Parking Etiquette Question

[RumRunner]

So I'm the happy owner of a MS P90D, and in my office building parking lot there are two other Model S's parked every day. In our large parking lot we have 6 spaces with ChargePoint chargers, with each space painted green with white words reading "Electric vehicle charging station". These spaces are also the closest spaces to the building entrance.

So everyday I park in a normal parking space, while the other 2 MS's park in the ChargePoint spaces, but never charge. And to my way of thinking, that's cheesy. To me, it's like using grandma's car to go to the grocery and parking in the handicapped spots, even though you don't need to. But maybe I'm old and crotchety. And no, no other cars ever seem to be charging outside my building, so there is always room to do so.

So I'm wondering what's the general consensus on that? Because we own Tesla's can we simply park in charging spots without charging? Seems wrong. Am I in the minority?

 

[Az_Rael]

Most of the signage on charging spots near me have been updated to include time limits and "Charging Only" notices. Time limits are normally 4 hours max. So, you are correct, the INTENT is for those to be charging stations, not parking stations. But if the signs aren't marked that way, then I am guessing the other owners feel fine parking there.

Bad habit to get into, IMHO. Those spots won't always be empty every day and then they will be ICE'ing the chargers for others.

 

[HumanGenome]

Write a note and put it on their car or speak to your workplace HR department.

 

[Doug_G]

It is very much bad form to electrically-ICE a charging spot. They should know better; they sure wouldn't appreciate if they arrived at a charging station only to find the spots blocked by non-charging EVs.

 

[dbullard]

So I'm wondering what's the general consensus on that? Because we own Tesla's can we simply park in charging spots without charging? Seems wrong. Am I in the minority?

In Oregon, if it's marked "EV Charging Only" or something similar, it's illegal - even for an EV. I think Washington is the same.

Mostly aimed at ICE vehicles, but also applies to EVs using charging stations as special parking spots. $250. People will learn really fast when they get hit with that.

 

[green1]

In Oregon, if it's marked "EV Charging Only" or something similar, it's illegal - even for an EV. I think Washington is the same.

Mostly aimed at ICE vehicles, but also applies to EVs using charging stations as special parking spots. $250. People will learn really fast when they get hit with that.

People will just start to plug in, even if not charging. May not really change the legality, but makes it a whole lot harder to prove

 

[AEdennis]

That's just bad form. Plain and simple. These are charging stations and not parking spots. It is hard enough to keep ICE away from blocking charging stations, much less other EVs who are not charging.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

Just report them. They need to learn the hard expensive way. I wouldn't even think twice.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

It's rather bizarre behavior.

I get that they're of the belief that those spots are underutilized, but what makes them think they're more entitled to that spot than an ICE car? What difference does it make if you're not going to charge.

I could understand if they were defending that spot from an ICE car. Where they took up that spot, but left a note on their window to have them move. But, I doubt that's the case.

It's also plausible that they're rich elitist type snubs. But, I've seen that same behavior from Leaf owners.

 

[roblab]

This is exactly why I counsel people who want to put in EV chargers, to put them as far out in the back lot as possible. If you need a charge, you don't mind. Putting a charger at the front door makes everybody upset.

 

[green1]

This is exactly why I counsel people who want to put in EV chargers, to put them as far out in the back lot as possible. If you need a charge, you don't mind. Putting a charger at the front door makes everybody upset.

Except that the install is exponentially more expensive. There's a reason EV chargers are near the building, and it's not to be nice, is to avoid running long wires, which is very expensive.

 

[PtG62901]

I wouldn't put my career on the line over this. Of course they are wrong, but there are still 4 charge spots open everyday? I would get after this if I owned the company, as an employee, it isn't your problem.

 

[CHG-ON]

I think it's tacky. If we don't need to charge, we should not occupy the space. It's the equivalent of being ICE'd for those who may need to charge. And if there are none who do, that might be OK. But then I see it as elitist, which is STILL tacky, IMO.

I actually call it hogged. And I have been by a lazy Tesla owner when I really did need to charge.

 

[Blu Zap]

Charger parking spots should only be occupied by charging EVs. This is almost as bad as ICEing! Write a note, report to the landlord, talk owner to owner, or whatever is appropriate for your situation.

 

[WannabeOwner]

in my office building parking lot

Can you set up some sort of charging-rota system? I read in another thread that anyone wanting to charge Emails and then folk above them in the list tell them when they have vacated the slot.

 

[GSP]

Charger parking spots should only be occupied by charging EVs. This is almost as bad as ICEing! Write a note, report to the landlord, talk owner to owner, or whatever is appropriate for your situation.

Much worse than ICEing. ICE drivers might be ignorant. EV drivers should know better.

GSP

 

[MorrisonHiker]

I wouldn't put my career on the line over this. Of course they are wrong, but there are still 4 charge spots open everyday? I would get after this if I owned the company, as an employee, it isn't your problem.

Perhaps the OP could report the issue anonymously?

 

[Saghost]

Except that the install is exponentially more expensive. There's a reason EV chargers are near the building, and it's not to be nice, is to avoid running long wires, which is very expensive.

Utilities seldom come in near the front door. If there's parking on the side of the building, that's the ideal place - near the utilities for chapter installation, far from the door for less drama.

Although I think Tesla asks destination charger recipients to place the chargers prominently visible to everyone...

 

[green1]

Utilities seldom come in near the front door. If there's parking on the side of the building, that's the ideal place - near the utilities for chapter installation, far from the door for less drama.

Although I think Tesla asks destination charger recipients to place the chargers prominently visible to everyone...

Placement is never straightforward. The utilities often come in near the back of the building, but that's no guarantee, however parking lots are usually on the front. In some cases the side would be better, or at least the edge of the front instead of near the door.
That said, as you point out, Tesla wants their chargers prominent as a marketing tool, and businesses like to show off that they're doing something green (why spend all the money on something like this, if you can't show the world you're doing it?). So the politics make it even worse.

There are solutions, My favourite is simply signage that says "No parking except for EV while charging" and using the normal "P" in a red circle with a red line through it. and then enforcing it. I'm not in favour of time limits though, for example I was in Vancouver recently needing enough charge to do all my around town driving and get back to Hope, where I was the only charger that was convenient was 3 hour max and 30A, that hardly filled up an 85kwh pack.

It's not perfect though, as some people will plug in even though they don't need the charge, and it's hard to differentiate for enforcement between someone who didn't need to charge and parked all day plugged in, and the guy who charged, and then was 5 minutes late getting back to unplug and move the car.

Most of this will be solved over time. As more and more stations appear, and they stop being "special", we'll care less how people are using them, and businesses will feel less pressure to put them all in the most prominent locations. Further in the future though, as long range EVs become the norm, and fast chargers become plentiful, I think we'll go back to more of a "gas station" model. People will charge at home (and yes, even people parking on the street will likely be able to in the future) and we'll see fast chargers near restaurants on the highway, but slow chargers at random places in a major centre will cease to be nearly as important.

 

[Max*]

Much worse than ICEing. ICE drivers might be ignorant. EV drivers should know better.

Why are EV drivers automatically better than ICE drivers? EV drivers might NOT know better. They might think "o look, a dedicated parking spot for EVs, cool, I'll park here"