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Have you been ICEd?

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This spot is literally iced--solid mound of snow plowed into one of the EV slots, then rain and frigid temps...
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This is funny. At least that's the way I'm deciding to look at it. So, in the picture, at least this guy didn't back in this time. We've been using cones to block access to these two spots while installing the EVSE's, parking curbs, and painting. Prior to that, with no cones but after the EVSE's were on the wall, this fellow would back in and his bumper would get quite close to the EVSE (thus the parking curbs).

Now that we're finished, he at least read enough of the sign to know he should go in front-wise. But he just drove over the cone. And he's not driving a car.

I talked to the front desk staff, they phoned him and asked that he park somewhere else as long as there were free spots. He apparently complied (I haven't been down to check).

No EV's were harmed in this story.
 

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Thanks goes to Chris Sharek for creating this. I printed them on business cards to put on windshields here in Florida.

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Thanks for sharing this. I was at Whole Foods in Charlotte today and saw FIVE ice cars attempt to park in the EV spot next to me in approximately five minutes. 4 out of 5 drivers moved when I explained it was for EVs only but the last girl in a black range rover started screaming "IT'S NOT A LAW!!! IT'S NOT A LAW!!!" and let's just say... we didn't get along too well. She finally moved. I was also almost ICED out of a hotel when I was really in need of a charge (before the superchargers came to NC) and 6 of 8 spots were taken by ICE cars. Extremely frustrating and this is my new pet peeve. So I took what Chris got started, which is so great, and I evolved it into this - feel free to download and print it out. I am going to keep them in my car at all times.

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IMHO it's a mistake to create EV charging spots in convenient places. Almost all the time these spots are right in front, the best parking spots, the ones that everyone wants. This is just asking for people to ignore the signs and park there. Everyone wants to have these preferred parking spots thus they are more likely to get ICEd. If the EV charging spots were at less desirable places of the parking lot or parking structure, the problem of getting ICEd would be much less. I really don't mind going up two more levels in a parking structure or walking a little from an outer parking spot if that increases my chances to find a free charger.
 
IMHO it's a mistake to create EV charging spots in convenient places. Almost all the time these spots are right in front, the best parking spots, the ones that everyone wants. This is just asking for people to ignore the signs and park there. Everyone wants to have these preferred parking spots thus they are more likely to get ICEd. If the EV charging spots were at less desirable places of the parking lot or parking structure, the problem of getting ICEd would be much less. I really don't mind going up two more levels in a parking structure or walking a little from an outer parking spot if that increases my chances to find a free charger.
I completely agree with you, however, the reason this happens is most likely due to power and security. It costs to run those power lines to the far reaches of the parking lot. Also if I am going to spend my money putting in valuable electrical equipment I want it somewhere close where I can keep an eye on it better.
 
Good idea, Leilani. My graphic designer self requests that you redesign the card without ALL-CAPS everywhere: it's a pet peeve of mine. ALL-CAPS ARE HARD TO READ AND MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING AT THE READER. See what I mean? :biggrin:

As for ICEing, I'm up to 10 Superchargers visited, most at least twice, and have never been ICEed. This is partly just timing, and luck, but it's mostly because Tesla has indeed sited the charging bays in remote areas of the parking lots.

BTW, of the SpC's I've visited, Glenwood Springs is the most likely to be ICEed (it's in a Marriott parking lot that seems small for the size of the hotel); I noticed yesterday when I stopped there that someone has stacked a couple of orange cones by one of the pedestals, presumably so that hotel staff can deploy them in front of Supercharger bays when the hotel is expecting a full house. I think this is a good idea; I hope other Supercharger hosts adopt it.
 
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BTW, of the SpC's I've visited, Glenwood Springs is the most likely to be ICEed (it's in a Marriott parking lot that seems small for the size of the hotel); I noticed yesterday when I stopped there that someone has stacked a couple of orange cones by one of the pedestals, presumably so that hotel staff can deploy them in front of Supercharger bays when the hotel is expecting a full house. I think this is a good idea; I hope other Supercharger hosts adopt it.

When I was in Glenwood last month, the assistant manager was at the front desk. I thanked him for hosting the Supercharger and mentioned the ICE'ing reports that I had heard about. He knew of the problem and told me that they were getting the orange cones; glad that happened!
 
I completely agree with you, however, the reason this happens is most likely due to power and security. It costs to run those power lines to the far reaches of the parking lot. Also if I am going to spend my money putting in valuable electrical equipment I want it somewhere close where I can keep an eye on it better.

I suspect you are absolutely correct about power runs being one of the primary factors in where stations are located. I also agree that remote locations would be preferable not only from an ICEing perspective, but also in reducing the door-ding quotient.

Unfortunately, I don't see an easy solution to those issues. I think active management participation (signage, cones, etc...) is what we can all encourage...
 
I suspect you are absolutely correct about power runs being one of the primary factors in where stations are located. I also agree that remote locations would be preferable not only from an ICEing perspective, but also in reducing the door-ding quotient.

Unfortunately, I don't see an easy solution to those issues. I think active management participation (signage, cones, etc...) is what we can all encourage...

I am consulting with a new community center on where to put a pair of J1772 EVSE's and spaces. The issue of cost to run the power is an important one. The community center will have a good size pre-school and early childhood center. The current plan that I like, is to put the EV charge spaces at the least convenient end of some 15-minute, drop-off/pick-up spaces for the preschool parents, and mark the EV charge spaces as dual use. These spaces can be used for 15-minute, drop-off/pick-up as well as EV charging. I think this will be more acceptable to the general community and is a good use of the valuable parking spaces.
 
So I took what Chris got started, which is so great, and I evolved it into this - feel free to download and print it out. I am going to keep them in my car at all times.

As much as I like the sentiment, I think I would prefer something a bit less "aggressive". Something like the second of the three examples below. (downloaded these from the Blink site some time ago).

Some people are just idiots, but I think there are some who just don't realize what EVs are all about. The other day, I was unplugging and getting into my car in a designated EV spot, and there was a young lady in an ICE in the EV spot next to me. She rolled down her window and asked me what "those things" (the EVSE) were because she and her friends had been wondering for some time. I explained the situation to her and she seemed quite receptive and understood why she shouldn't park there. Throwing down things like "you've been busted" and "we don't park in front of your gas pumps" may be a bit much in certain circumstances.

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... AND MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING AT THE READER....
I think she was.

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@Mknox, I agree with you. Let's not drive the wedge any deeper than we need to. Getting in the ICErs faces will only make them hate EVs and EVers rather than understand why we need those spaces left open. And I worry about the .1% of the population that do worse things than just park in the spaces. This shouldn't be a war...
 
I am consulting with a new community center on where to put a pair of J1772 EVSE's and spaces. The issue of cost to run the power is an important one.
I assume you've requested they install high amp level 2 chargers rather than 30A output (40A circuit) which seems to be the default choice because that's what were installed with the government grants. Is there a significant difference in cost to run power for 60 or 100A circuits compared to 40A?
 
I am consulting with a new community center on where to put a pair of J1772 EVSE's and spaces. The issue of cost to run the power is an important one. The community center will have a good size pre-school and early childhood center. The current plan that I like, is to put the EV charge spaces at the least convenient end of some 15-minute, drop-off/pick-up spaces for the preschool parents, and mark the EV charge spaces as dual use. These spaces can be used for 15-minute, drop-off/pick-up as well as EV charging. I think this will be more acceptable to the general community and is a good use of the valuable parking spaces.

The potential issue I see with that is that you will be encouraging long-term EV parking (while charging) in spaces for which the other use is specifically short term. I think it's encumbrance upon us to not to "reverse ICE" spots as well.

Perhaps there's sufficient drop-off spaces that there will be no contention, but I know at my kid's school, the drop-off locations are packed in the morning and afternoon. Of course, if that's the least objectionable location that you can actually get power to chargers, then it may be the best possible compromise...

Good that people are working to give this thought.
 
I assume you've requested they install high amp level 2 chargers rather than 30A output (40A circuit) which seems to be the default choice because that's what were installed with the government grants. Is there a significant difference in cost to run power for 60 or 100A circuits compared to 40A?

Yes, the current (pun intended :wink:) plan is to use 90A or 100A breakers for 72A or 80A max charge capabilities. The 90A circuits will allow for #4 copper and save a little money. If the difference is at all significant, I am recommending 90A/72A as a good cost/benefit tradeoff. 72A should be fine for the vast majority of users.

The irony is that the few of us that have dual-charger MS's will rarely need these chargers with our range; it will be the Leaf's of the world that will get the most value.
 
Good idea, Leilani. My graphic designer self requests that you redesign the card without ALL-CAPS everywhere: it's a pet peeve of mine. ALL-CAPS ARE HARD TO READ AND MAKE IT SEEM LIKE YOU'RE SHOUTING AT THE READER. See what I mean? :biggrin:

As for ICEing, I'm up to 10 Superchargers visited, most at least twice, and have never been ICEed. This is partly just timing, and luck, but it's mostly because Tesla has indeed sited the charging bays in remote areas of the parking lots.

BTW, of the SpC's I've visited, Glenwood Springs is the most likely to be ICEed (it's in a Marriott parking lot that seems small for the size of the hotel); I noticed yesterday when I stopped there that someone has stacked a couple of orange cones by one of the pedestals, presumably so that hotel staff can deploy them in front of Supercharger bays when the hotel is expecting a full house. I think this is a good idea; I hope other Supercharger hosts adopt it.

This wasn't a supercharger, it was just the free Whole Foods chargers.

and yes - I AM YELLING! :)

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For Steve.

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I arrived in Glenwood Springs Colorado at approximately midnight on July 13, 2014, the first minute of Sunday. Every single Tesla Supercharging stall was blocked by an ICE vehicle. The stalls not only had proper Tesla signage, they also had the largest orange road barrels with signage attached to the barrels that read no parking, tow away zone in front of each stall. Apparently the owners of the ICE vehicles moved the barrels and parked there anyway. Marriott Hotel staff stated that they had no idea which of their paying guest's vehicles were the ones in question, even with plate numbers etc. Marriott Hotel staff said they would not tow any of the vehicles. Tesla stated they had no leverage to get the cars moved if the Hotel would not tow the vehicles. Local police will not enforce the signage without the Hotels permission because it was private property.

Sooooooo after going to maximum ride height and cobblestoneing the curb.... slowly driving backwards up the curb and along the grass I was able to get close enough to plug in and begin a short charging session... enough to get to Blanding Utah.

Very frustrating experience!

Marriott staff and I did come up with an idea that I thought would work in the future. It was suggested that the Marriott purchase some plastic chain and connect the large orange barrels together to make it even more noticeable that ONLY Tesla vehicle had permission to park in the Tesla designated stalls!!

I have pictures that I will add soon showing the situation.

Maddening!!!!!