Priority Parking for Hybrids?

The Costco in Tumwater has EV charging stations/parking, but I've never seen an EV parked in them - only big nice person SUVs, and caddies, and BMWs. *sigh*

People are jerks. Individual persons are nice, but people, as a group, are just jerks.

 

We are selfish. Were we not, we'd not have survived back when survival depended on grabbing what little food there was from those less able to grab it back. We're exactly like the gulls in Finding Nemo: All we know is "... mine, mine, mine..."

It's in our genes. Of course, species go extinct when the behavior dictated by their genes no longer suits a changed environment.

Being jerks assured our survival once upon a time. Now it is going to lead to our extinction. And most of the rest of Life will be better off with us out of the picture, all but a few species which have grown dependent on us.

I'm being an optimist today.

As for privileged parking for hybrids, I think it's a silly idea. We benefit so much by halving our fuel cost that special parking is just gilding the lily. Stores and governments should provide charging spots for EVs, but those spots can easily be at the far end of the parking lot, and coin-operated so the driver pays for her/his electrons. (Though private stores may want to offer free charging as a loss-leader to bring in customers, if they feel it profitable.) Integrated charging parking meters likewise can have a dual rate: so much per minute for parking, plus so much per kWh if you want some charging. Standardization of plug type and charging requirements would make this easier. Both my EVs are non-standard. One takes 110 v 25 a, and the other needs 220 v 50 a. and both use oddball plug styles.

 

Having priority parking for hybrids would only add to the "All hybrid owners are smug" stereotype which exists among the average American.

I personally think its a silly idea...