Gas car parked at a Supercharger

[shrspeedblade]

Not an owner yet, but putting myself in the situation I'd be frustrated too. One of the big problems here is the potential for things to get ugly quickly: there are just too many selfish, egotistical, quick-tempered people in this country (and probably the world in general).

Tesla needs to bulk buy 30000 cones at 5 bucks a pop that are placed in the exclusive (not dual use for ICE temp parking) charging spots. Yes, as an owner it will be slightly inconvenient to get out and move the cone but far less so than showing up and having the spot you need ICEd. And most people, especially the type who would ICE the spot, are far too lazy to get out and move it themselves!

If Tesla won't address this maybe all the Tesla clubs need to ban together and do it themselves through crowdfunding- since Tesla is paying for the electrons anyway (I know, I know it was rolled into the price of the car.)
Heck, I'd contribute and I'm not even an owner yet!

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Tesla needs to bulk buy 30000 cones at 5 bucks a pop that are placed in the exclusive (not dual use for ICE temp parking) charging spots. Yes, as an owner it will be slightly inconvenient to get out and move the cone but far less so than showing up and having the spot you need ICEd.

Building on your idea and the "Real Mjolnir" electromagnetic Thor's hammer video, how about metal cones that are held in place by magnets? Only Teslas would be able to disable them temporarily. :smile: I guess then we'd have the problem of drivers not replacing them when they finished charging. Could put them on a track or a pole or something...but that extra complexity and expense. They just need to start towing!

 

[brucet999]

Looking at that pic is kind of infuriating for me. It's blatantly obvious that those spots are for Tesla parking. Those two cars are asking to get keyed...deeply. Not that I'd ever do that, but just saying, it might happen. They may also lose valve stems.

If there were a way to plug in and block those vehicles (appears you could), that would absolutely be happening.

Seriously? You would use a $110k aluminum skinned car to block in drivers who clearly have no regard for others?

 

[green1]

Seriously? You would use a $110k aluminum skinned car to block in drivers who clearly have no regard for others?

Only after photographing their license plate, and ideally with a dash cam pointed their way. But yes. I would.

 

[adelman]

Funnily enough, a lot of the high-power long distance backbone distribution networks have gone back to using DC. At a couple of hundred kilovolts, the transmission savings eventually overcome the cost of converting to/from AC. Also, no synchronization issues with DC. High-voltage_direct_current

One of the benefits of long distance transmission of DC is that it doesn't radiate energy!

 

[wdolson]

Funnily enough, a lot of the high-power long distance backbone distribution networks have gone back to using DC. At a couple of hundred kilovolts, the transmission savings eventually overcome the cost of converting to/from AC. Also, no synchronization issues with DC. High-voltage_direct_current

The electric grid is really a number of grids with inter-tie pieces between networks. Enron played a lot of games transferring power from one grid to another. I think since Enron there is more grid to grid transfers than before and DC does avoid synchronization issues. Converting DC to AC is somewhat more efficient than it was when I was in school too, so that's probably a factor.

 

[slevit1md]

Seriously? You would use a $110k aluminum skinned car to block in drivers who clearly have no regard for others?

It is a heavy aluminum skinned car that I don't see them pushing out of the way. So yeah, their car would definitely be blocked in place until I was done charging. You can believe I would not be far away though, should they get restless.

Either blocked in, or find their tires a bit short on air, continually, until they realize their valve stems are loose. Who knows, but something would happen to make them realize their mistake. Some people only learn the hard way.

 

[Jabushey]

Two of four chargers ICED in Duluth, MN last Thursday evening. I mentioned it to the Holiday Inn front desk and they seemed concerned and said they would take care of it. Still there after a range charge, sooooo....
View attachment 97548

Way to go, Holiday Inn, Duluth!!!

 

[Navyguy]

How about spike strips. when your telsa is near buy they lower if not a tesla they wont lower HAHA

 

[mikeash]

You guys are always talking about keying cars, sheesh. No wonder Tesla only gives us a fob! :biggrin:

 

[hybridbear]

Those preferred parking spots for EVs are to get the building LEED points for being "green". The program is worse than useless-- it actually does a disservice by contributing to the image of EV owners being entitled. It's really unlikely anyone would buy an EV to get a better parking space. What we want are charging spaces, and we don't mind walking from a distant part of the parking lot to have them. LEED points should be given for providing EV charging, not preferred parking.

I agree. The office building where I work is LEED certified. There are 2 Hybrid Vehicle Parking stalls on each level of the ramp plus 2 more on the surface lot between the ramp & the building (10 spaces total). There are more hybrid vehicle drivers in the building than there are spaces, so they routinely are fill up. The order of "premium" spaces goes: handicap, then carpool, then hybrid cars. Occasionally the stalls get taken by other vehicles. The building will leave notes on the cars of people who park in the stalls without a hybrid car.

One of the manufacturing facilities of the company where I work also has Low Emission Vehicle Parking stalls as part of its LEED certification. This plant is in a small town in the middle of central Wisconsin. No one ever parks in those spaces. In the winter that is where the snow plows pile the snow mounds.

It would be much better if the LEED credits were for installing EVSEs instead of just hybrid car parking spots.

 

[Amped-Up]

The Silverthorne CO superchargers were located in a rarely used overflow lot at an outlet mall; ICEing has never been a problem...

...until now. They built a Starbucks adjacent to the Superchargers with a drive-thru traffic pattern that utilizes the overflow lot. My wife was there charging this week and says that there were ICE cars parked in some of the SpC bays. She took no photos, though.

Contact the owner of the shopping center - Steve Craig. Located in Newport Beach, CA. Send a nice note or phone call. He is a very customer-oriented, hands-on owner. I would be surprised if he or his folks don't deal with the issue. It will go back to the local GM at the center to handle, but with corporate direction.

 

[pdxgibby]

With the help of some fellow Tesla owners kicking around the most appropriate language, I made up some friendly business cards to leave behind when you get ICEd. I'll be shipping them in December. Head over to panjo to order a set of 50.

http://www.panjo.com/buy/iced-business-cards-237997

- - - Updated - - -

Not a supercharger, but at our Ikea that now has EV chargers installed, this car was spotted trying to 'get in on the fun'.
View attachment 96964
View attachment 96965
The is no indication that the charger/plug was damaged from the heat of his engine, but that is certainly a fear of this type of behavior.

This has got to be my favorite one. EPIC.

 

[Lloyd]

With the help of some fellow Tesla owners kicking around the most appropriate language, I made up some friendly business cards to leave behind when you get ICEd. I'll be shipping them in December. Head over to panjo to order a set of 50.

http://www.panjo.com/buy/iced-business-cards-237997

Can you make them with super STICKY glue on one side?

 

[pdxgibby]

Can you make them with super STICKY glue on one side?

Now that's not very nice, Lloyd. :biggrin:

 

[Lloyd]

I'll pay double!

 

[JenniferQ]

There are about 6-8 parking, not charging, spots at the new Trader Joe's nearby, but they are labeled Clean Air or CARPOOL vehicles. So, of course, they are full of SUVs empty of anything but mom getting some groceries. Who's to say she's not carpooling at some point in the day. 'Cause who carpools to the grocery store??

 

[Max*]

There are about 6-8 parking, not charging, spots at the new Trader Joe's nearby, but they are labeled Clean Air or CARPOOL vehicles. So, of course, they are full of SUVs empty of anything but mom getting some groceries. Who's to say she's not carpooling at some point in the day. 'Cause who carpools to the grocery store??

Those spots do more harm than good. People see them as social bullying, and it is. They serve no purpose (maybe besides LEED certification), and piss off everyone. ICE drivers are pissed off that EVs get priority, ICE drivers are pissed off and think EV drivers are tree hugging entitled liberals, EV drivers are pissed off that "their" spots are ICEd, etc.

 

[pdxgibby]

Those spots do more harm than good. People see them as social bullying, and it is. They serve no purpose (maybe besides LEED certification), and piss off everyone. ICE drivers are pissed off that EVs get priority, ICE drivers are pissed off and think EV drivers are tree hugging entitled liberals, EV drivers are pissed off that "their" spots are ICEd, etc.

This.

 

[Zybane]

One word: caltrop.

Let's just say one may accidentally fall out of my pocket and land discreetly under an ICE vehicle's tire blocking a Tesla stall. They are going to be seriously inconvenienced for their decision.