All but one supercharger spots used for hotel parking

[InTheShadows]

Right but leasing and owning are two different things, they still need to comply with the property owners wishes. I don't have a solution to the issue just adding data that should be considered in the discussion. Right now the only thing that can be done is talking to the property managers in the locations that this kind of this is happening. I just don't see what Tesla can/will do.

You can call Tesla too. This is from their supercharger FAQ. "A non-Tesla car is parked in a dedicated Supercharger stall, what should I do?
Please notify Tesla at (877) 798-3752."

Maybe we should call every time there is an ICE in the stall, not just when we don't have a spot to charge at. That way they know how serious the issue is.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

This simple solution is to quit putting them in prime parking locations. People are basically laze and will not park any farther than they have to. If they supercharger slots are the most far away, they will fill up last...

This goes for all EVSE stations in parking lots if you asked me. And Tesla should try to incorporate some type of camera system on each station, where all the spots are in field of view. If a non Tesla pulls up, a call should automatically go out to Police or parking enforcement

 

[rlang59]

You can call Tesla too. This is from their supercharger FAQ. "A non-Tesla car is parked in a dedicated Supercharger stall, what should I do?
Please notify Tesla at (877) 798-3752."

Maybe we should call every time there is an ICE in the stall, not just when we don't have a spot to charge at. That way they know how serious the issue is.

That's probably a good idea, but I'm not going to get my hopes up on anything coming of it. Of course since I primarily use the one in DE since I'm in NJ I probably will never have to call anyway.

 

[Owner]

I'm thinking that this may actually be a non-issue. Now, there probably is not a lot of Teslas at these hotels, so management and signage is not yet concerned.

One thing a lot of hotels with any parking issues is to ask for your license number. So in the event all the chargers are full when a Tesla arrives, you can inquire at the front desk. The hotel will likely know who the ICE person is and can give them a call.

 

[widodh]

One thing a lot of hotels with any parking issues is to ask for your license number. So in the event all the chargers are full when a Tesla arrives, you can inquire at the front desk. The hotel will likely know who the ICE person is and can give them a call.

And then the person says: "I'll be there in an hour!"

ICEs should simply not park in those spots. Tesla should arrange that when they are deploying the SuperChargers.

 

[RDoc]

According to Tech Crunch the agreement with Tesla for the Supercharging Partners program is that the parking spots are to be dedicated to Tesla cars. Now, what that means as far as towing, cones, etc. isn't at all clear, at least to me, so while there is an agreement, it may not have any practical effect.

From what I've seen, a lot of public Level 2 chargers have the same ICEing problems as well. Without any incentive to do otherwise, it seems likely that ICE drivers and parking space owners in many cases won't keep charging spaces free for BEV's.

This all really does raise some questions about the real utility of the Supercharging network as more Teslas are sold. While Supercharging will help a lot with range anxiety, if owner's experiences involve frequent significant waits for others charging and/or ICEing there may be a lot of public questioning about their practicality as primary transportation.

 

[rlang59]

According to Tech Crunch the agreement with Tesla for the Supercharging Partners program is that the parking spots are to be dedicated to Tesla cars. Now, what that means as far as towing, cones, etc. isn't at all clear, at least to me, so while there is an agreement, it may not have any practical effect.

From what I've seen, a lot of public Level 2 chargers have the same ICEing problems as well. Without any incentive to do otherwise, it seems likely that ICE drivers and parking space owners in many cases won't keep charging spaces free for BEV's.

This all really does raise some questions about the real utility of the Supercharging network as more Teslas are sold. While Supercharging will help a lot with range anxiety, if owner's experiences involve frequent significant waits for others charging and/or ICEing there may be a lot of public questioning about their practicality as primary transportation.

That article is from July and given that we are starting to see general parking/supercharger signs being installed at the newer locations I suspect that the agreement has changes somewhat.

 

[bonnie]

Surely Tesla doesn't want to go to the expense of putting in a supercharger without some minimal assurance from the property owner that it will be available to Tesla owners for charging.

I'd start with talking to them at the hotel and seeing if they can get a guest to move a car. They have some level of responsibility here, they aren't a passive player in all this. And of course, I'd call Tesla and let them know. It's not a great infrastructure if it isn't usable.

But I've learned something from this thread ... once I have my X and am on a roadtrip, if I'm counting on charging at a hotel location, I will call ahead of time and make sure that a spot is kept free from ICEing. In the nicest possible way. I shouldn't have to do that, but I'd rather do that than sit and stew over a bunch of hotel guests sleeping peacefully through the night, while I'm blocked from charging.

 

[wycolo]

Cheyenne, WY SC has 'drive in nose first between the arches' style of parking. Is this the first SC of this type? Could help keep ICErs out since they are parking in between weird fixtures.

Glenwood Sprgs CO - If you need to charge Fri or Sat eve I'd suggest calling ahead to Marriott Front Desk to clear a spot or two of ICErs, because I can guarantee they will all be ICEd. Clerk can check plate number and then call the room. Or ANY night. Lacking such success what you can do is DRIVE UP ONTO THE SIDEWALK and access the SC from the East Side. Pack a couple pieces firewood to help jump curbs. You will not be blocking sidewalk traffic since 99% is crossing at right angles (going between the 2 Marriotts).

@yobigd - I resemble that remark, my being born in Choisy!!
--

 

[napabill]

Wow. Just Wow. A motel? Really? Well I don't know what it's like out there in WY, but AFAIK many states including mine use good ol tax payer money to house sex offenders in motels. I'd be careful with your kids around that station. Don't let them wander :/ http://westdeptford.patch.com/groups/sex-offenders/p/sex-offenders-residing-at-hotels-and-motels quoted right from the first line in this article: honestly that's the last place I'd be putting a supercharger station. I don't know what they were thinking.

That only happens in Jersey. In Wyoming they just shoot them when they arrive in town.:tongue:

 

[4SUPER9]

You can call Tesla too. This is from their supercharger FAQ. "A non-Tesla car is parked in a dedicated Supercharger stall, what should I do?
Please notify Tesla at (877) 798-3752."

Maybe we should call every time there is an ICE in the stall, not just when we don't have a spot to charge at. That way they know how serious the issue is.

+1000

This is EXACTLY what we should do. I firmly believe that Tesla does care. Yet if they don't hear from us, they are less likely to take action. If most of us take the attitude of not bothering, they will never be fully aware. Sure, they follow some of these forums and are in tune to many of our needs, but speak up when there is a problem and eventually we'll get our better signage/green paint/cones/etc.

 

[detlefo]

Hotels create a unique problem in that iced spaces are likely to remain iced all night. If a hotel has too few spaces for guest parking I can understand their allowing icing by guests, however, this can create a serious problem for a tesla driver arriving late at night with no other options. This can be easily mitigated by coneing at least one space for charging only. At least this space will have turnover and will likely be available late at night. Certainly not an ideal solution, but it does give a traveling tesla an option.

 

[napabill]

I'm assuming this thread is dealing with stalls that are known to be set aside exclusively for Tesla charging? Several SC's I've visited, Harris Ranch most notably, have a mix of stalls exclusively for charging and those for 45 minute parking as well as charging. In order for TM to get some sites to agree to a SC installation I'm sure exclusivity was discussed. I'd hate to see the TMC Vigilante's "paint" a spot that is not intended for exclusive use. I would hope all signage would be clear.

 

[Gee-Man]

I think Tesla needs to install these in the Supercharger parking spaces:

bebarmatic Automatic parking space bar: Parking Boy

It could even be software-activated - just add the radio signal needed to make the barrier drop to the garage remote feature. Make it GPS-aware, and voila - a Model S drives up to a Supercharger space, the barrier automatically lowers itself, but stays blocked to any other car.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

To those of you who have encountered this situation - how many of you contacted the police to have the offending cars ticketed and/or towed?

I read a lot of complaints from owners, some posting photos of the offending ICE vehicles... yet, when asked, I find that very little (if any) have actually contacted the police or taken the time to educate themselves about the laws in their respective states. The situation won't fix itself and posting about it won't effect change. What will, however, is having a cop put a big fat ticket on the windshields of those other cars. Here in Arizona the fine for ICEing an EV spot is north of $300. And you know I'll be calling the police at the first opportunity, whether or not I need a charge, just to teach people a much needed lesson.

 

[Longhorn92]

To those of you who have encountered this situation - how many of you contacted the police to have the offending cars ticketed and/or towed?

I read a lot of complaints from owners, some posting photos of the offending ICE vehicles... yet, when asked, I find that very little (if any) have actually contacted the police or taken the time to educate themselves about the laws in their respective states. The situation won't fix itself and posting about it won't effect change. What will, however, is having a cop put a big fat ticket on the windshields of those other cars. Here in Arizona the fine for ICEing an EV spot is north of $300. And you know I'll be calling the police at the first opportunity, whether or not I need a charge, just to teach people a much needed lesson.

The problem is that I don't think it is illegal in many/some states, so calling the police or tow company wouldn't help. I have searched pretty extensively here in Illinois (including reading the Vehicle Code), and I cannot find anything stating that it is illegal for an ICE car to park in an EV charging space. I would love to be proved wrong.

 

[Brass Guy]

I was thinking that maybe on a road trip I should just keep a floor jack in the trunk well. An extra 100 lbs maybe. If the establishment won't or can't get an ICE owner to move, I call Tesla and they can't help, and I'm in a location the police won't have the car moved, then maybe I could just push it out of my way.
Maybe the car alarm will go off. Maybe somebody will care and come out to check it out though I doubt it.

Sure, I'd leave a nice note: "Sorry to have to move your car, but I was stranded when you parked in a charging spot."
Can I get in any legal trouble for moving a car if I do no damage? I might have to leave it blocking some other ICE cars.

 

[Trnsl8r]

The hotel knows when things will become crowded. Ask them to deploy green-striped cones then (cones all the time will just encourage the disappearance of cones).

Problem is there is no incentive for the hotel to do that. Weigh the option of blocking a paying guest from using a spot on an otherwise full parking lot so that the non-customer passing by in his Tesla can occupy that spot for 40 minutes. What's in it for the hotel owner?

 

[stevezzzz]

We have a three-pronged problem.

1. Education. Not enough people are aware of EVs and their charging needs. Once the general population equates ICEing an EV charging spot with blocking a gas pump, people will 'get it'.

2. Regulation. Until local jurisdictions put teeth into parking restrictions for EV charging bays, and put effort behind enforcement, nothing much will improve, because that's how education gets done.

3. Low usage (so far). There are too many empty charging spaces, too many hours of the day, for people who don't 'get it' (see #1) to feel a moral imperative to leave them open.

Improved regulation and enforcement, plus increasing utilization, plus other education initiatives (remember the trashy condition of highway shoulders before the "Don't Be a Litterbug" campaign came along?) will all be needed.

What can we, as owners, do?

1. Get out there and utilize the public charging infrastructure.

2. When you encounter an ICE'd EV charging space, notify Tesla (if it's a Supercharger), the business owner, and local law enforcement...whether or not you need a charge, and even if there's another space available for you.

3. Educate! Make the time to talk to people who take any interest in your charging activities. Don't be shy. We are EVangelists. Any effort you expend now is paying it forward to the future generations of EV owners who stand to benefit from improvements to the public charging infrastructure and its utility.

4. While charging, stay with your car or leave contact info for the next EV owner who comes along needing a charge. We're sharing a fledgling charging network, and it's up to us to make it work.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Tesla has to walk a tight line, here. On one hand, current owners expect to be able to charge at Superchargers and that those spots won't be ICEd. On the other, towing a car from a Supercharger spot potentially infuriates a potential future customer. If all the spots in the lot are full and only Supercharger spots are left, it gets even worse. They see empty spots just sitting there unused while they have nowhere to park, and wonder why EV owners should be getting special reserved spots. It's a tricky situation, especially if the spots aren't clearly marked and are in an overcrowded lot.