Supercharger - Salinas, CA (LIVE 14 Oct 2017, 14 V2 stalls)

[Ulmo]

Caution for Salinas Charging — NAILS

Arrived here with 20% SoC and got message that Sentry was disabled. Plugged in and we saw all these nails around the Tesla Supercharger parking row. Don’t know if someone hates Teslas or if there was construction there (didn’t see any from posted photos above) but wanted everyone charging there to be aware. Didn’t see any along the full row side but there are nails next to the single charger spot opposite the main row by the enclosure.

Hope to find the name of management company for shopping center to call and request clean up but I’d use extra care before pulling into one of the charging spots.

I’ll post some photos when we get home and hopefully didn’t pick up one in our tires.

I know not everyone has the resources to clean those, but I try to pick up nails and bolts in parking lots. That's because I know the broken window fallacy. The Broken-Window Fallacy | Robert P. Murphy Furthermore, I know that catastrophic tire failure is potentially deadly or harmful to health.

That's why I pick up nails & bolts off the ground that I did not drop. Also, whenever I drop nails, I count them, so that I will always pick up an equal or greater number of nails as I dropped, even if it means I have to search for them hidden or unseen.

I believe the phenomenon of finding nails on the ground near poor areas is because some people were taught the poor ideology of destruction causing a net gain to the community. It is the same as the drug dealers and their supporters saying that drug dealing causes a net gain to the community, and often those are the same people saying both things (I have witnessed those people saying that firsthand). The best way to fix this is to make the problem out of sight, out of mind; get rid of the nails, so they do not cause a further problem, and so more people aren't reminded of the idea in the first place. Be very careful picking up nails; you have to do so with as much or more caution as crossing the street, because you are not looking or moving or able to divert your movement. One safer technique is to kick the nail off the street to a place that it is safe to pick up, or at least less likely to be run over; only do this if you are safe to kick in the street (already good at kicking, right shoes, etc.). (You wouldn't want to fall over in the street with oncoming traffic, or get distracted with a nail stabbing your foot, which itself can cause a bad infection from inserting the bad materials of your shoe into your body.)

 

[cpa]

I know not everyone has the resources to clean those, but I try to pick up nails and bolts in parking lots. That's because I know the broken window fallacy. The Broken-Window Fallacy | Robert P. Murphy Furthermore, I know that catastrophic tire failure is potentially deadly or harmful to health.

That's why I pick up nails & bolts off the ground that I did not drop. Also, whenever I drop nails, I count them, so that I will always pick up an equal or greater number of nails as I dropped, even if it means I have to search for them hidden or unseen.

I believe the phenomenon of finding nails on the ground near poor areas is because some people were taught the poor ideology of destruction causing a net gain to the community. It is the same as the drug dealers and their supporters saying that drug dealing causes a net gain to the community, and often those are the same people saying both things (I have witnessed those people saying that firsthand). The best way to fix this is to make the problem out of sight, out of mind; get rid of the nails, so they do not cause a further problem, and so more people aren't reminded of the idea in the first place. Be very careful picking up nails; you have to do so with as much or more caution as crossing the street, because you are not looking or moving or able to divert your movement. One safer technique is to kick the nail off the street to a place that it is safe to pick up, or at least less likely to be run over; only do this if you are safe to kick in the street (already good at kicking, right shoes, etc.). (You wouldn't want to fall over in the street with oncoming traffic, or get distracted with a nail stabbing your foot, which itself can cause a bad infection from inserting the bad materials of your shoe into your body.)

Or, carry a magnet to pick them up. (Yes, I have a telescoping magnet in the car.)

Perhaps the simplest explanation for this hardware scattered about was a result of carelessness by someone in a pickup truck or similar vehicle that spilled these items into the parking lot and decided to sweep them away to the curb instead of picking them up. Unless we continue to find more and more items like nails at Salinas, I am not yet convinced that this was an overt act of sabotage.

 

[SMAlset]

FWIW I did get this reported to PGI Management of Harden Ranch Plaza who immediately said they would have maintenance go through the area to remove the nails. Brandie welcomed the photos to show them. Said she completely understood the concern.

 

[SMAlset]

We'd like to dismiss the possibilty that someone would spread nails in the area to give flat tires to Teslas too but we all know stuff to the contrary does happen. Now that management is aware of the nails hopefully they will have maintenance be on the look out for stuff like this.

Just came across this story on Teslarati from Norway. Tesla Sentry Mode captures man seemingly trying to cause a Model 3 accident Always good to be aware of your surroundings and people in the area.

 

[mociaf9]

We'd like to dismiss the possibilty that someone would spread nails in the area to give flat tires to Teslas too but we all know stuff to the contrary does happen. Now that management is aware of the nails hopefully they will have maintenance be on the look out for stuff like this.

Just came across this story on Teslarati from Norway. Tesla Sentry Mode captures man seemingly trying to cause a Model 3 accident Always good to be aware of your surroundings and people in the area.

I'd consider the inclusion of the washers (seen in the final picture) as more supporting the idea that someone dropped a container of miscellaneous fasteners and hardware and wasn't able or bothered to clean them all up. And with the way that parking lots get cleaned, I wouldn't be surprised if it actually happened somewhat away from supercharger stalls but the sweeper trucks ended up pushing them to the edge of the lot (which happened to be where the superchargers are). Though I don't know that this would account for the ones over the curb. But, either way, as you said, no harm in being vigilant.

BTW, the interpretation of that Teslarati story is totally bonkers. The guy was trying to steal the wheels not trying to cause an accident. He got scared off before getting to the point of lifting the car.

 

[thecloud]

Have never experienced any issues with the Salinas supercharger, other than the navigation system insisting you should exit the highway at Main and then drive a mile up the street. (Boronda is still the closest exit.) This time, Main Street wasn't even a possibility as the offramp was closed for repairs.

We got a great supercharging rate of 116 kW last Sunday evening!

 

[thecloud]

Speaking of Salinas, I really appreciate the art project in the parking stalls around the supercharger:

The last one is subtle: they initially put "MAKE GOOD CHOICES" all on one line, but there wasn't quite enough room. So they painted over it and used two lines, which was a better choice.

 

[ecarfan]

So it is possible to charge at Salinas without unhitching. Have unhitched and charged here many times, today my spouse suggested we try the pedestal on the “back side” of the row of pedestals and to my surprise it was easy.

 

[ohmman]

So it is possible to charge at Salinas without unhitching. Have unhitched and charged here many times, today my spouse suggested we try the pedestal on the “back side” of the row of pedestals and to my surprise it was easy.

View attachment 610116 View attachment 610117

You mean like this?

 

[ecarfan]

You mean like this?

Hey, you are asking me to remember something you posted over a year ago? At my age that’s problematic.

 

[TwistedGray]

Line em up

Removed some bolts and pokey bits today that were scattered around. Ughhhhhhhhhh

 

[TwistedGray]

Who do you let know, how do you let someone know, that some of the stations are not working? 6B sand 7A are not functional. I tried both, and another person tried both, and neither of them are functional. I forget the message that showed up on the dashboard.

 

[Dave EV]

Who do you let know, how do you let someone know, that some of the stations are not working? 6B sand 7A are not functional. I tried both, and another person tried both, and neither of them are functional. I forget the message that showed up on the dashboard.

Tesla probably knows already (they have automated monitoring of their systems) and probably already have alerts for the issue.

But if you want to post somewhere about it, here as well as Plugshare are your best bets, Tesla has been known to monitor social media.

 

[TwistedGray]

Tesla probably knows already (they have automated monitoring of their systems) and probably already have alerts for the issue.

But if you want to post somewhere about it, here as well as Plugshare are your best bets, Tesla has been known to monitor social media.

Good to know (on all accounts). Thanks : )

I only ask because I was at the Monterey station a week ago or so, and I noticed they had actual notices on the chargers there that were out of order. Here we're all guinea pigs ; )

 

[Mrbrock]

Good to know (on all accounts). Thanks : )

I only ask because I was at the Monterey station a week ago or so, and I noticed they had actual notices on the chargers there that were out of order. Here we're all guinea pigs ; )

Was the Tesla logo lit up? Usually it is out on non functional stations. Easier to see at night but still visible daytime.

 

[TwistedGray]

Was the Tesla logo lit up? Usually it is out on non functional stations. Easier to see at night but still visible daytime.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, I dunno. I'll check next time and pay attention. Wasn't aware that's an indicator

 

[Mrbrock]

If the power has been cut to the unit then it will not light up. Sometimes they are lit up and not working but usually once Tesla is alerted there is an issue they can shut it down remotely I believe.

 

[SMAlset]

Line em up

Removed some bolts and pokey bits today that were scattered around. Ughhhhhhhhhh
View attachment 649033

If you look back to 2019 posts I mentioned when we were there then there were nails and such around the SC parking stalls. Reading your recent post it made me wonder if this could be an problem thing down there for Tesla owners wanting to charge.

 

[TwistedGray]

If you look back to 2019 posts I mentioned when we were there then there were nails and such around the SC parking stalls. Reading your recent post it made me wonder if this could be an problem thing down there for Tesla owners wanting to charge.

I'm in Palmdale tonight, and we pulled a long for inch nail off the parking lot. I think it's just random...

 

[TwistedGray]

Currently there are, at least, 4 non-operable chargers. I lucked out today, sike!!