Pay to Park at new Supercharger

[eladts]

As a future Tesla owner I find these threads fascinating. I agree that you shouldn't be charged a surcharge for supercharging. You should be allowed 30 minutes of free parking to charge your Tesla. I think of it the same as would I pay a surcharge to occupy the space in front of a gas pump with an ICE, while I get gas?

You will certainly pay more to fuel an ICE vehicle in urban centers. Take for example the Shell gas station at Mass Ave, near the Boston Supercharger. Gas costs there $3.32 per gallon, while you pay much less just a few miles away. Everything is more expensive in dense urban centers. Expecting Tesla to magically change that is unrealistic.

 

[Economite]

As a future Tesla owner I find these threads fascinating. I agree that you shouldn't be charged a surcharge for supercharging. You should be allowed 30 minutes of free parking to charge your Tesla. I think of it the same as would I pay a surcharge to occupy the space in front of a gas pump with an ICE, while I get gas?

When you say "free parking", does that mean that you expect Tesla to pay the standard parking charge for you, or that you expect that the parking lot owner (out of the goodness of their heart) will let you park free when others (who aren't charging but are just parking for a bit in a normal parking space) have to pay?

 

[kort677]

I don't mind paying for parking if I feel it's worth the convenience. I just don't want to have no choice. If I only want to charge my car up and there is no other alternative that's messed up. Tesla should avoid those locations that require payment. As others have said, once you pay for parking you feel like you can leave your car there as if it was a parking spot. Definitely not what should be encouraged.

as noted by many contributors the reality is that in dense urban areas space for parking is at a premium, thinking that FREE parking will be provided for any use is just ill informed. there is a trade off, if you want the ability to use a SpC in a dense, urban environment you more than likely will be forced to pay for the access to the SpC

 

[kort677]

Nobody is stopping you from sitting in the car and charging for free. It's not gated, it's metered (well it was). The gated lot is across the road.

in order to enter the parking facility a fee is imposed regardless of how you intend to utilize such a facility

 

[David99]

as noted by many contributors the reality is that in dense urban areas space for parking is at a premium, thinking that FREE parking will be provided for any use is just ill informed. there is a trade off, if you want the ability to use a SpC in a dense, urban environment you more than likely will be forced to pay for the access to the SpC

Yes in some limited areas space is tight and expensive. Usually downtown areas. Good thing is our cars are capable for driving a few miles to an area without such a space scarcity. Put the Supercharger there. There is no necessity to be right at a location that is the peak of prices. That was my point.

Also, let's not lump parking and charging together. Charging is not parking.

 

[Max*]

in order to enter the parking facility a fee is imposed regardless of how you intend to utilize such a facility

Do you have any idea of what you are talking about? Have you ever visited nation harbor? I've been there dozens of times. You are dead wrong.

It's an open parking lot that used to have parking meters. Now it's an open parking lot that has one central meter where you print out your slip.

There is a "gated" parking lot across the road, you might be thinking of that one (assuming you even visited). There you need to get a ticket (and pay) to enter to park. This is not it.

Don't believe me, here's some photos: Supercharger - National Harbor, MD and Supercharger - National Harbor, MD

You can argue that it's still illegal to do what I suggested, but then again it's also illegal to go 1mph over the speed limit. Some laws are enforced more than others. But that doesn't change your comment from being 100% wrong.

 

[Galve2000]

Max:

so you are saying that at Natiolnal Harbor parking lot if you stay with the car at all times you can potentially avoid getting fined for not paying to park?

I have very little experience with single munimeter lots but my understanding is that the officer will check the munimeter for recently expired spots and walk over to them to see if there is a car there. at this point a ticket will be issued if there is a car there without a driver. what said officer will do if there is someone in the vehicle at this time is anyone's guess tho I imagine you don't get fined, though you will be asked to leave.

 

[Max*]

Max:

so you are saying that at Natiolnal Harbor parking lot if you stay with the car at all times you can potentially avoid getting fined for not paying to park?

I have very little experience with single munimeter lots but my understanding is that the officer will check the munimeter for recently expired spots and walk over to them to see if there is a car there. at this point a ticket will be issued if there is a car there without a driver. what said officer will do if there is someone in the vehicle at this time is anyone's guess tho I imagine you don't get fined, though you will be asked to leave.

Every officer is different, right? Some will fine you for going 2mph over the speed limit, most will leave you alone unless you're going 5-10mph over, and some wont touch you unless you're excessively speeding.

Same with the local parking law. By the books, the PG county law says you need to pay whether the vehicle is attended or not. So by the books, you have to pay. In reality, PG county or anywhere else, if I'm in the car and meter maid is walking by/driving by, I've never been told "go pay or leave", they just see me in the car and go look at the next car.

I've never been "standing" in that particular lot where they're building the SpCs when a meter maid went by; but I have been at National Harbor in the circular "lot" (aka there's like 5 metered spot) behind it, on a meter (waiting for my wife/kids to come back from the carousel) that recently expired and the person didn't bat an eye and continued on.

 

[kort677]

Yes in some limited areas space is tight and expensive. Usually downtown areas. Good thing is our cars are capable for driving a few miles to an area without such a space scarcity. Put the Supercharger there. There is no necessity to be right at a location that is the peak of prices. That was my point.

Also, let's not lump parking and charging together. Charging is not parking.

What you say is correct however it is ignoring the lament that some urban Superchargers will require paying to gain access

 

[Cyclone]

Yes in some limited areas space is tight and expensive. Usually downtown areas. Good thing is our cars are capable for driving a few miles to an area without such a space scarcity. Put the Supercharger there. There is no necessity to be right at a location that is the peak of prices. That was my point.

Also, let's not lump parking and charging together. Charging is not parking.

At least for Chicago, there is such options as this isn't the only place to charge (or even Supercharge). Given the report that these Urban Chargers have a note in the NAV that they are subject to a parking fee, I think having the option is fine.

 

[David99]

Given the report that these Urban Chargers have a note in the NAV that they are subject to a parking fee, I think having the option is fine.

That's awesome. If you are notified about it, then that's totally OK.

 

[AvengerBB]

As a future Tesla owner I find these threads fascinating. I agree that you shouldn't be charged a surcharge for supercharging. You should be allowed 30 minutes of free parking to charge your Tesla. I think of it the same as would I pay a surcharge to occupy the space in front of a gas pump with an ICE, while I get gas?

There is a difference between the rural "road trip" supercharging network and the new urban chargers which are meant to get a quick charge while shopping, working, etc. The former should be of no charge and is virtually everywhere as I have seen, the latter should not be. We can't expect Tesla to cover our own parking charges in downtown type settings.