No Sir, You can't park your LEAF in the EV charging spaces!!

[JPWhite]

Visited Radnor Lake State Park in Tennessee this last weekend.

The two Blink units were "on the blink" so to speak. The parking spaces had bollards indicating "No Parking" and "Tow Away Zone". Faced with no other available spaces and a 10 minute wait lining up to get into the parking lot in the first place, prompted me to seek permission to park in one of the two EV spots at the visitor center.

I was told No, because they weren't working. That's OK I said, I'll skip the charging thing, can I park? No!! They are not parking spaces they are for vehicle charging only, that's what the sign says. If they did work you would have to move on as soon as the charge completed. The Ranger confirmed that while the units are down, no vehicles can park there.

Interesting thing is that Blink called me first thing the next day after I sent them an email. They said the parking rules are up to the Landlord, not them (OK I said, makes sense). But then went into a long speel about how it is important for EV owners to share spaces and not assume they can use them to park in indefinitely. I pointed out that I wasn't given the opportunity to share with anyone, in fact no one could use the spaces. The Blink representative defended the interpretation of the signage as indicating that parking is only allowed while charging.

What if it's 2am and your sleeping when the charge completes? What if you are getting onto an aircraft when the charge is complete? What if the movie is only half way through when the charging completes? We can't park there? What sort of baloney is this? I carry a charging protocol card with my cell number and indicate when it's OK to unplug my vehicle. I'm all for sharing as much as possible. But prevent me from parking because I can't charge (through no fault of my own). Geeez Louise.

Is this what is called "encouraging EV adoption, through building a public charging infrastructure"?

Of course I had to blog about the experience and post the photos
http://wp.me/p1sK3k-eF

 

[philipscoggins]

Radnor Lake rangers are the worst.

Of course if you had to deal with the amount of people trying to use the park with the 2 tiny parking lots and enforce 42,000 arbitrary rules... We might end up like them too.

Eh, probably not. They're probably mad about losing 2 parking spaces. :evil:

Philip

 

[JPWhite]

Eh, probably not. They're probably mad about losing 2 parking spaces. :evil:

Philip

Absolutely. The units had no power to them. Were not working the Wednesday before we went there and are still not working today. I'm not entirely convinced they aren't turned off on purpose to generate complaints from regular drivers and 'prove' the units are a failure and need ripping out.

Rangers drive pick-up trucks, (possibly with gun-racks). Not exactly the EV loving type of driver.

 

[ebill3]

Guess I'll sort of side with the rangers. If a non-charging EV can park, why not a non-charging ICE? Cover the signs and Blinks with black bags and let anyone park there.

 

[philipscoggins]

I agree, if they're broke, let anyone park in them.

Philip

 

[Herm]

What if it's 2am and your sleeping when the charge completes? What if you are getting onto an aircraft when the charge is complete? What if the movie is only half way through when the charging completes?

I feel for you, its part of your sacrifice to save the planet.. others would point out we gave you a $7500 tax credit and you still are complaining.

Its not a parking space, I know it looks like one.

 

[JPWhite]

I agree, if they're broke, let anyone park in them.

Philip

That seems fair. To prevent parking at all is just bloody minded.

 

[JPWhite]

Its not a parking space, I know it looks like one.

Actually it is a parking space, one with restrictions, but a parking space it is. EV's such as the LEAF can only charge while they are parked. That's why EVSE's are situated adjacent to parking spaces.

 

[mkjayakumar]

I kind of agree with the Rangers. If the rule says, parking only while charging, then we should stick to it. It so happens that the Unit is not working at that time is a temporary -)) situation, shouldn't mean the rule can be flouted.

Also the rule of having to remove the car as soon as it is charged up, is no different from having to remove your car when the timer in the parking meter expires. You cannot hog a space when you are not legitimately using it. Remember the adjacent parking spaces might also be occupied, so the question of allowing your EV to be unplugged when some one else is need of charging may simply not work.

 

[garygid]

While the charging stations are out of service, a temporary cover
(or sign) could be put over the existing signs, to allow anybody to
park there.

However, the rangers probably do not have the time or
authority to make that happen.

Warning:
In most/many charging situations, you are now billed for the
total connect time, not just the charging time. So, leaving
your car plugged in while on a trip can be very expensive.

 

[JPWhite]

While the charging stations are out of service, a temporary cover
(or sign) could be put over the existing signs, to allow anybody to
park there.

However, the rangers probably do not have the time or
authority to make that happen.

Warning:
In most/many charging situations, you are now billed for the
total connect time, not just the charging time. So, leaving
your car plugged in while on a trip can be very expensive.

I agree with allowing anyone to park while they are out of commission. It is an efficient use of resources. On that particular day I believe all park visitors would appreciate having all spaces made available.

As for them not having time to place temporary signage, they had plenty of time to place four no parking bollards. I don't see why a temporary cover would take anymore of their time.

The introduction of connect time charges is to financially discourage people from hogging chargers. That should be the mechanism at work, not an arbitrary ban on parking because such fees are non collectible.

The point that I think many are overlooking is that while the units are out of commission, one cannot deny another EV from a charge, since a charge isn't possible. The whole point of encouraging an EV driver to move on after charge completion is to make the EVSE available for another EV to charge. If the charger isn't working there is no purpose behind encouraging a driver to move on, what injury is afflicted on others by parking in the space? So first come first served parking makes more sense in this specific scenario.

 

[JPWhite]

so the question of allowing your EV to be unplugged when some one else is need of charging may simply not work.

But if the EVSE is out of commission, there is no denial of service to anyone else.

Look. I actually needed a charge that day. Couldn't get it, no big deal, went somewhere else for that. In addition to charging I wanted to park to be able to visit the park. I think its petty to deny parking when no other spaces are open.

If the parking lot has a 1 hour limit, then sure, everyone has to move on after an hour. As you say just like a parking meter. If its open ended, its open ended.

Since you brought up the parking meter example, in some cities (not all) if a parking meter is out of commission, they put a bag over it and its free parking until its fixed. What's wrong with that model?

 

[Nubo]

...That's OK I said, I'll skip the charging thing, can I park? No!! They are not parking spaces they are for vehicle charging only, that's what the sign says.

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

or perhaps,

"The bureaucratic mind is the only constant in the universe." - Dr. Leonard McCoy.

 

[davewill]

I'm on the ranger's side. Sure it would have been nice if they had made the spaces available, but they didn't. Who knows? Maybe they were asked to keep them clear so that the units could be worked at the installer's leisure, or they were told to do this, but not why...or maybe they just didn't want to bother with the sign. Whatever the reason, complaining about it when most of the time we just wish EV parking restrictions were enforced properly seems faintly ridiculous.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Whatever the reason, complaining about it when most of the time we just wish EV parking restrictions were enforced properly seems faintly ridiculous.

Hear hear! All too often I am unable to charge not because there isn't a charger but because it's blocked by another non-charging car. Sometimes it's an ICE, sometimes it's a Leaf/Volt. It doesn't make a difference unless the car is actually charging. I certainly wish EV parking restrictions were enforced.