Supercharger - San Mateo, CA - Park Place (LIVE, 8 V2 stalls)

[Khatsalano]

The large number of locals using this one make it very tough for folks driving to/from SF. Stopping to charge and having all full, with folks not coming back for over an hour is very frustrating.

How do you know who is local and who is not? To some in the country, someone living in SF is also a local to this SC.

The way I see it, the more visitors to the SC, the more views we are getting from others at the Whole Foods/Crunch Gym/Peet's/Restaurants/Shops. The view is the future of sustainable transport. That is a powerful image and one that cannot be undone in the minds of all these ICE users who can afford a Tesla today. This location happens to have hundreds of the target audience going by the SC per day.

 

[gordo]

How do you know who is local and who is not? To some in the country, someone living in SF is also a local to this SC.

Look for TCP tags. Plenty of for-hire cars using these for SFO runs.

The way I see it, the more visitors to the SC, the more views we are getting from others at the Whole Foods/Crunch Gym/Peet's/Restaurants/Shops. The view is the future of sustainable transport. That is a powerful image and one that cannot be undone in the minds of all these ICE users who can afford a Tesla today. This location happens to have hundreds of the target audience going by the SC per day.

It's great that these SuperChargers provide free advertising for TM, but these slots are also necessary for long distance travel, and I would be fuming mad if I was on a long road trip and was inconvenienced because some local decided to stop by to top up unnecessarily or someone's Airport limo business is too cheap to buy HPWCs.

 

[Khatsalano]

Look for TCP tags. Plenty of for-hire cars using these for SFO runs.

This part I agree with, but I wouldn't call them local. I really dislike them clogging up our SC and taking free energy as a business input. Tesla will eventually have to do something about this when entire taxi or limo fleets go Model S/X's. It's inevitable because of how much cheaper fuel is.

- K

 

[rickgt]

Thank you... Exactly my point

Look for TCP tags. Plenty of for-hire cars using these for SFO runs.



It's great that these SuperChargers provide free advertising for TM, but these slots are also necessary for long distance travel, and I would be fuming mad if I was on a long road trip and was inconvenienced because some local decided to stop by to top up unnecessarily or someone's Airport limo business is too cheap to buy HPWCs.

 

[WarrenInCA]

My first time at the San Mateo supercharger. I was surprised to see the four porta-potties, but after visiting Peet's and Chipotle, and not seeking any restrooms, I now understand.

 

[Khatsalano]

My first time at the San Mateo supercharger. I was surprised to see the four porta-potties, but after visiting Peet's and Chipotle, and not seeking any restrooms, I now understand.

I don't think the porta-potties are for us. There is probably construction going on there of some kind. There are clean bathrooms inside Peet's and Chipotle! And the Whole Foods and all of the other restaurants too.

- K

 

[bmah]

Happy New Year, San Mateo fans. Stopped by here looking for an opportunity charge while getting a late lunch, but the last spot when I arrived was being taken by one of the most cringe-worthy back-in parking jobs I have ever witnessed. :scared: I hope this was a new owner still getting used to the car! I didn't stay, just moved to another (non charging) space and parked.

 

[Khatsalano]

Feel free to shame with photos.

- K

 

[bmah]

Feel free to shame with photos.

It really would have required a movie to get the full effect, but getting out of my car to film this would have been extra-obnoxious and distracting. All I will say is that his passenger had to hop out to guide him through multiple forward and backward "moves", and I was really really really afraid for the cars parked in adjacent stalls. Hey that's another reason for me to get a dash cam!

(And if the driver in question is reading this...I'm sorry for having a little fun at your expense. Please work on your back-in parking technique...using all the mirrors and the rear camera and the parking sensors (if you have them), and of course just looking out the windows. Model S can be a hard car to park due to its size and abysmal rearward visibility, but you *will* get better with practice, and it's a skill that will serve you well since a lot of Supercharger locations have back-in stalls just like San Mateo.)

 

[Khatsalano]

Tesla attendant now present at San Mateo Supercharger | Forums | Tesla Motors

... check out that thread at the company forums. Attendant?

 

[ecarfan]

Wow, there is now an "attendant" at that Supercharger? Apparently that person tries to keep track of who is next in line, queries people about how long they intend to be there charging, etc.
I live less than 10 minutes from that Supercharger but have never used it and do not intend to ever plug in there. I'm glad it's there but that parking lot is crowded on weekdays and if you arrive expecting to plug in and all the stalls are full, there may be no place to park nearby and wait for an open stall. If you try to wait within visual distance you are going to block traffic in the parking area.

 

[MarcG]

That's what Tesla gets for building an SC off 101, and not 280. If they truly meant to design them for "free long-distance charging", they totally screwed this one up and end up with many locals (except ecarfan!) & TCP drivers.

 

[Khatsalano]

Met the attendant today. Nice guy. He says peak time is right when people get off work. He helped some others plug their cars in so the driver didn't even have to get out of the car. I think his mere presence dissuades abusers or people who use it as a parking spot and not a charging spot.

Why was I there? I shamefully forgot to plug in my car last night ... I really need the app to give me an alarm by 9:00pm for example if the car isn't plugged in. Or Elon's robo snake.

- K

 

[MarcG]

Met the attendant today. Nice guy. He says peak time is right when people get off work. He helped some others plug their cars in so the driver didn't even have to get out of the car. I think his mere presence dissuades abusers or people who use it as a parking spot and not a charging spot.

Why was I there? I shamefully forgot to plug in my car last night ... I really need the app to give me an alarm by 9:00pm for example if the car isn't plugged in. Or Elon's robo snake.

- K

Thanks for passing on the info you got from the attendant.

Have you looked into the VisibleTesla desktop app? You can set it to schedule a charge every night and notify you if anything goes wrong (e.g. forgot to plug it in :wink

 

[MarcG]

At the San Mateo SC, waiting for a charge.

The attendant (gray Tesla cap, talking to another S owner on the right) said I couldn't give him my key while I pop into WF as he's not allowed to drive the cars... kind of defeats the purpose IMO.

 

[rickgt]

We need more charger slots. Always busy, and very slow charging rate.

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[MarcG]

Not sure how new this is, but I noticed yesterday that Tesla added a sign stating "VACATE STALL WHEN CHARGING COMPLETED" below the standard Tesla charging signs:

 

[ecarfan]

Excellent addition to the signage at that Supercharger location. I recommend adding the same signs at the Gilroy Supercharger.

 

[roser]

Just got my X, my 14-50 outlet won't be installed until next week so I swung by San Mateo supercharger around 5pm this Tuesday. I was surprised to see all 8 stalls full and 2 more cars in line.

Is there a way to check online if the supercharger stalls are all on use?
That would be helpful when deciding between a slower destination charger or a supercharger with a wait during a road trip.

 

[ecarfan]

Is there a way to check online if the supercharger stalls are all on use?
That would be helpful when deciding between a slower destination charger or a supercharger with a wait during a road trip.

At this time there is no way to do what you describe. There has been a great deal of discussion on TMC about how Tesla could provide such information, but so far no indication from Tesla that it will do so.