Free Public Chargers: Leaf Abuse

Discussion in 'EV (Electric Vehicle) Discussion' started by Witness, Jun 16, 2015.

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  1. Witness

    Witness Active Member

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    I love free public charging stations in areas where I shop. Pop in for some groceries for like 30 minutes and I've got something like 5-6mi added for EV. The thing I have noticed in the last 8 months are all these Leaf drivers taking up these spots for hours at a time. Sometimes they're just sitting in there specifically to charge (that's a store for another time). There are a lot of regulars too. Well, there are a lot of Teslas and Fiats as well, but they don't annoy me as much. The thing that really bugs me about Leafs is:

    They lock the charge cable so that it cannot be disconnected.

    With some other EVs, I could check their charge level to see where they're at before I borrow their plug. If they're less than half, I'll just leave it alone. Close to complete, I may borrow it for a half hour and leave them a note stating what time I disconnected and what time I'll be back to plug them back in. You just can't do that with a Leaf.

    Anyways, I'm just here to b*tch about those guys. I really don't like those insect looking cars and especially for their ability to lock the cable in place. I wish I can safely pop the lock actually.
     
    #1 Witness, Jun 16, 2015
  2. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

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    This falls under the "being a victim of [EV's] success," no?
     
    #2 rxlawdude, Jun 16, 2015
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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Don't see these free public stations lasting much longer, or at the least continuing to be a tolerable way to charge.
     
    #3 Mendel Leisk, Jun 16, 2015
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  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Why get so stressed over $1 worth of Gas.

    You'll feel better when you pass them on the highway when they run out of charge.......because you disconnected their charge before it was full.

    I would be pretty ticked off if someone were to "borrow" the charge before my car was full
     
    #4 JC91006, Jun 16, 2015
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  5. Witness

    Witness Active Member

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    ... Dammit, you're right. Well, maybe a victim of cheap EV owners. :LOL:

    Maybe. Since the ones I see are ad supported from a company called Volta, it shouldn't matter too much as to who is sitting in their spot. The charger is in a high traffic area and lots of people gawk at cars being charged under a sign that reads FREE, so Volta is still getting a lot of ad impressions. If they required you to have an account like Chargepoint and only allowed X amount of charging per day/week, it could make it fair. I do not know.

    lol, then they didn't properly calculate the distance back home. Anyways, I'm not stressed about it, but it is annoying. The area I shop at has five free chargers scattered and seeing the same mofos with their Leaf parked there almost every time is irritating. Literally, 3 or 4 of the chargers will have a Leaf connected to it 90% of the time I stop by - weekday or weekend.
     
    #5 Witness, Jun 16, 2015
  6. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    You should leave them a note on their windshield, there should be a time limit on those spots. We usually have a 2 hour limit here, move so someone else can charge
     
    #6 JC91006, Jun 16, 2015
  7. FL_Prius_Driver

    FL_Prius_Driver Senior Member

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    I'm still racking my brain trying to think of something of significant value that was "free" that did not eventually end up being totally and completely abused.
     
    #7 FL_Prius_Driver, Jun 16, 2015
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  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    gas station air.
     
    #8 bisco, Jun 16, 2015
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  9. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Free items that are not abused:

    1. The maps and keys at AAA
    2. Free Roadside assistance
    3. Those toothpicks at the restaurants before you leave
    4. The mints you get at the doctor's office
    5. My guinea pig
     
    #9 JC91006, Jun 16, 2015
    Last edited: Jun 16, 2015
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  10. Witness

    Witness Active Member

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    It is a 2hr limit, but it's not like mall police is going to enforce it.
     
    #10 Witness, Jun 16, 2015
  11. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    It's more of a friendly reminder that others are waiting.
     
    #11 JC91006, Jun 16, 2015
  12. 3PriusMike

    3PriusMike Prius owner since 2000, Tesla M3 2018

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    Mall Parking
    City park playgrounds (technically paid for with local taxes...but you can visit another city for free)
    Over the air broadcast TV
    Radio

    Mike
     
    #12 3PriusMike, Jun 16, 2015
  13. FL_Prius_Driver

    FL_Prius_Driver Senior Member

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    (Humor) Many would debate if TV and radio broadcast have "significant value".

    More to the point, those examples are confusing "free" with "valueless". You cannot make money as a listener to TV or radio. You cannot make money leasing Mall Parking space. In neither case have you taken economic possession of anything. There is an intrinsic advantage to making use of these things, but there is no user economic value permanently captured. You are the user, not the owner. In the case of TV and Radio, the spectrum is not free. You don't own it and cannot own it. If you did own the spectrum, it would be worth billions if not more.
     
    #13 FL_Prius_Driver, Jun 16, 2015
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  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Drinking water fountains.
     
    #14 Mendel Leisk, Jun 16, 2015
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  15. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Are we talking California Leafs here?
     
    #15 wjtracy, Jun 16, 2015
  16. FL_Prius_Driver

    FL_Prius_Driver Senior Member

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    Same exact point as previous post.
     
    #16 FL_Prius_Driver, Jun 16, 2015
  17. Witness

    Witness Active Member

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    Good point. I have a Post It pad in the glove box for stuff like this.

    Yep.
     
    #17 Witness, Jun 16, 2015
  18. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    Entitlement - The belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.
     
    #18 frodoz737, Jun 16, 2015
  19. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

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    You should see what's going on in the Tesla fora. Apparently Elon Musk called out supercharger users who don't charge at home or at work, but find local urban superchargers to charge.
    Two camps:
    1. "I paid $2000 for Supercharger access (or it was built into the cost of my S85) and it was for 'lifetime FREE charging,' and by gum, I'm going to use it when I want."
    2. "Those who use the Superchargers as their primary charging method are selfish louts that are ruining it for other Tesla users. Superchargers are ONLY for use on extended road trips."
    (There's also the "Let them eat cake" posters who also let everyone know how many Teslas, airplanes, homes and boats they own.)
     
    #19 rxlawdude, Jun 16, 2015
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  20. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

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    i-MiEV, Tesla, PIP...no difference. First come, first serve. If I ever do get one, the last thing another car owner will want to do is unplug me without my permission...free or paid.
     
    #20 frodoz737, Jun 16, 2015
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