ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING ONLY

Originally published on CleanTechnica.

I live in an area with plenty of EV chargers, and typically I experience no charging problems due to lack of chargers. A few times, I’ve found gas cars in EV charging spaces. So I slowly moved on. The question arising: Why does a gas car park directly in front of a sign plainly stating ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING ONLY? More than once, there were other empty spaces in the parking garage — so why?

I wondered. Not a grand imposition as much as a “Why?015-e1457811571945 copy

Finally, one day I did have an out-of-town trip with a time issue. I needed to charge as much as possible before getting on the road into busy traffic. Congestion at all parking lots due to a downtown art show made this a chaotic day pedestrian- and traffic-wise. On busy days with festivals, the parking garage with chargers fills up. I went to the one lone charger not in a parking garage on my way out of town. I experienced my first more bothersome effort in search of an open EV station. A gas-guzzler (non-EV) was in one of my regular small charging spots — in a parking lot with only one EV spot. Rerouting inconveniently to find another, I was late, and yes, the blocking SUV contributed to my tardiness. The huge SUV was parked in a tiny space clearly meant for a moderate to small EV. The SUV sandwiched in dangerously close to any opening doors seemed ridiculous enough — let alone that the driver could not read.

2015-12-05-17.33.44-e1449357312566 (3)A tightly bound huge GAS-ONLY SUV between two other cars in front of the sign ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING ONLY — societal unconsciousness?

Questioning again: Was this arrogance or ignorance toward EVs? What have you? There was no mistaking the sign in front of the SUV. ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING ONLY. I flash in my mind’s eye what would happen if a tidy Nissan LEAF sat in front of the gas station blocking cars in need of fuel.

A few days later, the same spot in a parking lot, there sits another gas car. This time, there are empty parking spots in the parking lot. I park a few spots away to see if I can stretch the plug to my EV — “no, not long enough.” As I return it to the charging port directly in front of the unplugged car minus an EV plug-in spot, I look at the sign directly in front of the driver’s window: ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING ONLY.

The driver must think the attendant does not know the difference between a gas car and an electric car. My LEAF three spots down is a bit too far for the plug to reach. Mr. or Ms. blue gas-only car probably could have parked here — not an EV spot. Even with an EV, I only park when charging in an EV parking spot.

Why do they do this? Do they think EVs are non-existent?

Perhaps this is why some spots are also painted on the ground beneath — as the spot pictured below is. So if the driver somehow misses the sign in front of their window, they may notice the road underneath. EV. Compact Car Only. ELECTRIC VEHICLE PARKING.

20151126_103731

Well, that’s the end of my rant.

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