Why do EV drivers park in EV spaces and not charge?

[Iluvpcs]

I bought a small stack of those tear off “your being an ice hole” type of flyers and pull them out of the glove box and put under their wiper.

Actually it’s the nice EV flyers that state your blocking a person who might need this spot to get Home etc. I know it’s probably a drop in the bucket, but if you don’t start it’ll never change. I went to local movie theater last Friday night with 4 EV spots and all 4 were taken by ICE cars with both ground and a sign stating EV only. Felt good (how sad is that?)

 

[Uncle Paul]

Porcupines!

 

[mknox]

Haven’t experienced this yet in Canada. But it’s just that people suck is all. And with more EVs in the road there are more shitty people with EVs in the road and in stalls!

Hah! Come to the Toronto area. I see this behavior all the time. Just last week, a couple of young girls parked a Leaf in a charging spot and walked off. Getting out of my car, I told them they shouldn't block someone else who may need a charge and just got flipped off for my trouble.Now I just say something like how I wouldn't take the chance of doing that and returning to a vandalized car (not that I would vandalize anyone's car). That usually gets their attention.

 

[Leopold Stotch]

Hah! Come to the Toronto area. I see this behavior all the time. Just last week, a couple of young girls parked a Leaf in a charging spot and walked off. Getting out of my car, I told them they shouldn't block someone else who may need a charge and just got flipped off for my trouble.Now I just say something like how I wouldn't take the chance of doing that and returning to a vandalized car (not that I would vandalize anyone's car). That usually gets their attention.

I feel your pain! I'm preparing for this in the winter shopping holiday season. Attached are some posters to leave on windshields, cheers!

 

[cwerdna]

(I live and work in California.)

I think some people view these charging spots (often located close to the stores like those designated for the disabled) as a perk for driving an EV, just like being able to drive in an HOV lane with no passengers in the EV.

Another EV driver at my work has in the past mentioned he's encountered some other EV drivers at my work who have this view and therefore "justification" for parking in EV spots w/o charging or intent to charge.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Dim MyAttitudeCurrently as Extremely Variant

suggest adding:

Dim YourAttitudeCurrently as Dim

 

[Buook]

Prank Idea: Model S owners band together and take up every pump spot at a high traffic gas station and go sit down for lunch across the street.

Prank'd!

 

[AudubonB]

@Sampling n=1 I can corroborate the answer as being because of jerknesshoodmentship. The one time I left a tactfully-worded note on the window of a Model S using a Whole Foods charging slot simply to park, the driver returned as I left his car.

The end result of a fairly short interchange was that I learned he could park there because, as the driver of an EV, he was so entitled.

In a related action, several times I have requested to Whole Foods managers that they bark up the food chain a plea to install their EV chargers at the least desirable parking slots their lots have, and not at the most coveted ones, which has been their wont.

If membership has its privileges, then certainly responsibility has its burdens. Don't you think?

 

[brkaus]

Prank Idea: Model S owners band together and take up every pump spot at a high traffic gas station and go sit down for lunch across the street.

Prank'd!

It would be fun, but likely a law against it. If nothing else, the station owner could have you towed for trespassing.

The problem is charging station owners do not want to upset their customers. If people with their entitlement card shop at their store, it gets the job done and doesn't cost them a dime. In reality, it may be better for the store as it doesn't cost them anything.

In a related action, several times I have requested to Whole Foods managers that they bark up the food chain a plea to install their EV chargers at the least desirable parking slots their lots have, and not at the most coveted ones, which has been their wont.

Whole Foods is totally unresponsive about the EV chargers. The one near me has a broken latch (so it won't lock into the car and can easily be pulled out) and they have done nothing to repair it in 4 months.

Totally agree on putting them out of the way. However, in many cases that makes it much more expensive due to lack of power in the back corners of the parking lots.

 

[gregd]

Totally agree on putting them out of the way. However, in many cases that makes it much more expensive due to lack of power in the back corners of the parking lots.

A local store proposed to put some chargers out a small ways from the entrance, but the city forced them to a location right in front of the store, next to the disabled parking, citing ADA requirements I believe. To be fair, the original location probably wasn't ADA compliant, but the point is that it was the city, not the store, that determined the final location.

 

[brkaus]

A local store proposed to put some chargers out a small ways from the entrance, but the city forced them to a location right in front of the store, next to the disabled parking, citing ADA requirements I believe. To be fair, the original location probably wasn't ADA compliant, but the point is that it was the city, not the store, that determined the final location.

Ouch. That to require the chargers be ADA? Didn’t think of that...

 

[jas]

View attachment 261561 I see this almost every day. Two types of jerks.

At least from this picture a more precise signage would help. “Reserved Parking Only” is inviting people to try to get away with a loophole of not stating that they need to be both parking and charging there.

 

[GoTslaGo]

Ouch. That to require the chargers be ADA? Didn’t think of that...

There is an Ikea near us with couple of L2 chargers. One is in a super prime location, in a handicapped spot (right next to main entrance). The spot is always taken, and I’ve never seen it once being used for charging... and mostly with an ICE, albeit with handicapped tags.

Honestly kind of stupid, IMHO. They should have put the charger on the last handicapped spot—to keep it ADA compliant, but then again, maybe it’s due to the nature of the power supply. Sad part is if they did put it in the “worst” handicapped spot, I’m sure there’s lawyers out there that would take umbrage...

 

[Mr X]

Because you have an EV so you're cool.

 

[Ulmo]

Treating EV owners as special by parking lot designers is the culprit. Take away Parking Lot Affirmative Action, and this whole problem goes away.

 

[TexasEV]

Its not the parking lot designers, it’s the misguided LEED certification rules they’re following.

 

[Ulmo]

Its not the parking lot designers, it’s the misguided LEED certification rules they’re following.

I didn't know that, but then those should be fixed then. But I'm not going to hold my breath. By the time the bureaucrats get around to fixing that, hopefully EV market share, solar power market share, and solar power storage market share will be large enough they won't need LEED certification rules.

 

[Skipdd]

@Sampling n=1 I can corroborate the answer as being because of jerknesshoodmentship. The one time I left a tactfully-worded note on the window of a Model S using a Whole Foods charging slot simply to park, the driver returned as I left his car.

The end result of a fairly short interchange was that I learned he could park there because, as the driver of an EV, he was so entitled.

In a related action, several times I have requested to Whole Foods managers that they bark up the food chain a plea to install their EV chargers at the least desirable parking slots their lots have, and not at the most coveted ones, which has been their wont.

If membership has its privileges, then certainly responsibility has its burdens. Don't you think?

Moving charging locations is a good idea and gets to the root of the problem. I admit to having a moral debate with myself when parking in a busy garage and trying to make an appointment, knowing I don't really need to charge. Also, in the DC suburbs some parking lots have spaces w/o chargers reserved for Low Emitting Vehicles. They are usually up front and of course fair game.

 

[Merrill]

We have a place we go for lunch in Napa and there is a sign saying low emissions vehicle parking about 6 spots with no chargers. Do you think any cars parked in those slots are low emissions, NOT!

 

[GoTslaGo]

We have a place we go for lunch in Napa and there is a sign saying low emissions vehicle parking about 6 spots with no chargers. Do you think any cars parked in those slots are low emissions, NOT!

Yep. Every area I’ve gone to with “EV” parking spots are ICE’d. Why bother if not enforced. Looks good for the location, but without enforcement, all just window dressing.