Another ICEd EVSE LOL

[Deleted member 3569]

The EV charging in a handicap spot is confusing as it depends on the state laws as to whether the spot is reserved solely for those with a handicapped placard or ok to use by EV drivers while charging.

California says:
“ADVISORY: EVG-250.1 General. While there is no positive requirement to provide electric vehicle charging stations, when they are provided a portion of them should be accessible. When co-located with parking spaces, electric vehicle charging is considered the primary function of these stations, not parking. Accessible electric vehicle charging stations are not to be reserved exclusively for the use of persons with disabilities. They should not be identified with signage that would mistakenly indicate their use is only for vehicles with placards or license plates for individuals with disabilities.”

Spots like this could be easily challenged in many states if ticketed or towed due to having ambiguous signage.

IKEA @ Millenia Mall Orlando got this very signage and when I went to charge, one of the stall was occupied by ICE vehicle, but the driver pulled out when she saw me coming in.

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[Raymondjram]

I agree that EV charging should never be free. Or have it under supervision and control by the business offering free charging. You park your EV, enter the business, then ask the business operator to activate the charger remotely. This way, they can deactivate it when you leave, and set up for the next EV visitor, and prevent non EVs to park there.

 

[MW1515]

Maryland just passed a law (SB146) that you can get fined ($100 I think) for parking a non-plug in car in a charging spot for EVs with signage, and the wording makes it sound like you can get fined if you are an EV but not plugged in also...

 

[Anthropod]

In Southeast NC it’s real common to see folks taking up EV spots out of spite for the technology.

 

[fmtexmme]

I just walked through a parking lot where there is an EVSE at a handicapped space. The car parked there not only was an ICE car, it had no handicap placard or sticker or plate. ??

To top it all off, most of the lot was empty. Some people have nerve. ??

I hate those dual handicapped/EV charging parking spots. I would never use one because 1: I'm not sure of the legality here in Texas and 2: I would feel bad taking a spot from someone who might need it.

 

[dbsb3233]

I hate those dual handicapped/EV charging parking spots. I would never use one because 1: I'm not sure of the legality here in Texas and 2: I would feel bad taking a spot from someone who might need it.

I don't like them either. But I'd have no problem parking there and using the charger if I need it. Handicap parking spots closer to the front are usually a convenience, while plugging in the car is often more of a need. There's usually other open parking spots nearby in the lot, but there's usually not another open charger (if there were, I'd use that instead of course).

I get that in rare cases, there could actually be a handicap driver driving a BEV that needs charging. But at this point that's gotta be so rare relative to the small# of chargers that blocking off a charger for handicap-only use would be a terrible waste of resources. Maybe that'll change in a decade when there's 25 chargers in the lot, where one can be handicap-only. But not now when there's usually just 1 or 2, maybe 4.

I think the main issue now is just that the power supply is usually coming from the building, so it's cheapest to locate charger installs up there too (so they don't have to rip up the pavement). Which also happens to be where the handicap spots tend to be.

 

[ctenidae]

I agree that EV charging should never be free.

I can't wrap my head around this opinion. If a business wants to provide free charging, good for them. If you desperately need to charge and the free one is occupied by someone who is done charging, go find a pay one. It's not there for your convenience to avoid having to pay for charging at home, it's there to draw customers in to the business.

Now, if the business wants to turn it on/off as you suggest, I think that's a pretty good idea. Restaurants, especially, could do well with that set up.

On topic, I've never seen the combo handicap/EV spots before. I think I would have been thoroughly confused by it before, but am now educated enough to sort it out - thanks, forumians!

 

[dbsb3233]

I can't wrap my head around this opinion. If a business wants to provide free charging, good for them. If you desperately need to charge and the free one is occupied by someone who is done charging, go find a pay one. It's not there for your convenience to avoid having to pay for charging at home, it's there to draw customers in to the business.

Now, if the business wants to turn it on/off as you suggest, I think that's a pretty good idea. Restaurants, especially, could do well with that set up.

On topic, I've never seen the combo handicap/EV spots before. I think I would have been thoroughly confused by it before, but am now educated enough to sort it out - thanks, forumians!

I'm guessing what he meant is the same as I've expressed -- free and open charging is generally bad for the big picture. Especially free DCFC, but often L2 as well. The point is that we shouldn't encourage counterproductive behaviors, like people tying up precious and limited chargers (especially DCFC) just because it's free (which can hurt those drivers that really need it during a road trip) instead of just charging at home overnight.

It's less of an issue for L2, but even then in many cases. We know there's people tying up chargers at the business next door to where they work just because it's free and open, rather than charging at home where they can. Just because it's free and open.

A business installing a free charger for their actual customers is fine, of course, but without some sort of access control it's ripe for abuse. Policies and practices should heavily encourage L2 charging overnight where people sleep. For many reasons, not the least of which is that it's far better for the grid. We don't want to be encouraging more electricity usage during peak demand hours.

 

[ctenidae]

I'm guessing what he meant is the same as I've expressed -- free and open charging is generally bad for the big picture. Especially free DCFC, but often L2 as well. The point is that we shouldn't encourage counterproductive behaviors, like people tying up precious and limited chargers (especially DCFC) just because it's free (which can hurt those drivers that really need it during a road trip) instead of just charging at home overnight.

I just don't see it as being "generally bad for the big picture." A hassle for those who need it and can't get it, but that's what paid chargers (or controlled access ones) are for. The market will adjust, eventually. A free charger doesn't supplant a paid one, and if your road trip is predicated on a free charger being available then you've planned poorly. Free charging is a gift, not a right.

 

[Lord Polymath]

Where are all of these free EV parking spots? I don't think I've ever seen one - probably isn't a lot in rural Arkansas but also I've never owned an EV to even look for one.

 

[mkhuffman]

I just don't see it as being "generally bad for the big picture." A hassle for those who need it and can't get it, but that's what paid chargers (or controlled access ones) are for. The market will adjust, eventually. A free charger doesn't supplant a paid one, and if your road trip is predicated on a free charger being available then you've planned poorly. Free charging is a gift, not a right.

It is generally bad because it brings out the selfish, rude and inconsiderable people.

It would be nice if everyone could be considerate and move their cars when they are done charging, but so many people are not. They feel they have a right to leave their car in that space just because they got there first.

And when it is free, there is no incentive to move it other than being considerate and sharing the charging space with others who need a charge. And unfortunately, that is not enough motivation for some people. You know, the selfish, rude people.

An idle fee would be perfect. The business can offer the free charge, but any car that is not charging would pay per minute. Like $5.00 per minute. That would get the lazy, rude inconsiderate people off their butts and out to their car to move it.

 

[ctenidae]

It is generally bad because it brings out the selfish, rude and inconsiderable people.

Gotcha - generally bad because it doesn't punish people for being turds.

 

[mkhuffman]

Gotcha - generally bad because it doesn't punish people for being turds.

Yep. So many turds out there who ruin it for the rest of us.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Ah, but the turd in my original post was in a commercial (fee per hour) spot that also had the blue square painted in the spot and a big blue reflective sign in it. The car was there the entire two hours I was in the shopping center. There were no other cars parked in the regular spaces right across from the space it was occupying. When I was walking back to my car I saw an EV drive by with the driver shaking her head while looking at the offending ICE vehicle. ??

 

[ctenidae]

Ah, but the turd in my original post was in a commercial (fee per hour) spot that also had the blue square painted in the spot and a big blue reflective sign in it. The car was there the entire two hours I was in the shopping center. There were no other cars parked in the regular spaces right across from the space it was occupying. When I was walking back to my car I saw an EV drive by with the driver shaking her head while looking at the offending ICE vehicle. ??

ICE turds are another conversation entirely (granted, the one you started with!)
Turds gotta get squeezed out somehow - maybe fee-for-idle isn't the way to generate that movement!

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