ICE Shaming

[bradbissell]

I used one of the Blink notices today at work. An Avalanche has been parking in one of two EV spots for a week and I had enough. If it was a one off, I would have let it slide since I myself do not have an EV yet, and the only EV in the garage is a Volt. But really??? Every day for a week with clearly marked EV only signs. Ugh!

Can't wait to get a leaf so I can use that spot. Getting in to work at 5:30am does have the perk of choosing which EV spot I want.

 

[Luft]

How about this:
"You have blocked me from charging my car which means I'll be walking home. By the looks of your flat tires you will be also!"

I'm going to print up something that I can put under the wiper of offending ICEs parked in charging spots. With great control over my anger I've come up with this. Any better suggestions?


Egads! You’ve Shut Me Out!

You may not realize it but you have parked in a spot that is reserved for electric vehicles. Those of us with electric vehicles are trying to do our part to help clean up the air. Won’t you please do your part by not parking in spots like this?
After all, how would you feel if a group of us with electric vehicles parked beside the pumps at your favorite filling station and walked away?
Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[walterbays]

A blue sign that says "EV" means something to us, but not much to many others. Doesn't say no parking or restricted parking. Yes, I agree, considerate folks would leave the spot for an EV, but not in this "me" generation.

Some of those signs are exceptionally bad! One picture of a Yukon parked in the charging space shows a sign that reads "Parking for electric and eco-friendly vehicles only."

Eco-friendly. Now what could that mean? Hybrids are okay of course, but a Yukon is no Prius. Flex fuel vehicles are okay. Diesels are fine. Also any car that gets high gas mileage. Any car driven by a Sierra Club member is good. A vehicle with a state park annual parking decal is good. A vehicle with 4WD that's good for taking you out into the forest is fine. Or any vehicle with the radio playing Joni Mitchell "Big Yellow Taxi" should be good. Right?

 

[cwerdna]

A blue sign that says "EV" means something to us, but not much to many others. Doesn't say no parking or restricted parking. Yes, I agree, considerate folks would leave the spot for an EV, but not in this "me" generation.

Some of those signs are exceptionally bad! One picture of a Yukon parked in the charging space shows a sign that reads "Parking for electric and eco-friendly vehicles only."

Eco-friendly. Now what could that mean? Hybrids are okay of course, but a Yukon is no Prius. Flex fuel vehicles are okay. Diesels are fine. Also any car that gets high gas mileage....

The Yukon is certainly no Prius but unfortunately, GM (and mainly the Big 3) have a bunch of large trucks and SUVs that are flex fuel capable (http://www.afdc.energy.gov/vehicles/search/light?fuel_%20type_code=E85_GSL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false including the Yukon. It's partly to take advantage of the E85 scam/incentive that gives an artificial boost to that automaker's CAFE numbers. Thankfully, that's going away eventually.

As I posted at http://priuschat.com/threads/abg-poll-74-of-u-s-voters-support-60-mpg-fleetwide-average-by-2025.84904/#post-1186028" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A two-wheel-drive version of our 2007 Tahoe, for example, would normally be rated for CAFE purposes at 21 mpg. But because it's built to run on E85, it's rated at 35 mpg instead.

That Tahoe got 14 mpg combined on CR's tests on gasoline and 10 mpg combined on E85. That's a "35 mpg" vehicle right there.

The article I linked to at CR has changed now but the original version is at http://web.archive.org/web/20100808084454/http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/new-cars/news/2006/ethanol/cafe-calculations/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

There are numerous large diesel truck and SUVs that aren't efficient all either.

 

[Pipcecil]

I have used the blink courtesy slips quite a few times. I usually don't care if its an adjacent spot that "could" use the station or if the station is obviously bad (cord vandalization, etc.), so I am very linient, but when there are plenty of spots and I need the charge and they are in the spots I at least leave them a slip. I just assume (hopefully) that it was an honest mistake and not deliberate. Education one at a time...

As I understand with posting information that is in public, as long as the person doesn't have a "reasonable expectation of privacy" (i.e. in a restroom) then anything is fair game to photograph and post online. Now for specific states outlawing posting of license plates, I don't know, but here in Texas there is no law against, so the general privacy law takes effect.

 

[ERG4ALL]

To DoxyLover's point about being towed if the car isn't charging, I look at that just as I would if I were using a parking meter. If the meter's expired then you take the chance of the car being towed. With a little experience on top of the LEAF's estimate of charge times, I would just come back, if necessary and move the car but more than likely, I wouldn't charge the car if it didn't need it. If it did need it, I would more than likely have long enough to be able to do whatever I was doing and get back before the charge ended.

 

[GRA]

A blue sign that says "EV" means something to us, but not much to many others. Doesn't say no parking or restricted parking. Yes, I agree, considerate folks would leave the spot for an EV, but not in this "me" generation.

Some of those signs are exceptionally bad! One picture of a Yukon parked in the charging space shows a sign that reads "Parking for electric and eco-friendly vehicles only."

Eco-friendly. Now what could that mean? Hybrids are okay of course, but a Yukon is no Prius. Flex fuel vehicles are okay. Diesels are fine. Also any car that gets high gas mileage. Any car driven by a Sierra Club member is good. A vehicle with a state park annual parking decal is good. A vehicle with 4WD that's good for taking you out into the forest is fine. Or any vehicle with the radio playing Joni Mitchell "Big Yellow Taxi" should be good. Right?

Her "Car on a Hill" seems more on-point:

I've been sitting up waiting for my sugar to show
I've been listening to the sirens and the radio
He said he'd be over three hours ago
I've been waiting for his car on the hill
He makes friends easy
He's not like me
I watch for judgement anxiously
Now where in the city can that boy be
Waiting for a car
Climbing
Climbing
Climbing the hill

He's a real good talker--I think he's friend
Fast tires come screaming around the bend
But there's still no buzzer
They roll on...
And-I'm waiting for his car on the hill
It always seems so righteous at the start
When there's so much laughter
When there's so much spark
When there's so much sweetness in the dark
Waiting for a car
Climbing
Climbing
Climbing the hill

The signs in a local library lot read "Fuel-efficient vehicles preferred", which is even more vague; I've certainly seen a wide variety of vehicles I wouldn't consider fuel-efficient (unless they're being compared to a tank) parked in them. I think this sort of marking is just some 'checking off the form' thing to get LEED certification.

 

[rdhauser]

Wanted to pass along that the Washington State legislature is considering adding ICED parking to the penalties for parking unlawfully in disabled parking spots, so that would be something like a $250 fine. Hope the bill passes!!

 

[Deleted member 3147]

To DoxyLover's point about being towed if the car isn't charging, I look at that just as I would if I were using a parking meter. If the meter's expired then you take the chance of the car being towed. With a little experience on top of the LEAF's estimate of charge times, I would just come back, if necessary and move the car but more than likely, I wouldn't charge the car if it didn't need it. If it did need it, I would more than likely have long enough to be able to do whatever I was doing and get back before the charge ended.

That's not the point. The point is that someone ELSE could come along and unplug you! It doesn't matter if it's another EV in the adjacent parking space or a rabid Ev hater, you're still up for being fined and towed!

 

[Nubo]

Is there no provision in all this, for the parking enforcement to have some common sense? You're going to tow an EV, when there are 2 EV spots and 1 charge cable? The officer/meter maid can't/won't have that discretion? Are we really that brain-dead as a society?