Charging Station Protocol?

Nice!

I wonder if the barriers can always block German vehicles, EV or not?

 

They should use landmines for German vehicles.

 

I have a way of sending a message to ICE vehicles who park in charging spot or a vehicle that over stays their welcome after charging is complete. I used this on an SUV today that was taking up more than one parking spot. What you do is put their windshield wipers up, just as you would to prevent them from sticking to your windshield from an ice buildup.

This is a non-destructive way of sending a message to the vehicle's owner. Hopefully, they get the message, but you never know!

 

Not sure if you're kidding, but if that's not the case, those are paper advertising inserts put on in the dealer get-ready dept. A lot of people leave this free dealer advertising in place until they mount their state-issued license plates. And here's one for the books: a customer came in to the dealership where I worked in Beverly Hills with a ticket issued by a "metermaid" for not having those paper inserts on a new Mercedes.

 

Wait you need to have the advertisement? I turned mine around because they were nasty red on my silver prius, and now its just blank white.

 

No, that's the point; there is no such requirement. Some of these people that get hired for parking enforcement either don't understand the laws they are supposed to enforce, or perhaps get a little carried away. In West Los Angeles, I got a ticket while parked for not having a front license plate on a dealership demo. It was a hassle to get the ticket cleared, in spite of the fact that demo plates are issued on a one-per-car basis.

 

Nice notices. But they all say that the EV needs a charge to get home, which is not true for plug-in hybrids like the PiP. So I can't use them.

 

that was true at 1 time .... but recently GM used is crony legislators to pass legislation. Even if you use a courtesy charging protocol placard that states it's okay to unplug you after a certain time - (when you're done charging) - so that another can charge -that act of unplugging another plugin is now illegal. I'm not positive but I believe that legislation is statewide.

SGH-I717R ? 2

 

Thing is, you run into issues when for example you're only allowed to be in the spot while charging. We have a garage on campus that has a spot like this. To park in the garage, you're normally required to have a permit or pay (depending on time of day). If someone unplugs me, I suddenly become in violation of the parking rules and can get cited.
So there's a legit reason for a law like this. I think this problem isn't really worth solving. Eventually we'll have charging infrastructure caught up to the point where it doesn't matter.

 

Can you provide a link to this legislation and it's history?

 

Thats somewhat hilarious to me.

Whoah, what! A simple search took me right there!
New California Law on use of EV charging stations | PriusChat

 

okay I'll check when I get in - I know I got it somewhere.
Edit:
whoops I see someone beat me to it. But from that link - here's the summary
GM to CA Volt drivers: “Oops, we did it again.” « evchels

SGH-I717R ? 2

 

Yes, but that's a different issue. We were discussing signage and other means of keeping ICE cars out of charging spots.

The California law (CVC 22511) permitting towaway of a car that is not plugged in only applies to spots bearing specific signage at least 17" x 22" stating "Unauthorized vehicles not connected for electric charging purposes will be towed away at owner’s expense," and giving the phone number of the local cops. A local ordinance is required unless the spot is in a private lot.

If that sign isn't posted, then you can't be towed.

If it is, it would take a real jerk to unplug you. Not that there aren't some around.

 

I was hoping to get a link to the law/legislation itself rather than just to a discussion on PriusChat. I am not too familiar with navigating the California legislative archives. But thanks anyway.

Thanks Hill

AB 475 Assembly Bill - AMENDED

Reading the legislation, unplugging someone with their permission doesn't seem to be illegal.

Remaining parked after being unplugged seems to be a problem. Fortunatly, I get a text when someone unplugs me.

 

Btw, this legislation was the replacement of the EV parking sticker program. You see, just like we have stickers for carpool Kane access, the DMV had stickers for EV parking. It seemed a bit silly — after all, if you're parked and charging, why bother having a sticker? So the sticker program was phased out and replaced with "parking is allowed if you're plugged in". Makes enforcement easier and removes the need for the DMV to process useless paperwork for the stickers.

 

excuse my ignorance. See, last time I checked - plugins have an ice - and so once any plugin is done charging - and the plugin is just left there ... You're being iced. Wacki me - I must be missing the difference in the harm caused. I'm hosed - Regardless of what's wrongly parked there.

SGH-I717R ? 2

 

This afternoon I watched as a few vehicles used a complimentary EV charging station at WholeFoods. A Leaf parked but the driver did not have a way to activate the free chargepoint station and decided to just remain parked in the spot while shopping, unplugged. The Leaf driver did not leave their charge port open in the universal "plug me in please", or I would have plugged them in myself using my chargepoint card. This is about the fourth time I have seen a Leaf parked at a station and not plugged in, along with Car2Go Electric vehicles.

If a business is going to install free charging stations, they should probably make sure they don't require an activation token like the chargepoint stations.

 

The Leaf, iMiev, and Smart Electric don't have an ICE. I don't think they have an active thermal management system for thier battery either, but not 100% sure.

 

Yeah, you're just as hosed, but they are two different cases and you have different levels of recourse.

An ICE car has no right to be there at all. They should be towed.

Any car with a charge port does have a right to be there. Whether they are a hybrid or a pure EV, it's not ICEing.

So the next question is, do you have the right to expect that the owner of a charging car will rush back to move his car off the charger as soon as the charge completes. Should they get up from dinner? Leave a movie?

I think not. Sure, if they charge in an hour and park for four, then they're being inconsiderate, but it's just a question of degree. Should they not have charged at all if they knew they'd be a long time? Maybe, but it's up to them.

Bottom line - you're hosed, but you don't have a right to expect an open charging spot, they were there first, and they are plugged in.

And if you're driving a pure EV - sorry, but you shouldn't have counted on finding an open charging spot. It might just as well have been a Leaf as a Prius taking up that spot and what would you have done then? Unplug the Leaf?

 

If you want it done right I guess you got to do it yourself huh?