Crack Down on ICEing

[JamesMcQuaid]

Washington State to fine gas car drivers who block electric car charging station access

This should give electric car drivers a respite from the onslaught of gas car drivers blocking electric car charging station access.

Read the article:
http://www.torquenews.com/1075/washi...station-access

ICE offender and wife taken prisoner

[Mathew Hennessy]

Who knew the Lord Humungus was a Volt driver?

(I wonder if it's worth having the state issue plugin/EV license plates and actually tow vehicles without 'em? They would probably sneak in a surcharge for that though :/)

[JDan]

The "etiquette" of unplugging a fully charged car to charge yours is interesting and reasonable. For the Volt you can set an alert in the RemoteLink app to tell you when it's fully charged and therefore (in Washington state anyway) at risk of getting said ticket. It might be inconvenient, but as long as you let you boss et. al. know or otherwise manage this it shouldn't be an issue. I'm not sure if other EV/PHEV/EREV vehicles have this alert or not. Anyone know?

I think this is a step in the right direction though as the main purpose of the charging parking spot is just that, for actually charging. Perhaps they can give a one hour leeway before ticketing? It will be interesting how this will play out. Is anyone here from Washington State?

[rudiger]

For the Volt you can set an alert in the RemoteLink app to tell you when it's fully charged

But only when it's possible to change the alert settings. Some are reporting that they haven't been able to do it for months.

[JDan]

But only when it's possible to change the alert settings. Some are reporting that they haven't been able to do it for months.

Yup, you are correct. I called OnStar and "they are working on it". For some reason I could set up the alerts 6 months ago, but cannot now. I guess that will have to wait for the next RemoteLink release. Hopefully before the new law takes effect in Washington state or elsewhere.

[DavidV]

I sure wish they would do that in NC. I get so frustrated going to Whole Foods on six forks, and there are always 2 SUVs in the EV spots. I've started leaving notes on the windshields. Juvenile, I know, but it just makes me so mad. And Whole Foods management won't do anything about it. I sure wish they had put the EV spots at the back of the parking lot rather than the front. And, they put the EV spots next to the handicap spots, so the next space over where the cord would reach is a handicap spot and you can't use it. I don't know about your town, but in my town, there is always someone parked in the fire lane or taking some other short cut so they don't have to walk 30 more feet between their car and the store. Kind of represents their attitude toward the environment - unless it comes at no cost (or you actually pay them for it), they are going to do what is best for themselves, forget everyone else.

[Rampage_Rick]

I sure wish they would do that in NC. I get so frustrated going to Whole Foods on six forks, and there are always 2 SUVs in the EV spots. I've started leaving notes on the windshields. Juvenile, I know, but it just makes me so mad. And Whole Foods management won't do anything about it. I sure wish they had put the EV spots at the back of the parking lot rather than the front.

Many EV charging stalls are in prime locations because it requires less wire, and therefore cheaper to install. Anyways, there is only one solution to repeated violations:

Download this file: http://www.youparklikeanasshole.com/files/notice_1.pdf

Print onto Avery 5165 or equivalent labels, then cut in half

Upon noticing a violation, produce a label and sharpie. Check "Other" and fill in "Not an electric car" Remove backing and apply label to driver's side window.

(note to self: must contact website to have "not an electric car" added to official form)