EV parking "Vigilantism"

[kubel]

I thought about doing this at chargepoint stations that are ice'd:

-Unlock the pistol grip.
-Loop it THROUGH the wheel (or some other part of their car that is obvious to the driver and that prevents them from driving off).
-Re-lock the pistol grip in the holster.
-Walk away whistling.

But after further thought, I figured it would probably have the unfortunate result of a driver just driving off and ripping the station out or causing some other damage.

leave it to a gun owner to have a really stupid idea--
like the family of weapons decal on the back window--or a really really really terrible sense of humor.
some stuff is just not fodder for jokes.

You mad bro?

 

[Herm]

You mad bro?

apparently he often is.. this saving the planet stuff is very serious

 

[garygid]

When they park, they demonstrate what kind of person that they are.

What you do in response demonstrates what kind of person you are.

I suggest striving to be a better person.
What you do sets an example for others, including your children.
Yes, I know, it can be frustrating to be better than the others.

 

[thankyouOB]

I thought about doing this at chargepoint stations that are ice'd:

-Unlock the pistol grip.
-Loop it THROUGH the wheel (or some other part of their car that is obvious to the driver and that prevents them from driving off).
-Re-lock the pistol grip in the holster.
-Walk away whistling.

But after further thought, I figured it would probably have the unfortunate result of a driver just driving off and ripping the station out or causing some other damage.

leave it to a gun owner to have a really stupid idea--
like the family of weapons decal on the back window--or a really really really terrible sense of humor.
some stuff is just not fodder for jokes.

You mad bro?

that is the same record you played when i called you out about the stickers.
:lol:

 

[thankyouOB]

You mad bro?

apparently he often is.. this saving the planet stuff is very serious

aw, herm.

 

[ksnogas2112]

The one "citizen action" I could support would be something like bicyclists' Critical Mass http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Critical-Mass-bike-movement-at-20-years-3897679.php. Get a bunch of BEV drivers together to park blocking off every pump at a gas station, and film the ICE drivers unable to fill their tanks because the pumps are EVED. The video, if done with a sense of humor, might go viral and help educate some drivers who negligently ICE charging stations. But then I'd only want to do that with the agreement of the gas station owner, who might just agree in order to get the free publicity. It would have to be an independent; I imagine the big oil companies would quash any such heresy from one of their franchise stations.

Good luck with that, Walter. But you better have someone standing by to bail you out of jail :roll:[/quote]

What law is being broken? There is no easily referenced city ordinance an officer could reference to provide a citation. As far as going to jail, only if he asks you to move and you refuse causing a public disturbance. Lawsuits even have to prove significant disruption to income and since the profit margin on gas is low it's not really impacting their bottom line.

I was thinking this last night when the spot I wanted at the library was ICE'd. So instead of being able to plug in and turn on the preheat while I waited for my son to finish his trumpet lesson, I waited and got cold instead.

 

[walterbays]

What law is being broken? There is no easily referenced city ordinance an officer could reference to provide a citation. As far as going to jail, only if he asks you to move and you refuse causing a public disturbance.

I agree. However it wouldn't be right to disrupt the business of an innocent gas station operator, which is why I envisioned doing it only with his agreement. The pumps would only be EVED for a short period during a time when the station wasn't busy, to film a few ICE arrivals, which would probably be staged. A couple of real ICE customers might come along and wait for a few minutes, amused to watch the entertainment. The operator might lose the business of a couple of real ICE customers who would go to the gas station across the street.

For the operator that lost business might be worth it for having his station featured in news reports. For EV drivers the whole point is that the ICE drivers have the option of filling up across the street if their stations are EVED, but EV drivers usually have no such option if their stations are ICED.

I don't think there's a very good chance of getting a gas station operator to agree to this. Maybe in Oregon where it looks like some Arco stations also sell QC.

<edit>derkraut may be thinking of the original Critical Mass bike rides where the whole point was to cause maximum disruption to car traffic, in order to gain attention for the idea that bicycles are vehicles too. I think there were some arrests and even some violence. These days it looks like they work with the police to ensure minimal disruption for a ride intended as a gentle reminder and a good time.

 

[DaveEV]

When they park, they demonstrate what kind of person that they are.

What you do in response demonstrates what kind of person you are.

I suggest striving to be a better person.
What you do sets an example for others, including your children.
Yes, I know, it can be frustrating to be better than the others.

Well said, Gary.

 

[N952JL]

^^^ If the sign is clear you cannot plead ignorance. If you can read and drive and park, you're supposed to heed where you're driving and where you're parking and all the signs.

It shouldn't be about an education on EV. It's about an education in legitimate parking, which should have already come as part of obtaining a driver license.

+10

 

[N952JL]

What law is being broken? There is no easily referenced city ordinance an officer could reference to provide a citation. As far as going to jail, only if he asks you to move and you refuse causing a public disturbance.

I agree. However it wouldn't be right to disrupt the business of an innocent gas station operator, which is why I envisioned doing it only with his agreement. The pumps would only be EVED for a short period during a time when the station wasn't busy, to film a few ICE arrivals, which would probably be staged. A couple of real ICE customers might come along and wait for a few minutes, amused to watch the entertainment. The operator might lose the business of a couple of real ICE customers who would go to the gas station across the street.

For the operator that lost business might be worth it for having his station featured in news reports. For EV drivers the whole point is that the ICE drivers have the option of filling up across the street if their stations are EVED, but EV drivers usually have no such option if their stations are ICED.

I don't think there's a very good chance of getting a gas station operator to agree to this. Maybe in Oregon where it looks like some Arco stations also sell QC.

<edit>derkraut may be thinking of the original Critical Mass bike rides where the whole point was to cause maximum disruption to car traffic, in order to gain attention for the idea that bicycles are vehicles too. I think there were some arrests and even some violence. These days it looks like they work with the police to ensure minimal disruption for a ride intended as a gentle reminder and a good time.

The argument I remember about the Mass Bike rides, were " Bikes don't pay for the roads, Cars and Trucks do!" I have also heard this about BEV's. Current funding for roads normally come from gas tax. We buy no gas, therefor we are not contributing to the upkeep of the roads. My response was 1st, thank you. Second I pay more in tag fees since those are based on value of car and my BEV cost more so is taxed more.

 

[dgpcolorado]

When they park, they demonstrate what kind of person that they are.

What you do in response demonstrates what kind of person you are.

I suggest striving to be a better person.
What you do sets an example for others, including your children.
Yes, I know, it can be frustrating to be better than the others.

Well said, Gary.

I agree. A calm voice of reason amid the posturing.

 

[Nubo]

The argument I remember about the Mass Bike rides, were " Bikes don't pay for the roads, Cars and Trucks do!" I have also heard this about BEV's. Current funding for roads normally come from gas tax. We buy no gas, therefor we are not contributing to the upkeep of the roads. My response was 1st, thank you. Second I pay more in tag fees since those are based on value of car and my BEV cost more so is taxed more.

Haven't had that one leveled at me for the LEAF, but plenty of times regarding my rights to the road as a cyclist. What I do is accept their premise that the amount of taxes one pays determines one's right to the road. I remind them that roads and infrastructure are also funded by general taxes. Then I challenge them to compare tax bills as long as they agree to forfeit their right to the road if it turns out they pay less. They usually step away from that abyss.

 

[kubel]

that is the same record you played when i called you out about the stickers.
:lol:

The reference is to trolling. "U mad bro?" is generally used when someone else responds with an abundance of emotion that trolls feast on. Not that I'm trolling you, but that you seem to be trolling yourself (odd as that is). I was actually genuinely confused why you burst out like mentioning my stickers and politics and whatnot in a thread that had nothing to do with those topics (did thankyouOB lose his mind and all sense of control?)- then I finally realized why (or at least I think I do). I used the phrase "pistol grip" and "holster" (cue dramatic music). My intent wasn't to upset you, I know you are very sensitive to those issues and it stirs up a lot of emotion for you. But honestly, I was innocently referring to the J1772 handle and dock, not a real gun and holster. I'm sure most people knew what I was talking about. The phrase "pistol grip" and "holster" has been used to describe the J1772 handle and dock in numerous other threads. After all, it would be extremely difficult, and if accomplished, extremely ineffective, to wrap a real pistol around a wheel and then holster it in such a way to deal with cars who ice charging station spots. :|

 

[timhebb]

It's a new parking paradigm. Public needs to be educated. It needs to hit the DL pamphlet at your local DMV. It's going to take a while before cops will be told to enforce it like they do disabled spots.

Don't even start on the enforcement of disabled parking regulations - or the lack thereof.

Too late ... Disabled parking placard abuse has been raging at epidemic levels for years in Los Angeles, most conspicuously, perhaps, downtown, where vehicle after vehicle after vehicle can be seen occupying an unbroken series of metered street parking places, each vehicle bearing blue disabled parking placards. The majority of those placards either: 1) don't belong to the vehicle's driver (e.g., borrowed from a disabled relative); 2) were obtained under questionable circumstances through the license and authority of an unethical physician; 3) are stolen or illegally purchased from their legal bearers.

Steve Lopez in the LA Times wrote a series of columns within the last couple of years exposing this wholesale fraud, in an bid to prod law enforcement and legislators to make a good-faith effort to address the issue. He even set up stakeouts to confront abusers in the act; most often, when caught, they affected righteous indignation that they were questioned and outed.

AFAIK, no improvement in the situation has been achieved.

If we cannot look forward to any better enforcement of EV-only parking regulations than the current (non-)enforcement of disabled parking laws, the future of EV parking is dismal.

 

[davewill]

Disabled parking placard abuse has been raging at epidemic levels for years ...

While I see the problem, I don't see the it transferring readily to EV parking, unless you think folks are going to install fake J1772 inlets into their ICEs to plug EVSEs into.

 

[Herm]

Disabled parking placard abuse has been raging at epidemic levels for years ...

While I see the problem, I don't see the it transferring readily to EV parking, unless you think folks are going to install fake J1772 inlets into their ICEs to plug EVSEs into.

Hmmm.. that seems like an interesting idea, you could power and AC or a trickle charger for the 12V battery.

I still think a brightly colored sticker, STUCK ON THE GLASS only, with some vague words about "EV charging space" is the best way to educate the public.. yes there is a bit of revenge in that they will have to use a razor blade to scrape it off . Take a look at this sticker, check off "other" and scribble "EV charging only", leave everything else blank. Buy the stickers with the nasty adhesive.

 

[Stoaty]

I still think a brightly colored sticker, STUCK ON THE GLASS only, with some vague words about "EV charging space" is the best way to educate the public.. yes there is a bit of revenge in that they will have to use a razor blade to scrape it off .

Brilliant... and the next time some of these people see an EV they will key the car for "a bit of revenge". Counterproductive.

 

[walterbays]

Brilliant... and the next time some of these people see an EV they will key the car for "a bit of revenge". Counterproductive.

I agree.

I think the best that can be done is to let business owners who (directly or through their center management) tolerate ICEing know why you prefer shopping at their competition. AND let business owners who discourage ICEing know why you prefer shopping at their stores. Of course that would only work well once charging stations are numerous enough that there is some competition.

Meanwhile I would probably buy a J1772 extension cord if one were offered for sale, so that if necessary I could always double park behind the ICE and plug in, staying with the car. I know some people have homemade extensions using a J1772-to-RV cable plus an RV-to-J1772 cable, but I'd like a manufactured cable.

 

[surfingslovak]

Brilliant... and the next time some of these people see an EV they will key the car for "a bit of revenge". Counterproductive.

I agree.

I wouldn't take revenge either. Something noticeable, informative and perhaps even humorous would be preferable IMHO.