Chargepoint ADA spaces

[eustachio]

In my area, I sometimes plug in to Chargepoint stations.

In a number of locations, one of the EV spots is also an ADA accessible spot.

Consideration for those with disabilities means I wouldn't plug in there unless I was going to remain in the car so I could move right away for an ADA vehicle.
And yet I haven't seen a single ADA vehicle charging. Which in effect means wasted charging spot.

Has anyone encountered this before?
Anyone know the law around this?

 

[Rottenapplr]

Ya you know I’ve seen tesla chargers on a wheel chair sign. Are you supposed to not use them when it’s empty but other spots are occupied?

 

[eustachio]

Ya you know I’ve seen tesla chargers on a wheel chair sign. Are you supposed to not use them when it’s empty but other spots are occupied?

I've seen this at a Supercharger. The ADA spot was the last free spot, and someone drove in and plugged in. I guess/assume, in that case they would stay in the car in case someone with an ADA vehicle actually needed it.

 

[darth_vad3r]

It should probably ALWAYS be reserved in a legal sense.

But in a moral sense, if you stay in your car and keep an eye out for someone who has the right to use that spot so you can immediately vacate it ... they probably would be more appreciative than mildly annoyed.

A police officer might just straight up give you a ticket though.

 

[tjkessler]

The ones we have at work have one chargepoint with an ADA slot on one side and an EV spot on the other. The cords can reach any of 3 spots.

 

[darth_vad3r]

The ones we have at work have one chargepoint with an ADA slot on one side and an EV spot on the other. The cords can reach any of 3 spots.

There’s a thought ... charge from an adjacent spot.

What’s the equivalent of ICE’d that you’d be called ... “abled”?

As in, “Man, these spots are always abled by able-holes.”

 

[Rottenapplr]

There’s ambiguity because the spot either is a disabled parking, or ev parking. Or do you need to be both to use it? Is staying in the car ok to do but still use? There should be more signs to direct us on how to use this spot instead of having to rely on logic and morality.

 

[darth_vad3r]

There’s ambiguity because the spot either is a disabled parking, or ev parking. Or do you need to be both to use it? Is staying in the car ok to do but still use? There should be more signs to direct us on how to use this spot instead of having to rely on logic and morality.

I’d say legally it’s not ambiguous. It’s not “either or”. It’s both. Both signs apply. Especially if you aren’t disabled. If you are disabled and don’t have an EV you may still be able to use the spot without charging. Depends ... Are there other disabled parking spots that aren’t EV, or are they the only ones?

 

[Rottenapplr]

I’d say legally it’s not ambiguous. It’s not “either or”. It’s both. Both signs apply. Especially if you aren’t disabled. If you are disabled and don’t have an EV you may still be able to use the spot without charging. Depends ... Are there other disabled parking spots that aren’t EV, or are they the only ones?

Only ones marked.

 

[darth_vad3r]

Only ones marked.

I read something about this yesterday where if you use the disabled spot in a time-limited parking lot you can actually ignore the time limit, and also not pay at a meter either.

Not sure what jurisdiction this was applying to, but the logic makes sense ... if you are able-bodied you can park farther away for free, or easily come move your car within a time limit. If you aren’t you shouldn’t be punished by paying more for parking closer.

Say meters next to a popular location are $5/hr, a block away they are $2/hr, 3 blocks away they $1/hr and further away is free parking. Able-bodied people can choose which rate to pay based on convenience. If you are disabled it seems fair to me to get the lower rate for the premium spot, which is “free” in many cases.

So anyways, same argument applies here with EV charging. You can’t be ICE’d by a disabled vehicle, they have a right to the premium spot.

Usually EV spots are farther away so you get less ICE-ing ... but that’s not really accessible — not fair to make a disabled EV driver choose between accessibility and charging.

If we could get everyone to respect EV spots then maybe we could start getting more premium EV spaces and always have one dual-use EV+disabled spot as well.

 

[Rottenapplr]

On a side note, If this EV revolution is gonna work there needs to be penalties for hogging up charging spots and not charging. Apartment dwellers and condo people as well as home owners need options for charging in public. Heck there was a post with two model 3 drivers parking in supercharging spots and not charging!

 

[rickdogg82]

Not constructive, but the first thing that came to mind:

 

[davewill]

From Is it an EV Charging Spot or an Accessible Spot? | CleanTechnica:

California has drafted a best practice document for accessible EV charging that makes some broad statements. For starters, it indicates that, where stations are provided, a portion should be accessible. Further down, it states that this ratio should be the same as for non-EV parking spots at roughly a 1:25 ratio. It gets interesting in the latter half, indicating the primary purpose of dual function (accessible parking and EV charging) spots are primarily for EV charging and signage should not lead drivers to believe otherwise:

“ADVISORY: EVG-250.1 General. While there is no positive requirement to provide electric vehicle charging stations, when they are provided a portion of them should be accessible. When co-located with parking spaces, electric vehicle charging is considered the primary function of these stations, not parking. Accessible electric vehicle charging stations are not to be reserved exclusively for the use of persons with disabilities. They should not be identified with signage that would mistakenly indicate their use is only for vehicles with placards or license plates for individuals with disabilities.”

Another accessible charging standard from “Sustainable Transportation Strategies” also states that the primary purpose of dual-function parking spots is EV charging:

“The federally funded EV Project, which is planning and deploying charging stations in several states, sets a higher bar with a 1:25 ratio. In both cases, the charging station spaces are accessible, but not exclusively for use by persons with disabilities.”

Doesn't mean the guidelines are followed, of course. A couple of times I've seen signage to the effect that the disabled spaces should be only be used if all the other spaces are taken, but it's been so long I can't remember the exact verbiage I saw anymore. I'd be very leery about using one unless the signage was clear, though. The tickets for parking in an ADA space are expensive.

 

[KenC]

I've an ADA tag, and as long as the person were ready to move, I'd have no problems with that. At a Supercharger, it'd be even less of a deal than at a destination charger. Destination chargers you presumably are getting out and doing something, and could be gone a while. At a SC, most people don't take too long and aren't far away.

 

[eustachio]

From Is it an EV Charging Spot or an Accessible Spot? | CleanTechnica:


Doesn't mean the guidelines are followed, of course. A couple of times I've seen signage to the effect that the disabled spaces should be only be used if all the other spaces are taken, but it's been so long I can't remember the exact verbiage I saw anymore. I'd be very leery about using one unless the signage was clear, though. The tickets for parking in an ADA space are expensive.

I called my local PD tonight, they basically said that you'll get a ticket... Whatever guidance there is around this, most people don't know it.