General safety thoughts at Superchargers

[get-atty]

A recent post had a comments about feeling scared at a Supercharger. What are your thoughts about general safety measures when stopping at a Supercharger for 15-30 minutes or so. Some possible considerations might be:

1. Sitting in your car v. getting out and going somewhere else
2. Focusing on a screen v. paying attention to surroundings
3. Other foot/vehicle traffic
4. Confrontations with others regarding parking spot blocking
5. General bad vibe of a particular Supercharger time/location

No wrong answers - just looking to develop some best practices.

 

[lynyrdM]

If I have the option, I tend to choose chargers in safer areas (near other reputable businesses in a well lit lot or at a Travel Plaza) that are ideally busier chargers (safety in numbers) and not travel long distances alone. I've definitely ran into some weird people in some spots and frequently get approached by randoms who ask about my car (particularly at EA stations in walmart parking lots) and those encounters have usually been benign curiosity about EVs but these are still total strangers I need to be careful around.

It may be unpopular to say it here but I have a concealed carry permit and tend to tote my weapon with me wherever it's allowed. It's not easy to quickly unplug your car and get out of a bad situation so it could be my only good defense in a truly dangerous situation.

 

[Werecow]

I've never felt any anxiety about needing to charge and I've done it during the middle of the night. Common sense applies of course.
One of the 1st times I needed to charge was at a Sheetz and as I backed in someone walked up to my car. I'll admit I was thinking "here comes the beggar" but it was actually another Tesla owner. He told me this charger was defective, several people have tried it and failed.

I'm sure there have been a few incidents over the decade of SC existence, but all of the SCs I've been to are well lit and not in an area that would cause me concern. Its no different than filling up an ICE vehicle at a gas station.

 

[TomServo]

I have charged at 11 distinct location since we got our first Tesla back in 2020, (MO, IL, AR, IN, IN, OH, KY, TN, WV, VA and MD) and have never felt UNSAFE. Granted we don’t travel at night so my answer might be different if we did.

 

[Rocky_H]

I have seen this supposed question and seen it posed as FUD by a lot of haters in comment sections too, and I never really understood how it makes any sense. How do people even go to the grocery store if there is this vague general fear of parking at [LOCATION]? It's not Supercharger specific.

 

[ucmndd]

Countless superchargers all over the US, never had a problem. Never even been worried about one.

Of course I don’t carry my gun to the grocery store or church either, so maybe it’s just a mindset thing. Being afraid of other people isn’t something I’m wiling to spend my time on.

It’s like literally any other activity in public. Be aware of your surroundings. Practice common sense.

 

[TheHippo]

Tesla should install lights to illuminate the charging spots at the Supercharger

 

[DblOSmith]

I can't wait until Tesla starts making their own fueling stations instead of just renting them out. Make them well lit, with solar panels and covering.

 

[outdoors]

I have had some fun times at super chargers. Grove City OH New Years Eve bar closing time -18F outside. Watching people puke and worry they would freeze to death. Kids in the car all asleep coming back from Florida in 2018 if I recall.

Yet some people are being a little out of control. A couple pet peeves listed below. 500 to 600 or so super chargers and 400k or so in miles.

Biohazard bombs and empty whatever you feel like it as you pull away. Do people realize that some places get less than a couple inches of rain a year in some supercharger locations. One's pee and cola sticks around and smells. I have watched people pour urine out of urine type receptacles. So who gets to step in it as we get out to charge? We all do.

Next up would be car dryers and detailers. Hey you wash your car. Don't dry it as you charge at a supercharger. Please don't show me your crack as I try to make sure you don't bang my car.

To round it out is snoops. In the old days there were many less of us. It was like the Pony Express. One never knew what could show up. Maybe even a Rootbeer 75D. So conversations would ensue. As it might be days before you saw another owner. Now people snoop. Don't want to act like they are car checking out. Mostly new owners. Ones with no plates. As the owner masses grow this type of behaviour I would not recommend. Person apologized after I awoke from my nap.

Anyway. Maybe we could all up our game. I do my best. Enjoy

 

[ucmndd]

I can't wait until Tesla starts making their own fueling stations instead of just renting them out. Make them well lit, with solar panels and covering.

Several such examples present in California, but I think they will always be a teeny tiny minority of locations. Tesla isn’t particularly interested in directly owning a bunch of gas stations (and I can’t blame them).

That said, the Kettleman City charger and lounge in central CA is quite nice.

 

[DblOSmith]

Several such examples present in California, but I think they will always be a teeny tiny minority of locations. Tesla isn’t particularly interested in directly owning a bunch of gas stations (and I can’t blame them).

That said, the Kettleman City charger and lounge in central CA is quite nice.

I will be visiting it in a few weeks on my roadtrip.