Tesla chargers are not for parking

[trojaneen]

We’re on a 2,000 mile road trip, and it has basically been wonderful, with Tesla Superchargers used for virtually every stop. We wanted to do one destination stay at the Mariott in Salt Lake City, which has 2 Tesla chargers. We called ahead, but they couldn’t confirm their availability, so we stopped to check. Luckily, we didn’t get our room first, because a Model X and a Model S were parked, not charging. They clearly hadn’t been charging, because their cars were parked in the wrong direction. They were only using the chargers as convenient parking spaces. We had to find another hotel without a charger, then find the supercharger the next morning. The whole process added over an 1 1/2 hours to our trip.
Please be considerate and not use chargers for parking spaces. You are no different than the the idiots in ices parking in chargers. Thank you.

 

[ChrisH]

We’re on a 2,000 mile road trip, and it has basically been wonderful, with Tesla Superchargers used for virtually every stop. We wanted to do one destination stay at the Mariott in Salt Lake City, which has 2 Tesla chargers. We called ahead, but they couldn’t confirm their availability, so we stopped to check. Luckily, we didn’t get our room first, because a Model X and a Model S were parked, not charging. They clearly hadn’t been charging, because their cars were parked in the wrong direction. They were only using the chargers as convenient parking spaces. We had to find another hotel without a charger, then find the supercharger the next morning. The whole process added over an 1 1/2 hours to our trip.
Please be considerate and not use chargers for parking spaces. You are no different than the the idiots in ices parking in chargers. Thank you.

This is becoming a huge issue. Even at superchargers. People recommend plugging them in if possible. That obviously would t have worked in this situation.

 

[srs5694]

At a hotel, you could take down the license plate numbers of the offending cars and ask the front desk to contact the guests to move at least one of those cars. The hotel might or might not be accommodating, but it's worth a try. (OTOH, this might provoke "parking lot rage," particularly if a guest is awakened with a request to move a car. Of course, you could activate Sentry Mode to catch such incidents on camera.)

 

[SMAlset]

Assume this was a destination charger at that hotel?

Actually way worse when it’s a Tesla abusing charging spots because they should know better. Maybe karma gets them when they are on a trip in need of charge and can’t get one and have the point hit home in the worst way.

Do hotels ask you to provide your license plate any more when you register? If so, the hotel should be able to contact that guest and have them move their car.

 

[cpa]

Do hotels ask you to provide your license plate any more when you register? If so, the hotel should be able to contact that guest and have them move their car.

Based upon my super small sample size, the answer is no. On a recent road trip, I spent nine nights at different properties. One asked for the make, model, and license plate.

This experience is a good lesson in not making assumptions about destination charging. Always have a plan B. The chargers might be ICEd, they might be Tesla'd, they might be broken, or they might actually be available and working.

 

[trojaneen]

The hotel had a large event going on, and it was around 9:00 PM. Both cars had Utah plates, so it seemed likely that they weren’t staying at the hotel. The Marriottt was very pleasant, but showed not interest or ability to track the owners.

 

[MidwestM3P]

Did you leave notes on their cars? I would have. You don't have to be a jerk about it, but a quick acknowledgement asking that they not use the charger parking spaces unless they're actually charging. This should be common sense, but with some people, you have to show them the way to common sense.....

 

[trojaneen]

Did you leave notes on their cars? I would have. You don't have to be a jerk about it, but a quick acknowledgement asking that they not use the charger parking spaces unless they're actually charging. This should be common sense, but with some people, you have to show them the way to common sense.....

I was going to, and probably should have, but the whole process was adding a lot of time, and we really needed to find a hotel after 12+ hours on the road.

 

[rjshar]

I'm finding this to be the case with a lot of destination chargers I go to. I've had my car for a month or so now and have yet to be able to destination charge due to other Tesla's occupying the spots while not charging.

 

[Gray468]

There is a local non Tesla charger that delivers 50 mi/hr. And it’s free. And it is almost always occupied, often with another EV parked beside with its beak open ready to be fed. If there are no cars waiting, it is often worth checking to see if the charger is delivering amps. If the charging light is off, it has become polite to unplug and plug in. More than once I have charged for 90 mins and the other car is still there. So I plug it back in when I leave.

Been using it for over 18 months. Have to wonder when it will convert to a pay as you go. But a big thank you for installing the most powerful free charger I have come across (for my 2017 S100D, it delivers 69 Amps at 237 volts).

 

[MarshallUCF]

I recently stayed at a hotel with a tesla charger available in the parking garage. Spot was painted red and said “Tesla Only”. Was happy to see it empty upon arrival. Once I was full, I moved my car out of the spot. Never saw another Tesla using the spot but I know I would have been upset if someone was in it without using it and I needed it.

 

[rich0]

IMO Tesla really has to fix this, and they can. Simply require that any destination chargers they supply at promotional rates, or which are listed in the official map, require signing an agreement by the property owner. The agreement would give Tesla the right to subcontract towing without further approval of any car parked in the spot that isn't actively charging, and post a sign to this effect by the charger. Then Tesla would in turn subcontract in all areas with towing companies that could make profits by towing cars they either find themselves or get reports on via the number on the sign.

They should also charge fees for all destination charger use, again for anything displayed on the map. That way people avoid the charger if they don't need to use it.

Sure, some places would refuse to install destination chargers, and that is fine by me. I think not having a destination charger at a location is better than having one that is blocked when I arrive, because in the former case I can plan to go someplace else in the first place. If you show up at your hotel with nowhere to charge, and with 20 miles or range left on your battery, then you're potentially facing huge delays/issues.

 

[Trekboy]

I recently stayed at a hotel with a tesla charger available in the parking garage. Spot was painted red and said “Tesla Only”. Was happy to see it empty upon arrival. Once I was full, I moved my car out of the spot. Never saw another Tesla using the spot but I know I would have been upset if someone was in it without using it and I needed it.

I love businesses that have the balls to put up "EV ONLY" or "TESLA ONLY" signs. After all, you would think since they probably put in the charger to promote business in the first place they would not be interested in others icing their customers. I commend you and would do personally do the same...move my car after it was charged (unless it was like 3am). I've even left a note on my dash to other travelers, "I'll be charged and moving my car at 10pm".

 

[Wooloomooloo]

I've started to make a point of calling hotels ahead of time and asking them to hold the charging spot - and many in fact do with cones or a sign if you ask them to (nicely of course). You need to follow this up with good reviews on Yelp, Google or your travel app of choice and specifically mention the destination charging. Positive reinforcement in the longer term will be effective.

I also brought a notepad and small marker pen for the car specifically for writing (civilized) notes for people who ICE or otherwise block charging.

 

[Bill Foster]

I've started to make a point of calling hotels ahead of time and asking them to hold the charging spot - and many in fact do with cones or a sign if you ask them to (nicely of course). You need to follow this up with good reviews on Yelp, Google or your travel app of choice and specifically mention the destination charging. Positive reinforcement in the longer term will be effective.

I also brought a notepad and small marker pen for the car specifically for writing (civilized) notes for people who ICE or otherwise block charging.

Someone here should make business cards with that note printed on it

 

[ReddyLeaf]

The hotel had a large event going on, and it was around 9:00 PM. Both cars had Utah plates, so it seemed likely that they weren’t staying at the hotel. The Marriottt was very pleasant, but showed not interest or ability to track the owners.

I know this won’t be much consolation now, but after a similar situation, I always stop at hotels earlier in th afternoon. I tell everyone I know traveling with an EV to do the same. Always expect hotel parking lots to fill and eventually the charging stations as well. Arriving earlier helps mitigate, but not eliminate the possibility. Hotel managers, for the most part, don’t know or don’t try to fix the problem. Example, arrived at Susanville, CA at 5pm in my 70D absolutely needing charging to get to Reno. Both stations empty, so I plugged in, check in, unload, then proceed to walk about 2-3mi RT looking for a decent restaurant other than those right at the hotel. It was a hot, noisy, pollution filled walk alongside the highway, sometimes without a sidewalk. I couldn’t risk driving to dinner and returning to an iced station. The next morning, the other stall had a 3 in it, so I moved my car and proceeded to load and have BFast before checkout. The spot was iced by the time I was done with BFast! Unfortunately, this happens all the time, all over the country. What I might have done, depending on the situation, park behind both EVs, plug in, leave a note with my phone number, and proceed to walk around at the various events holding a sign asking who owns the Tesla in the lot. I’ve gotten pretty good at guessing which people are Tesla owners when out on travels. A quick walk around, asking a few select people, and you’d find the owners. Don’t get me wrong, what they did was wrong and they should have left a note with their phone number, but they “should” be more approachable and willing to move their car (not always the case, but I’ve not yet met a a really bad Tesla jerk). In that situation, they might have been the only person actually saving you the spot.

 

[MrBadger]

Name and shame photo gallery!

If it was me I would probably park across the front of them with note on window on how to contact me (I would move on in a reasonable amount of time) - I do this at our holiday appt when our allocated space is used - means that we don't then start a cascade into someone else's allocated space. Normally sorts itself out quite quickly, especially if its trade with phone number on the side.

 

[kavyboy]

I recently stayed at a hotel with a tesla charger available in the parking garage. Spot was painted red and said “Tesla Only”. Was happy to see it empty upon arrival. Once I was full, I moved my car out of the spot. Never saw another Tesla using the spot but I know I would have been upset if someone was in it without using it and I needed it.

Another thing I've seen work well is putting green traffic cones in the spots. The slight inconvenience of getting out to move it makes selecting another spot more attractive for ICE drivers.
Another effective strategy: have the hotel employees park in the charging spots and then they can move upon request.

 

[525SNAP]

Unfortunately people that do that kind of *sugar* 1). Don't care what people say 2). Don't read this forum. And this will continue to be a problem, it sucks.

 

[Darmie]

I still think the burden is on the Hotel. If we are in need of a hotel, I'll check with plug share or the Nav app. If the hotel does not offer a working charger, we move on. It's their loss, just like OP.