EV Charging etiquette

[randompersonx]

Bumping this to ask how people handle situations where all the Tesla chargers are occupied by ICE vehicles? I nearly had this situation arise for me over Thanksgiving weekend at the Casa Grande supercharge (luckily there was 1 remaining open stall). Had they all been occupied by ICE vehicles would the proper course of action be to go inside the restaurant where the parking is being used (Culver's) and tell the manager? Not sure what the right way to handle it is...

I think Tesla asks that you call their support number and inform them -- and perhaps they would call a tow truck if the local law allowed for it (which depends a lot on the state/municipality), and either way -- keep track of the issue to see if it becomes a long term problem.

As far as going into the restaurant and talking to the manager, I think it is unfortunately very unlikely that the manager would make an announcement to the restaurant "If anyone is parked in the Tesla Supercharger spots, please move." They do not want to upset their own customers.

Is the lot so small that people have no other choice, or were people just being stupid?

 

[MyJoule]

The Casa Grande lot is pretty small, the Supercharger spaces are all by themselves near the drive through line, but I suspect the other spots fill up at busy times. My buddy and I were supercharging there the other day and a van full of older folks pulled into one of the supercharger spots while we where there. They all got out and came over to talk to us about our cars. The driving even jokingly pulled the supercharger cable and tried to put it into his van.... So he knew what he was doing... We pointed out that they were in a supercharger spot.... They didn't seem to understand even after we explained it to them, they just went into the Culvers.. I suppose no harm done as there were only two of us charging at the time. but still, you'd think when they were told they were blocking our "gas station" they might have moved the van. Oh well, we may have some more teaching to do ...

 

[mknox]

Bumping this to ask how people handle situations where all the Tesla chargers are occupied by ICE vehicles?

Not all, but most. Notice the Leaf blocking a Supercharger stall...

 

[Danal]

Bumping this to ask how people handle situations where all the Tesla chargers are occupied by ICE vehicles? I nearly had this situation arise for me over Thanksgiving weekend at the Casa Grande supercharge (luckily there was 1 remaining open stall). Had they all been occupied by ICE vehicles would the proper course of action be to go inside the restaurant where the parking is being used (Culver's) and tell the manager? Not sure what the right way to handle it is...

IMHO, depends very much on what the signs say. In turn, this probably depended on what Tesla agreed to with the local business/municipality. Also keep in mind that like it or not, you will be representing all Tesla owners and to some degree all electric car owners via you interactions. This is not fair, but it is true.

You can:

1) Ignore it, wait it out, etc, etc. Don't do anything interactive.

2) Place a notice on their car (see attached example), and then wait it out.

3) Try to find them. If there is a restaurant, etc, involved, ask for an announcement by color/plate. You have to be prepared to deal with the person when they show up (even if the manager says they will deal with the person), and you have to be prepared to leave you car on the charger with a pissed off person in the vicinity. Personally, I'd sit where I can see the car, or I wouldn't take this path.


If the signs say "...will be towed..." or equivalent, you can:

4) Call the towing number, or ask the manager to do so.


All anecdotal stories indicate the Police won't do anything (until/unless some laws change), so I personally would not go down that path.

 

[muleferg]

In Burlington, NC This is posted there.

 

[Lloyd]

Call the Tesla number on the supercharger.

 

[efusco]

You can call Tesla, but you're inherently going to have delays--waiting for them to answer, waiting for them to call someone who may or may not be in a location where they can do anything, who may or may not then do something who may or may not call Tesla back to tell them what is going on and then they will probably call you back to tell you what they don't know.

I, personally, would first try to locate the owners and politely ask them to move to allow me to charge. This is clearly the fastest way to get something done and start charging. If there is no way to find the owners of the offending vehicles, then I might start calling Tesla, the manager of the facility (if available), or calling a towing company (probably a very last resort due to the complexities involved in determining if/when I have the right to actually do that and probably that the person being towed didn't have any ill intent, they likely just couldn't find anywhere else to park and saw those 8 unused spots wide open and needed to park so they could go eat or go to bed or whatever).

In short, I think taking personal responsibility, in a non-hostile/non-confrontational fashion is the most expeditious way to do it. Maybe be so kind as to show the individual around the car while your charging (if they're interested) and point out how important those chargers are.

 

[sickfox]

I find that folks who are charging at a Tesla super/chargers are a lot nicer than the folks who are charging at non-Tesla charging stations. They give me the look…

 

[Sal Cameli]

Most likely what happened here is:

In the next Charging Bay there was another EV who was not plugged in and they received this note from a 3rd EV owner who needed a charge desperately.

When that 2nd Person (The #EVHOLE) returned to his car he found the note and thought it was you who left it and put it on your car.

There are always going to be #EVHOLES. Just like there are always people who park in Handicap spaces and are not handicapped.

 

[kalikikopa]

A Tesla forum is probably not the place to ask EV drivers about this, but when the random Leaf ower(me last month) plug into a public charger, Do they only charge enough to get home? I charge for as long as i can leave the car. If I get a fill up, good on me. I'm sure most other EV owners do the same thing. Also who knows if the Tesla owner sacrificed owning a house to buy an electric car with enough range to be usable, and now lives in an apartment without the ability to set up a charger. Also there is not a supercharger in Hawaii, so that is out. My peeve is when chargepoint says the charger is available, so I drive there only to find all the stalls filled with EVs that aren't charging .

 

[trm2]

A Tesla forum is probably not the place to ask EV drivers about this, but when the random Leaf ower(me last month) plug into a public charger, Do they only charge enough to get home? I charge for as long as i can leave the car. If I get a fill up, good on me. I'm sure most other EV owners do the same thing. Also who knows if the Tesla owner sacrificed owning a house to buy an electric car with enough range to be usable, and now lives in an apartment without the ability to set up a charger. Also there is not a supercharger in Hawaii, so that is out. My peeve is when chargepoint says the charger is available, so I drive there only to find all the stalls filled with EVs that aren't charging .

I feel that if you are actively charging, then you are using the spot appropriately.

There is good news on the supercharger front, Tesla indicates there will be a supercharger in your city by the end of 2018. The bad news is that it means Tesla Standard Time, and may not be the same as 2018 in Hawaiian Standard Time.

 

[kalikikopa]

I see that. Pretty excited if it happens. It's only a couple miles from home.

 

[kalikikopa]

One more etiquite question .if you pull up to a charger, and someone has parked with their charge door open, but the last person to charge did not plug in their car, do you have an obligation to plug them in, or can you charge?
I kind of feel like I'm cutting in line because the last person was ignorant of the etiquite to plug in the next person.

 

[mknox]

One more etiquite question .if you pull up to a charger, and someone has parked with their charge door open, but the last person to charge did not plug in their car, do you have an obligation to plug them in, or can you charge?
I kind of feel like I'm cutting in line because the last person was ignorant of the etiquite to plug in the next person.

A car with it's charge port open is sort of universal for "please plug me in when you come back and unplug your car".

 

[kalikikopa]

I understand that. My question is for when you go to an available charger, and the last person charging DIDN'T plug in the car with it's charge port open. Do you have an obligation to plug that car in, even though you weren't the last person to charge? Or would it be ok to charge your car, and plug in the next car when you are done?

 

[mknox]

I understand that. My question is for when you go to an available charger, and the last person charging DIDN'T plug in the car with it's charge port open. Do you have an obligation to plug that car in, even though you weren't the last person to charge? Or would it be ok to charge your car, and plug in the next car when you are done?

Tough call. On one hand, I'd say the other guy was ahead of you in line, but then on the other hand, maybe he won't even be back to his car before you would be finished. Compromise might be to plug in, but stay with your car in case the other guy comes back and you have to relinquish.