Hotel Charging Etiquette

[AKgrampy]

I have not used any public charging and probably never will just because of where I live and my age ( probably won’t be around long enough.) I am very interested; however, to see how things develop. You can already see the angst that goes on a bit now. As more and more EV’S get out there I am not sure the public charging and freebie charging will keep up (hopefully DCFC will). I see many comments about ICEing but it sometimes seems that EV owners are the worse culprits.

Sponsored

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

So to me, parking in a handicap space when you don't need it

Define need.

Just because you, or anyone else, personally might not think someone needs a handicapped spot doesn’t mean they are not handicapped. In your walking example, you’re displaying an outlook that is quite common. Handicapped covers far more than those that are wheelchair bound. People with advanced heart disease, people with prosthetic limbs, people with artificial knees, and others are all among those that can benefit from a handicapped spot. Their disability may not be apparent to you but it’s very real.

I’m a good example. While I appear to be a healthy old guy, I’ve had both knee replacement surgery and back surgery. Walking can be a bit of a task at times, particularly in the morning. On the occasions it is a task, I use a handicapped spot. If I do that I can leave my cane in the car. People won’t know of the underlying issues but they’re still very real. And it’s a whole lot better for everyone if I park close in and don’t have to walk across the parking lot on those occasions.

Finally protected classes are a real thing whether or not you like the idea. There are legal consequences associated with protected classes for business and certain property owners. Protected classes go well beyond the stereotypes people associate with a handicapped sticker. And it should.

 

[mkhuffman]

Define need.

Just because you, or anyone else, personally might not think someone needs a handicapped spot doesn’t mean they are not handicapped. In your walking example, you’re displaying an outlook that is quite common. Handicapped covers far more than those that are wheelchair bound. People with advanced heart disease, people with prosthetic limbs, people with artificial knees, and others are all among those that can benefit from a handicapped spot. Their disability may not be apparent to you but it’s very real.

I’m a good example. While I appear to be a healthy old guy, I’ve had both knee replacement surgery and back surgery. Walking can be a bit of a task at times, particularly in the morning. On the occasions it is a task, I use a handicapped spot. If I do that I can leave my cane in the car. People won’t know of the underlying issues but they’re still very real. And it’s a whole lot better for everyone if I park close in and don’t have to walk across the parking lot on those occasions.

Finally protected classes are a real thing whether or not you like the idea. There are legal consequences associated with protected classes for business and certain property owners. Protected classes go well beyond the stereotypes people associate with a handicapped sticker. And it should.

Over the years I have learned not to judge people who park in handicap spaces. As you said, I don't know their medical condition and the shorter walk may be important.

I am not suggesting we should pass judgment on handicap space parkers based on visual evidence. I am saying the person who parks there knows if they need it or not. And if they are parking there and they don't need it, they are being selfish and inconsiderate by taking a space that someone might actually need.

The same is true for charging space parkers, although it is easier to tell if they are being selfish and inconsiderate - you can see if the car is charging or not. We can't tell if a charging car really needs the charge, but the person parking there knows. They know if they don't really need the charge and are just doing it to get free electricity. Which I think is bad behavior, and definitely inconsiderate, but it isn't obvious.

A fully charged car is obvious and I see them all the time. And it pisses me off.

 

[Mach1E]

A fully charged car is obvious and I see them all the time. And it pisses me off.

Excuse my ignorance. In the last year and a half I’ve only used public charging 3x, and they were all in parking garages.

With all these different BEVs and PHEVs out there, how can you tell if they are fully charged? Do you have to memorize the light patterns on all the models or is there some universal thing you can look at?

 

[mkhuffman]

Excuse my ignorance. In the last year and a half I’ve only used public charging 3x, and they were all in parking garages.

With all these different BEVs and PHEVs out there, how can you tell if they are fully charged? Do you have to memorize the light patterns on all the models or is there some universal thing you can look at?

Nope. All you have to do it look at the EVSE. There is a bank of them at my office building and they blink when charging. When not, the light is solid green, and you can see it from far away. With other EVSEs you might have to look closer, but there is always an indicator that will tell you if the car is charging or not.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

am not suggesting we should pass judgment on handicap space parkers based on visual evidence. I am saying the person who parks there knows if they need it or not. And if they are parking there and they don't need it, they are being selfish and inconsiderate by taking a space that someone might actually need

The most common handicapped violation here is folks forgetting to display their placard. That’s a mistake that can be costly as many locations will have the car towed.

On the other hand, EVs parking in a charging spot without using it is rather obvious. As are ice vehicles parked there. It’s less obvious if the car is fully charged but honestly, unless it’s o-dark thirty, you should go move your car when it’s done. And maybe even move if it is o-dark thirty.

On the bright side, I’ve seen Target here towing cars from their L2 charger spots, both ev’s and ice vehicles. And a couple of irate owners too (For heaven’s sake who spends 4 hours inside Target, particularly when the limit is two hours and high fees kick in at that time?).

 

[TGIF]

I just try to make sure my intent (don't be a jerk) matches my impact through my actions (move my car when it's done charging).

It doesn't matter what someone's intent is in staying in a charging (not parking) spot overly long, the impact is the same--someone else is unable to use that charging spot.

No. Someone else MIGHT not be able to charge. The problem with the get up in the middle of the night hypothetical is that it is a a scenario in which the person charging is definitively losing out on a coupl benefits—sleep and full charge— for a possible other person’s benefit. The person charging can logically decide it’s unlikely person B is monitoring the chargers to see when it becomes available in the middle of the night.

 

[Mach1E]

No. Someone else MIGHT not be able to charge. The problem with the get up in the middle of the night hypothetical is that it is a a scenario in which the person charging is definitively losing out on a coupl benefits—sleep and full charge— for a possible other person’s benefit. The person charging can logically decide it’s unlikely person B is monitoring the chargers to see when it becomes available in the middle of the night.

Yeah, it’s kinda absurd to expect people to wake up at 3am to unplug their cars on the off chance someone checks into the hotel at 3am and needs a charge.

Just leave a note.

If I woke up at 3am, I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep.

I ain’t losing hours of sleep just to possibly save a stranger a few dollars and/or 20 minutes of DC charging the next day because they didn’t get a few hours of free charging. And I don’t expect others to do that either.

I would love to be a fly on the wall for this conversation:

*bangs on strangers door at 3am.

“wake up! Wake up!”

“WTF do you want?!?”

“I woke you up to make sure you unplug your car, it’s fully charged and now it’s my turn. Common courtesy, these are the rules.”

Good luck not getting punched.

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

If I woke up at 3am, I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep.

If I’m awake at 3 am I might go move it, but I’m not setting an alarm because what you said.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

I don't have any expectation that someone else do the things I do. If I arrive at a hotel late in the night or early morning, it's usually because of poor planning on my part and I don't expect anyone to go out of their way to make up for my poor planning. I do definitely appreciate it if there's an open L2 charger, though!

On the other hand, the things I do to make space for others is just that: what *I do* and not what I expect others to do.

There is some sort of happy space in between.

 

[iam-s-Hon]

They seem to be trying to secretly. I get a message every other month that if I don't make an outbound call or text they will cancel my number. So I just call and text my real number to get off their inactive list.

I just received the same. Limited numbers and they want to reclaim inactive ones for redistribution.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

No. Someone else MIGHT not be able to charge. The problem with the get up in the middle of the night hypothetical is that it is a a scenario in which the person charging is definitively losing out on a coupl benefits—sleep and full charge— for a possible other person’s benefit. The person charging can logically decide it’s unlikely person B is monitoring the chargers to see when it becomes available in the middle of the night.

I'm fine with getting up and moving my car even on the "maybe" that someone will need the charger. Like I've said several times, what I do is not what I expect others to do.

 

[AKgrampy]

Time to instal some coin-operated outlets and let people bring their mobile EVSE’s! Maybe they could also provide a massage.

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

Time to instal some coin-operated outlets and let people bring their mobile EVSE’s! Maybe they could also provide a massage.

Honestly, $$0.25-$0.50/hr on a 240V would be totally reasonable to me. I have no problem paying for my charge. Make them credit card operated and NEMA 14-50 or 6-50 and I'll happily pay, even if I am on for a few extra hours. Minimal added costs to the hotels.

 

[mkhuffman]

I did an overnight charge at a hotel and when we went to leave at 6 AM, the car was still charging. I needed the charge because the nearest DCFC was over 100 miles away, and it was winter.

As we were pulling out of the charging space, a Tesla pulled up and then pulled into our space for a charge. At 6 AM. All the other spaces were full, and of course the other car in a charging space was not charging. He was not charging at 10 PM the night before either. What a POS.

You never know who needs a charge and when.

Sponsored