Fuel Efficient Vehicle Parking Space defiled by a Volvo SUV

[Darren]

Ikea in Utah has put up "Fuel Efficient Vehicle" parking space signs that specifically state Electric, Hybrid or Diesel vehicles only.

Does this frustrate everybody on the board as much as me?

 

[fooljoe]

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4145" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Roadburner440]

It is aggrivating, but not much you can do about it. My kids school has a space like that to meet whatever the states quota is for being "green." You always see teachers parking their Tahoe's and such in there. Granted when I had my SRT-8 I wouldn't think twice about parking in those spaces, but now that I have a Volt with a Leaf on the way it does kind of irk me. Ironic how those things pan out. I just usually park elsewhere. I kind of like that most people do not know that my car is electric, and would rather keep it that way. Otherwise they all would be trying to bum rides, send me on food runs, and car pool. :lol:

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Eight people riding in a Tahoe is more fuel efficient than a Prius with a single driver. Where is the criteria for fuel efficiency defined?

 

[Roadburner440]

Eight people riding in a Tahoe is more fuel efficient than a Prius with a single driver. Where is the criteria for fuel efficiency defined?

Would be great but most of the time those people are solo. Especially at my kids school. Most of the time when me and my wife go up there we get dirty looks for parking in the spaces when we are the ones actually driving a plug in or hybrid. If we want to do it by passengers and use that calculation then that would make it extremely hard to enforce.

Using your analogy though at current gas prices here of $3.55 for regular, and the Tahoe's 17mpg with 8 people puts it at about $0.026/mile.. Me by myself in my Volt I get $0.029/mile, and with the wife/kids that would bring it down to $0.00736/mile. So even with 8 people in the Tahoe that would be a hard sell. At most I usually see 4 or 5. So I still think they do not need to be in the spot. That is without even getting into energy equivelents and all that. I will not argue about the Prius however. As our Prius currently is sitting at $0.07/mile with a solo passenger. Which is why the Volt gets the brunt of the driving till our Leaf hits the shore.

 

[nater]

... and four people in a Prius is still twice as efficient as 8 people in a Tahoe...

 

[adric22]

My brother drives a Tundra and he thinks it is funny to park it in fuel efficient parking spots. He has also mentioned that there is no specific criteria for determining efficiency as it is all relative to something else. So, sure his big truck is efficient compared to a Hummer or an 18-wheeler. All such signs around here just say "fuel efficient vehicle" and leave it at that, no mention of hybrid, diesel, or electric.

 

[lpickup]

My brother drives a Tundra and he thinks it is funny to park it in fuel efficient parking spots. He has also mentioned that there is no specific criteria for determining efficiency as it is all relative to something else. So, sure his big truck is efficient compared to a Hummer or an 18-wheeler. All such signs around here just say "fuel efficient vehicle" and leave it at that, no mention of hybrid, diesel, or electric.

Unfortunately, your brother is essentially correct. As it stands today, the wording on those types of signs is almost useless.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Unfortunately, your brother is essentially correct. As it stands today, the wording on those types of signs is almost useless.

The signs are not only useless, they are themselves wasteful. There is steel or aluminum in the pole, steel or plastic in the sign, paint, etc all of which had to be produced. Then someone drove out to the site with the signs and install them, probably in a much-maligned Tundra pickup truck. Then make some more trips out to fix or replace them when they get knocked over.

All for a LEED-certified warm green guilt-ameliorating fuzzy.

 

[yoyofella]

Ikea at East Palo Alto has about 10~12 prime parking spots designated for hybrid vehicle. When I go to the store, those spots are typically 80~90% parked with standard ICEs.

When I brought this up with the store manager, she said there's nothing they can do. Signs are just there as a guide and are not enforceable.

The EV parking spots with Blink chargers were empty though as it was quite far from the entrance and difficult to find, so no SUV parked there.

 

[LakeLeaf]

There is an open "fuel efficient" space right in front of the Volvo. Use it, or walk a few extra steps.

Life is too short to take a parking space so seriously. Seriously!

 

[jkirkebo]

Ikea at East Palo Alto has about 10~12 prime parking spots designated for hybrid vehicle. When I go to the store, those spots are typically 80~90% parked with standard ICEs.

When I brought this up with the store manager, she said there's nothing they can do. Signs are just there as a guide and are not enforceable.

Seriously ? A store in the US can't enforce whatever rules they set for their own parking spaces ? Over here the owner of the spaces can set whatever rules they want and enforce by ticketing (typically $100-$150) or having the offending vehicle towed (in addition to the ticket...).

 

[ericsf]

Maybe I am missing something but what are those parking slots for exactly? Is it just a perk or is there a practical reason why "fuel efficient" vehicles should park there?

Frankly if that's the former I don't agree with this to beging with. We're going to have enough battles to fight to prevent ICEs from using the EVSE parking, or even EV drivers to be courteous and use EVSE to charge and not just park. We don't need to have even more reason to agravate the situation. This seem about as silly as the employee of the month parking.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

This seem about as silly as the employee of the month parking.

+1

All the more reason the EVSEs should not be in the primo locations, although that can be tough as more distant locations may be more costly to install.

 

[Rusty]

Maybe I am missing something but what are those parking slots for exactly? Is it just a perk or is there a practical reason why "fuel efficient" vehicles should park there?

My understanding is that there are government granted advantages for achieving LEED certification. For better or worse, designated desirable fuel efficient parking spaces are part of that process.

 

[lpickup]

My understanding is that there are government granted advantages for achieving LEED certification. For better or worse, designated desirable fuel efficient parking spaces are part of that process.

Yeah, but that's the end justifying the means.

I'll come out in defense of the spirit of the idea though. The idea is to promote acceptance of "greener" transportation by giving those who bicycle, carpool and use more "efficient" cars a perk. I think in principle it makes sense until usage of that particular mode of transportation becomes commonplace when it should no longer be necessary (or the bar gets raised).

They certainly didn't think through the implementation, and maybe it's just not possible to implement this kind of thing through a "certification" process. One thing that is necessary is for the entity that built the LEED certified buildings to really be committed to the environment. I don't think this is always the case--they want the good press that comes from having a LEED certified building, and perhaps the aforementioned government granted advantages, but once the building is done they couldn't care less about being green and actively monitor and enforce those spots. Because it would be practically impossible to maintain a list of "fuel efficient and low emission" vehicles and expect people to know whether they have a qualifying vehicle, AND because plug-ins are now on the market in significant numbers, the required signage ought to just say electric vehicles only. If specific alternative fuel vehicles (i.e. hydrogen, CNG) exist in a particular area, that would be allowed as well with specific wording to indicate exactly what is allowed. You don't want someone to pull up in their E85 Suburban and claim that it is alternate fuel!

 

[timhebb]

My brother drives a Tundra and he thinks it is funny to park it in fuel efficient parking spots.

I wonder if he'd think it's funny if an EV driver cemented his gas cap on.

 

[garygid]

Or, pour electrons in the gas tank? :roll:

 

[timhebb]

This is annoying to all EV drivers, but I don't think it rises to the level of creating a new topic.

I suggest that all PEV drivers spend some time creating your own (non-legally-binding) "citations" to issue in these situations, and print several dozen copies to keep in your glove box.

Here's a link to a sample of a genuine "citation" issued by the Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power when their EV charging spaces are ICE'd. I borrowed this one from under the wiper blade of an offending ICE car to snap a picture front and back. Later, the agent who issued it told me it had very limited legal force. BUT - they seem to do the job of keeping EV charging spaces free for EV's at LADWP.

I suggest using your imagination to tailor your own citations to your wishes, being as courteous - or not - as your personality dictates. But keep in mind the opportunity ICE drivers will have to later retaliate, perhaps when your Leaf (or mine) is unprotected and vulnerable to the whim of some PO'ed ICEman.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24839979@N06/6775731966" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[ericsf]

My brother drives a Tundra and he thinks it is funny to park it in fuel efficient parking spots.

I wonder if he'd think it's funny if an EV driver cemented his gas cap on.

That's exactly why I think those "perks" are not doing us EV drivers any good. Just serves to escalate the rivalry between tree hungers and gas guzzlers. I couldn't care less that ICE park on "Fuel efficient" reserved parking. However I'd be really POed if I need to use an EVSE which is ICEd. Let's fight the right battles.