Birmingham, AL

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Hi Bert,
Picked up my Leaf on Dec. 9th and live in Leeds, AL
SL Silver with "Zero Emission" decals.

Great to know that I not alone here in AL.

Greg C.
 
Hi Greg!

Good to know there is someone else not far from here with a LEAF. We'll have to do a meet-up!

I think I saw on here that someone in Dothan picked up his LEAF before I did. We were one of the first, anyway. Let's hope we hear from a few more folks before too long!

Have a great Christmas, and hopefully catch up with you in person sometime soon.

Cheers, Bert
 
I got my first thumbs-up from an ICE driver this week!

I was headed to a restaurant to meet a group for dinner and noticed an ICE behind me in the next lane, then they pulled up next to me, tooted their horn and when I looked, they gave me a huge grin and a thumbs-up. I grinned and waved back. I am surprised that every now and again folks really do recognize the car and like it. I especially like that while I'm out there driving like a regular car, I'm proving that the LEAF really can satisfy most folks range needs.

When I mention the LEAF to coworkers, they recognize that it is 100% electric, and even then they ask, "so you don't put gas in it? Ever?" It's so strange to them that you don't have to put gas in a car for it to be a useful car. I can still sense the disbelief when I tell them it's my daily driver and gets me to work and back every day plus all the side trips that I do during the week and the weekend. I guess that is the perils of being an early adopter. :)

I've got nearly 1000 miles on the car now. I called my salesman to let him know how much I am enjoying it and he let me know that he's got two more coming in soon. I told him I'd be happy to answer any questions the new folks might have if that will help them.

I wonder how I could tell Nissan how they did such a good job with this car? It just works really well as a commuter car, exactly as it was designed to do. Thank you, Nissan!

Cheers, Bert
 
So I went cruising around one Sunday just because I could and because the car is SO MUCH FUN to drive! :)

I remembered that there was an Alabama Power store on my route and stopped in to see if the rumors of EV charging stations were true. Sure enough, there were three stations out there, none of which were suitable for the LEAF. :-(

I recognized one of the chargers as the "paddle" type that the EV-1s used to use. The other looked like a huge hair clipper; a large "pod" that I didn't recognize. The last one was the closest to the J1772 port that I could see, but I knew it would not fit in the LEAF. Rather than post my rather crappy phone photo, here's a link that shows what I found:

http://www.green.autoblog.com/2009/04/26/sae-2009-yazakis-booth-proudly-displays-j1772-connector/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess it was an early version of the current J1772 standard. None were in use, and looked like they hadn't been used in a while. I might write to Alabama Power and see if they will update that plug. Not very useful to me, but maybe useful to other EVers who might need a few 240V electrons in a pinch.

Folks, I hope you all have a Happy (and safe!) New Year!

Cheers/73, Bert/kg4bec
 
kg4bec said:
Hi Greg!

Good to know there is someone else not far from here with a LEAF. We'll have to do a meet-up!

I think I saw on here that someone in Dothan picked up his LEAF before I did. We were one of the first, anyway. Let's hope we hear from a few more folks before too long!

Have a great Christmas, and hopefully catch up with you in person sometime soon.

Cheers, Bert

Hi Bert,
Just returned from Mobile, AL for the holidays. Unfortunately we did not get to drive the Leaf down there.
We need to get some quick chargers at highway rest stops. Maybe next Christmas?
I am currently working on getting some funding to install some Level 2 chargers at McWane Science Center in early 2012.
It would be nice to have a EV / Plug-in hybrid group here in central AL. I am quite impressed with what some groups have done in other states.

GL-Leaf2.jpg
 
G'day again Greg!

QCs at McWane center would be cool! Unfortunately I won't be able to take advantage of them though as I bought a SV without QC port. I'm just not sure we will see a huge deployment of QC chargers any time soon and I was concerned enough about the effects on the battery that I chose not to get QC. I hope I don't regret that choice! We'll see.

I live in Pelham and work at the Collonade so we should have no trouble finding a spot midway whenever we get ready to do a LEAF meet-up! Here's hoping we can find the other two folks who are waiting for their cars and get them involved too!

Cheers, Bert
 
G'day Y'all :)

I'll be featured on the local Fox news broadcast here in Birmingham, AL at 9:30 CST tonight. If it shows up online, it will likely be on http://www.myfoxal.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (look for Carson's Cars). Here's hoping my enthusiasm for the car shows through as positive...

Cheers, Bert
 
Well that just made my day... I spotted another LEAF on my way home from work today!

It's a red one and passed me going in the other direction so I just caught a glimpse of it before I realized it was another LEAF! How cool is that? :) I know there are at least 35 LEAFs here in AL but no idea who, if any (apart from Greg) are here on mynissanleaf.com. After a while I wondered if malloryk had decided to move to AL... LOL

Anyway, if you were driving on Acton Rd in a nice Red LEAF today and you're here on the forum, please pipe up. That would make three of us within easy driving range and I reckon that is cause for a celebration; I think we ought to have a get-together.

Cheers, (a very happy) Bert
 
kg4bec said:
Well that just made my day... I spotted another LEAF on my way home from work today!

It's a red one and passed me going in the other direction so I just caught a glimpse of it before I realized it was another LEAF! How cool is that? :) I know there are at least 35 LEAFs here in AL but no idea who, if any (apart from Greg) are here on mynissanleaf.com. After a while I wondered if malloryk had decided to move to AL... LOL

Anyway, if you were driving on Acton Rd in a nice Red LEAF today and you're here on the forum, please pipe up. That would make three of us within easy driving range and I reckon that is cause for a celebration; I think we ought to have a get-together.

Cheers, (a very happy) Bert

I did the same thing when I saw you going the other way today! I live in Indian Springs. Charger is on Plugshare.com if you ever need a charge.
 
jfiveash said:
I did the same thing when I saw you going the other way today! I live in Indian Springs. Charger is on Plugshare.com if you ever need a charge.

Hi jfiveash,

Thanks for responding! And also thanks for the pointer to plugshare.com; it didn't occur to me to check that website.

How cool to see another LEAF so close by! I live in Pelham (so not far away from you at all) and work at the colonnade so let me know any time you want to do lunch and compare notes. So how long have you had your LEAF? Which dealer did you use? So many questions...! LOL

Cheers/73 Bert/KG4BEC
 
I may have met jfiveash in the Costco parking lot minus the Leaf.
So far I have not seen another Leaf while driving around the Birmingham area and East of town.
Only one Chevrolet Volt seen here so far and close to my neighborhood in Leeds. (don't know if that counts :?: )

Maybe a get together on Earth day April 22 which is a Sunday.
 
Barbouri said:
I may have met jfiveash in the Costco parking lot minus the Leaf.
So far I have not seen another Leaf while driving around the Birmingham area and East of town.
Only one Chevrolet Volt seen here so far and close to my neighborhood in Leeds. (don't know if that counts :?: )

Maybe a get together on Earth day April 22 which is a Sunday.
Hi Greg,

Good to hear from you again. Yes, April 22 sounds good to me, it's one week before a car show that my LEAF will be in. It'll be in Alabaster, so if you and jfiveash feel like coming over to Alabaster I might could swing a ride in a Tesla for you... :)

Let's pick a spot that is central to all of us (colonnade/280?) and plan to get together for breakfast or lunch. I'm pretty flexible for food options so pretty much any restaurant will work for me. Being a Sunday, I expect all the lunch places will be crowded so we should allow for that. :)

cheers, Bert

P.s. I have seen a volt also on Acton Rd. but I don't know if it's the same one you saw.
 
Well I am still all alone down here in Dothan :(
Nice to see others in Alabama getting theirs! Read an article about a guy in Foley AL that got one in also.
Check out the graphics I had made for the back of mine:
ZeroEmmision.jpg


Got 4 of them for 27.00, have two left if anyone wants one :)
Havent been on lately, been way busy with work, will try to get on more.
Dan
 
Hi Dan,

Didn't forget you, i remembered you were in Dothan. Good to hear from you again. Any chance you can make our (currently very tentative) Earth Day get together? We'll let you show up in a different car, or if you bring your LEAF I'm sure we can arrange for some 240v charging while we get together for lunch. Not sure you'll be able to do Dothan to Birmingham one way though.

Cheers, Bert
 
G'day y'all! :)

Nothing to add today except to say I LOVE MY LEAF! I've been cruising around in her since December and it struck me that it's been my daily driver since then. I really haven't driven the ICE in all that time. Well, I have, but just to warm everything up and keep everything lubricated. It's funny, I get in the truck and it's a huge shift in how you drive the two vehicles; I have to re-learn it all over again.

I get in the truck and crank it, and everything shakes and rumbles and I wonder what's going to fall off? But it hangs together and off I go. It's the same when I stop at red lights. Rumble rumble rumble... Does it ever stop? :)

Then I get to drive the LEAF again and all is well with the world. 4500 trouble-free miles so far and I'm expecting many many more. What a cool car. Kudos to Nissan for taking the chance on an all-electric vehicle, and here's hoping for a bright future.

Cheers, Bert
 
Hi,

Here's the long-awaited link to the video segment that the local Fox News station did on my car:
http://www.myfoxal.com/story/16955773/crockers-cars-links-and-video" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enjoy!


So, Greg? jfiveash? Anyone else in Birmingham? When and where are we meeting up for the Earth Day event? :) :)

Cheers, Bert
 
kg4bec said:
Hi,

So, Greg? jfiveash? Anyone else in Birmingham? When and where are we meeting up for the Earth Day event? :) :)

Cheers, Bert

Hi Bert,
Enjoyed the video.

I was thinking a lunch meet up.
The 280 / I459 Summit/Colonnade area works well for me and Leann.

Some restaurants I found in the area that we like:
Taziki's Greek Fare - 3439 Colonnade Pkwy # 1000
Zoes Kitchen - 323 Summit Blvd.
California Pizza Kitchen - 238 Summit Blvd.
Johnny Rockets - 331 Summit Boulevard

Open to other suggestions.
Greg
 
Hi Greg,

Thank you, I was happy with how the video came out. They kept digging for negative points and I honestly could not give them any... Certainly nothing worth mentioning anyway.

Let's do California Pizza Kitchen. I've heard good things about them and I've done all the others, so I'm up for something new. Lunch works great for me. Shall we get there early to beat the crowd? Pick a time and I'll be there. While i normally look for lunch around 11:30, I can get there much earlier if needed.

Look forward to seeing you there on Sunday!

Cheers, Bert
 
Hi Bert,
California Pizza Kitchen at 11:30 AM Sunday sounds great.
Looking forward to it.
Sent a note to jfiveash on PlugShare to let him know.

Greg
 
kg4bec said:
Hi Dan,

Didn't forget you, i remembered you were in Dothan. Good to hear from you again. Any chance you can make our (currently very tentative) Earth Day get together? We'll let you show up in a different car, or if you bring your LEAF I'm sure we can arrange for some 240v charging while we get together for lunch. Not sure you'll be able to do Dothan to Birmingham one way though.

Cheers, Bert

Hey Bert,
Thanks for the invite, unfortunantly my Sunday mornings are jam full with 3 teenages and Church so there would be no way I could make it. Love the video, outstanding job.

FWIW I installed an electric meter dedicated to tracking my electric usage on my leaf. Here is a update I do every 10th of the month:
NissanDataUsage.jpg


Hope you guys have fun!
Dan
 
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