute. He also said the guy freaks out when anyone unplugs his car. This is extremely typical in this area and in other garages Teslas use is as their full-time private parking spot, many of which drive only very short distances, this goes for PIPs as well. I came back after 4 hours and still charging to find all eight slots empty except for the 500e and the Tesla. The 500e must have been there about 11 hours.

 

[srl99]

Try as I might - notes, colored signs, talking to people - I can't seem to GET someone to take the plug when my vehicle is done charging. I might be delayed 10-60 minutes from moving my car - there's no reason another calf can't wean during that time.