Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Personal safety while charging

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
No, it isn't. Especially given the actual real-world statistics, which show that men are significantly more likely to be the victims of all violent crime, including rape.

I suggest you look at this report:
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv16.pdf

Page 9 has statistics on victims broken down by various demographics including gender. Men are more likely to be victims of violent crime (21.4/1000 vs 20.8/1000), but women are more often victims of serious violent crime (6.5 vs 7.5/1000). Serious violent crime involves rape/sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault.

I don't have statistics for rape victims specifically, but I believe while male rape is not unknown, it's far more common that the victim is female.

That said, my partner does domestic violence victims counseling here in Clark County (as well as other places around WA). In her experience, most of the perpetrators were victims as children. A large number were beaten by their mothers in single parent households. Law enforcement is also unbalanced in how it arrests people. Unless a guy has some very visible wounds like a knife stuck in him, they rarely arrest women, while men can get popped for kicking a door or throwing a cell phone. I know of one guy who got arrested when his wife tried to blind him with a stiletto heel and she got a small bruise on her wrist when he wrestled the shoe away from her.

Oregon state law said the cops have to arrest the man in the conflict. Which leaves cops with unclear instructions on what to do with homosexual couples in a DV situation. (The law may have been recently amended, but that was the case a couple of years ago.)

In domestic violence, men are far less willing to report. And when they do, they are much less likely to be believed. That is a serious problem. However in DV situations when a woman attacks a man, she is less likely to cause injury than the other way around. Especially when unarmed.

With stranger crime, like we're talking about here, perps look for an easy target. That means someone who looks weaker than they are, and someone who is not paying attention to their surroundings so they can close in without being detected. Stranger crime is also rare. If people are looking for money, not all that many people carry cash and if you want to use stolen credit cards, there are safer ways to do it than steal someone's wallet.

Sexual assault by a stranger is also very rare. A very high percentage of rape victims know their attacker. Just like children being kidnapped by strangers is very rare. Both are rare enough it usually makes the news, sometimes nationally. Only rare events make the news. Common bad things that befall people rarely make the news.

When the Superchargers are upgraded to use wireless technology (hopefully), it will be simple to just drive away. There's already a wireless charging solution for the home available from Plugless Power.

That probably isn't going to happen because of the high losses with wireless charging. Also those concerned about EMF around chargers will be even more concerned about wireless chargers' EMF. Tesla cars would need extra equipment to support these chargers too. The legacy cars would be stuck with the old tech anyway. The robotic arm at superchargers is much more likely. That is built on top of existing tech and has the same loss levels as the existing tech.
 
Some thoughts after reading all this interest material so far:

1) Know the exact SC address and have it handy so that when you call for help, you can state exactly where you are
2) I would lock my car in Valet mode in case I get carjacked. This would put my car into a less-performing mode and prevent the carjacker from finding my home address or even open the glove box/frunk too quickly. It will also prevent them from disabling the tracking/remote access feature.
3) Pack a bright flashlight
4) Locate a 24 hour coffee shop if possible
5) Don't drive in the middle of the night and go for destination charger hotels if possible
6) Pre-dial 9-1-1
7) If someone approaches and you have enough time - go out and unplug the car until they drive off
8) Don't sleep in the car at a SC location - instead, sleep someplace more inconspicuous if you have to sleep in the car and charge in the morning (have breakfast) before heading out.
 
I suggest you look at this report:
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv16.pdf

Page 9 has statistics on victims broken down by various demographics including gender. Men are more likely to be victims of violent crime (21.4/1000 vs 20.8/1000), but women are more often victims of serious violent crime (6.5 vs 7.5/1000). Serious violent crime involves rape/sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault.

I don't have statistics for rape victims specifically, but I believe while male rape is not unknown, it's far more common that the victim is female.

That report does not include violent crime within the penal system.
 
Interesting discussion. I'm curious if Tesla Roadside Assistance would be helpful in some of these sketchy situations. I'm sure they'd be willing to find you the non-emergency number for the local LEOs. Then again, if they have that number, why not post simply it on the SC info screen? They likely don't change that often.

Another thought comes to mind. If you abso-hafta sleep in the car, would it be reasonable to ask the local LEOs if you could doze off in their station parking lots?

I'm sure if I was planning an overnight trip, I'd definitely have the forty close by.

Comments?
 
If you are charging and you don't feel safe unplugging, call the police. Explain your concerns and wait. Stay on the line until they arrive. When they arrive, unplug and go.

Your taxes pay for this.

I'm sure police officers would rather respond to a call that is in their mind unnecessary, than deal with a tragedy, deal with you having doused someone with pepper spray, or having shot someone.

Common sense will help. It is probably a better idea to time things so you are charging at 10am than 3am. Stay alert. If you find yourself in danger or you think you might be in danger, call the police, that's why we have them.
This is what we did when we had to return home late at night(wife’s fathe had a stroke and later passed away). We were charging in Tallahassee when we notice what looked like drug deals going on in the parking lot. Then someone pulled up in an old BMW and parked in a SC spot, got out and peered around the Transformer cage, like he was trying to get away from someone. We left, and called the cops. 15 minutes later, we returned and waited for the cops to show up. When they showed up, we plugged in to continue charging. The cops cruised the parking lot for a few minutes, and then we left.
 
Though the overlap between people and prison who are victims of violence and people becoming victims while charging electric cars or most of the things we do in a given day is pretty much zero.

I don't have statistics for rape victims specifically, but I believe while male rape is not unknown, it's far more common that the victim is female.

The qualification in the former is not in the latter. Different scope, different discussion.
 
I've been approached at SC's before.... some beyond midnight. It's definitely unnerving feeling like a sitting duck, but predialing 911 is exactly what I did. Luckily, all of my interactions have been positive, mainly lookey-loo's asking about the Tesla.

One thing that I'm also big on is carrying a phony wallet in the car. I keep a fake one with a couple of singles and old credit cards in it, so in case I'm carjacked or held up I can give them the phony wallet and they think they got some loot.

Another tidbit.
 
My wife was at the Springfield OR Supercharger last week, and parked on the newer Marriot Courtyard side. This was in the evening and she felt like it was much more creepy than on the Holiday Inn side. Physically the same spot, but the proximity to the hotel entrance seems to make a different.

Of course, when I was there this weekend, I went to the gas station convenience store. The clientele buying beer set off my radar there. Got my Corn Nuts and got right out.
 
Some thoughts after reading all this interest material so far:

1) Know the exact SC address and have it handy so that when you call for help, you can state exactly where you are
2) I would lock my car in Valet mode in case I get carjacked. This would put my car into a less-performing mode and prevent the carjacker from finding my home address or even open the glove box/frunk too quickly. It will also prevent them from disabling the tracking/remote access feature.
3) Pack a bright flashlight
4) Locate a 24 hour coffee shop if possible
5) Don't drive in the middle of the night and go for destination charger hotels if possible
6) Pre-dial 9-1-1
7) If someone approaches and you have enough time - go out and unplug the car until they drive off
8) Don't sleep in the car at a SC location - instead, sleep someplace more inconspicuous if you have to sleep in the car and charge in the morning (have breakfast) before heading out.
Thank you for your input. All of these ideas are useful, and I especially like the plan to put the car in Valet mode, and preemptive unplugging.
 
I've been approached at SC's before.... some beyond midnight. It's definitely unnerving feeling like a sitting duck, but predialing 911 is exactly what I did. Luckily, all of my interactions have been positive, mainly lookey-loo's asking about the Tesla.

One thing that I'm also big on is carrying a phony wallet in the car. I keep a fake one with a couple of singles and old credit cards in it, so in case I'm carjacked or held up I can give them the phony wallet and they think they got some loot.

Another tidbit.
The fake wallet is a helpful idea and one I will implement for my car travel. Thank you. When I am using public transit/airlines, I have a wallet purse over one shoulder and hidden under my jacket while carrying a small purse outside my jacket with non-essentials. If someone grabs that purse, I've lost my cheater-readers and some Chapstick.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ahkahn
Interesting discussion. I'm curious if Tesla Roadside Assistance would be helpful in some of these sketchy situations. I'm sure they'd be willing to find you the non-emergency number for the local LEOs. Then again, if they have that number, why not post simply it on the SC info screen? They likely don't change that often.

Another thought comes to mind. If you abso-hafta sleep in the car, would it be reasonable to ask the local LEOs if you could doze off in their station parking lots?

I'm sure if I was planning an overnight trip, I'd definitely have the forty close by.

Comments?
Some others have mentioned having a non-emergency number posted on the charging info screen, and I hope that Tesla implements that. I haven't looked at what Tesla Roadside Assistance offers.

My father was a sheriff's dispatcher and he and my mom traveled a lot, using both law enforcement and church parking lots for overnight parking. I've done the same. I avoid convenience stores and rest stops, but will use the large truck stops because of the constant night time activity by professional drivers for meals and showers. I've seen a few places on PlugShare where the chargers are located at the city building which also houses the police station. It might be a slow trickle charge, but it's a safe one.
 
If I was a criminal in a remote and dark location I'd get myself some nightvision/thermal camera happeni g and spot you before you even know I'm close.....
Things you can assume: 1) Most criminals don't like bad weather, 2) Most criminals will move on if you have a large dog, and 3) Most criminals don't wander around looking for people sitting nearby hidden by the dark with expensive nightvision goggles.

Unless they're looking for YOU, then none of the above apply & even a safe room in your house won't save you.
 
Some thoughts after reading all this interest material so far:

1) Know the exact SC address and have it handy so that when you call for help, you can state exactly where you are
2) I would lock my car in Valet mode in case I get carjacked. This would put my car into a less-performing mode and prevent the carjacker from finding my home address or even open the glove box/frunk too quickly. It will also prevent them from disabling the tracking/remote access feature.
3) Pack a bright flashlight
4) Locate a 24 hour coffee shop if possible
5) Don't drive in the middle of the night and go for destination charger hotels if possible
6) Pre-dial 9-1-1
7) If someone approaches and you have enough time - go out and unplug the car until they drive off
8) Don't sleep in the car at a SC location - instead, sleep someplace more inconspicuous if you have to sleep in the car and charge in the morning (have breakfast) before heading out.

Good notes if I switch my brain from predator mode to prey mode someday.

Tint your windows and sleep in the trunk. When parked, your home is your castle.

Avoid engagement and be aware of surroundings but no way am I going to live in fear.

911 responds in minutes when seconds matter. If the threat is really serious, 911 waits for backups or radios from a safe distance. We saw this recently.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: FlatSix911