A Lunch Hour Charge

[magnushawk]

So after jockeying with parking violators for a while I was able to grab a new EV charging station spot right in the heart of Crystal City (Arlington), VA at lunch. It's just up from my office so I was able to drive there and charge up for a bit while I did some errands.

Then I just sat outside and drank some coffee and subtly watched people checking out the car. I was surprised, actually. About 75% of the people that went by checked it out. 20% checked it out thoroughly... examining the charging station and scoping the interior. I heard some really nice comments and some funny ones about my NRA sticker as it juxtaposed in some people's minds with the car. I didn't hear any bad comments. Not one. It was kind of a trip to spend my lunch hour this way. I'm a bit of a people watcher anyway, but this was different, like I had brought the entertainment for everyone (including myself).

My thoughts too were that this would make an awesome Chevy Volt commercial... a little spy-cam style commercial with people checking out the car as it charges with real reactions from real people. I'd love to see a commercial like this. It would be so good! I'd even volunteer my own car.

[Prius2Volt]

Love the NRA sticker part. We are not a walking hippie stereotype darn it. That's just my uncle (he drives a Leaf).

[Bzzzt]

I've often thought a Bush-Cheney sticker would be great (even if anachronistic), just for the head explosions.

[dwl]

That'd be fun! I'm not extremely surprised by those numbers. If there are people bold enough to get me to roll down my window at a stop light in the middle of winter so they can talk to me, I imagine quite a few people would take an extra few seconds to peek at one while it was charging.

[Chris Harvey]

I got the thumbs up while driving down 7 East the other day from a guy in the jeep. I'm kinda assuming it was due to the car and not some asinine thing I might have just done.

[EZ Volt]

That's funny - I got my first "thumbs up" this week as well. Had the car about 3 months now, here in the northern Dallas suburbs.

[MTN Ranger]

Here's a good one today. I am pulling into a Whole Foods charging station and an Acura is parked in one of the spots. After I park, a woman is returning to the car and exclaims: "I didn't know they started selling electric cars around here". I politely explained the Volt to her and she promised not to take up the EV spots anymore (She appeared embarrassed.) She said the Volt looked "very nice" not like that other "bubble car" - I'm guessing the Leaf. Informing the public, one person at a time.

[WVhybrid]

How about a "Friend of Coal" sticker?

[tboult]

Thanks for the post.. Nice. If I ever go someplace with a public charger at a reasonable price maybe I'll do some people watching.

I guess in WV they might like that coal sticker.. but
I'd rather


Powered by the wind to
Drive like the wind.