"Reserving" a car charging space - what would you do?

homer911

Was with the wife the other day in her Leaf (she was driving). We pulled into a popular shopping centre car park and headed for the charger. As we approached it, the space was free. When we got there, a teenage girl had materialised, standing in the spot, on her mobile phone "reserving" the charger for her mother (as it turned out).

The wife was not to be put off and insisted it was first come-first served. The girl accused us of not driving an electric car (repeatedly) and insisted she wasn't moving. My wife brazened it out and took over the space (I was a bit mortified, I wouldn't have done it, but the girl was most annoying!). A minute later the mother turned up (brand new Tesla of course) and "expressed her annoyance" but it was too late. The charming young idiot girl referred to my wife as a b*** and walked off.

What would you have done? At no time did the conversation get to "how desperate are you for a charge?" or "how far do you have to travel?"

To be clear, this was a slow charger..

Orebro

homer911 wrote: »

Was with the wife the other day in her Leaf (she was driving). We pulled into a popular shopping centre car park and headed for the charger. As we approached it, the space was free. When we got there, a teenage girl had materialised, standing in the spot, on her mobile phone "reserving" the charger for her mother (as it turned out).

The wife was not to be put off and insisted it was first come-first served. The girl accused us of not driving an electric car (repeatedly) and insisted she wasn't moving. My wife brazened it out and took over the space (I was a bit mortified, I wouldn't have done it, but the girl was most annoying!). A minute later the mother turned up (brand new Tesla of course) and "expressed her annoyance" but it was too late. The charming young idiot girl referred to my wife as a b*** and walked off.

What would you have done? At no time did the conversation get to "how desperate are you for a charge?" or "how far do you have to travel?"

To be clear, this was a slow charger..

If she hadn’t got it reserved when you got there then your wife was right to stand her ground imho.

AlphabetCards

Orebro wrote: »

If she hadn’t got it reserved when you got there then your wife was right to stand her ground imho.

I get the feeling you've misread it. As I understand, the girl was physically occupying the space waiting for her mother to arrive.

LionelNashe

I would have brazened it out and took over the space, as your wife did. I wouldn't make much effort to engage or argue with the teenager or the other driver; I'd just ignore them as far as possible.

Edgarfrndly

homer911 wrote: »

Was with the wife the other day in her Leaf (she was driving). We pulled into a popular shopping centre car park and headed for the charger. As we approached it, the space was free. When we got there, a teenage girl had materialised, standing in the spot, on her mobile phone "reserving" the charger for her mother (as it turned out).

The wife was not to be put off and insisted it was first come-first served. The girl accused us of not driving an electric car (repeatedly) and insisted she wasn't moving. My wife brazened it out and took over the space (I was a bit mortified, I wouldn't have done it, but the girl was most annoying!). A minute later the mother turned up (brand new Tesla of course) and "expressed her annoyance" but it was too late. The charming young idiot girl referred to my wife as a b*** and walked off.

What would you have done? At no time did the conversation get to "how desperate are you for a charge?" or "how far do you have to travel?"

To be clear, this was a slow charger..

Your wife was right. First come, first served.

Dublinstiofán

ESB have an app called ecar connect. It shows the live status of all chargers on their network of chargers and whether they are being used at that moment or out of service.

I know it won’t help in your case as it won’t show if any girls are standing in the space beside the charger, but in some cases it might show availability before you go to the charger which could be handy.

Miscreant

Is it coming to this now?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ3JnxkZxJg

"Reserving" a charging spot by standing in it is ridiculous in my view. If there is no car in it already charging then it is free to use. Your wife was right but I can totally understand why you were morto.

I wonder will this become more of a norm now with more and more EVs on the road and some that charge slower than others due to overheating and so on........

DrPhilG

Dublinstiofán wrote: »

ESB have an app called ecar connect. It shows the live status of all chargers on their network of chargers and whether they are being used at that moment or out of service.

I know it won’t help in your case as it won’t show if any girls are standing in the space beside the charger, but in some cases it might show availability before you go to the charger which could be handy.

The app is pretty useless. Anything from 15 to 30 minutes behind "live' most of the time.

jackofalltrades

Miscreant wrote: »

Is it coming to this now?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ3JnxkZxJg

People actually do this:eek:

OP your wife was dead right.
I'd have done the same and given the girls mother an earful for the way she let her daughter talk to your wife.
If people let this kind of nonsense slide then it's in danger of becoming common place.

Denisoftus

There are a lot of annoyances around free EV charging, IMHO the scheme must be demolished in favour of ""NOT FREE" charging, and make it more expensive then at home, or build a lot more free points. Until then people will be: charging overnight, queuing for spaces, arguing, etc. There are similar threads about who is right and who is wrong on boards in regard to EV charging.

At one Tesco parking, for instance, there are the same Leaf and BMW (surely locals) always parked at EV spaces, leaving others who just want top-up while shopping with nothing - not a big deal, just annoying.

Marcusm

homer911 wrote: »

Was with the wife the other day in her Leaf (she was driving). We pulled into a popular shopping centre car park and headed for the charger. As we approached it, the space was free. When we got there, a teenage girl had materialised, standing in the spot, on her mobile phone "reserving" the charger for her mother (as it turned out).

The wife was not to be put off and insisted it was first come-first served. The girl accused us of not driving an electric car (repeatedly) and insisted she wasn't moving. My wife brazened it out and took over the space (I was a bit mortified, I wouldn't have done it, but the girl was most annoying!). A minute later the mother turned up (brand new Tesla of course) and "expressed her annoyance" but it was too late. The charming young idiot girl referred to my wife as a b*** and walked off.

What would you have done? At no time did the conversation get to "how desperate are you for a charge?" or "how far do you have to travel?"

To be clear, this was a slow charger..

Wow, just wow.

JackieChan

Denisoftus wrote: »

At one Tesco parking, for instance, there are the same Leaf and BMW (surely locals) always parked at EV spaces, leaving others who just want top-up while shopping with nothing - not a big deal, just annoying.

We need to abolish free charging - only way to reduce this.

LotharIngum

homer911 wrote: »

Was with the wife the other day in her Leaf (she was driving). We pulled into a popular shopping centre car park and headed for the charger. As we approached it, the space was free. When we got there, a teenage girl had materialised, standing in the spot, on her mobile phone "reserving" the charger for her mother (as it turned out).

The wife was not to be put off and insisted it was first come-first served. The girl accused us of not driving an electric car (repeatedly) and insisted she wasn't moving. My wife brazened it out and took over the space (I was a bit mortified, I wouldn't have done it, but the girl was most annoying!). A minute later the mother turned up (brand new Tesla of course) and "expressed her annoyance" but it was too late. The charming young idiot girl referred to my wife as a b*** and walked off.

What would you have done? At no time did the conversation get to "how desperate are you for a charge?" or "how far do you have to travel?"

To be clear, this was a slow charger..

This is getting more common even in normal spaces.
I usually just turn into the space and go right up to them and wait.
They usually go quickly when I point at the dashcam then point at them and say "youtube star".

liamog

The only time I've done something similar is when I was waiting a few cars away from the charger whilst another car finished.
Someone pulled into the car park and was about to snipe the spot. It was Blanch and a car was slow charging in the middle bay.
The missus had to move the car from the spots next to TGIs.

Markcheese

I've done that at a normal space, stood in the space as my mam,(or someone) went round again...

Markcheese

LotharIngum wrote: »

This is getting more common even in normal spaces.
I usually just turn into the space and go right up to them and wait.
They usually go quickly when I point at the dashcam then point at them and say "youtube star".

Think I'd point my phone at you and say "you too.."

Hitman3000

Markcheese wrote:

I've done that at a normal space, stood in the space as my mam,(or someone) went round again...

Unless you're a transformer you have no right to stand in parking space.

GreeBo

Markcheese wrote: »

I've done that at a normal space, stood in the space as my mam,(or someone) went round again...

why?

LotharIngum

Markcheese wrote: »

Think I'd point my phone at you and say "you too.."

Only one person going to come out of being seen standing in a parking space without a car looking like a total idiot though.

Would you do it?

Zenith74

That ladies daughter would not have jumped out and been standing in the space if it wasn’t for the crazy situation we have with so few chargers at each stop and the required queuing. Personally I don’t think there was a right answer here.

ELM327

A person can't reserve a spot, only the first car there can.

Zenith74

ELM327 wrote: »

A person can't reserve a spot, only the first car there can.

I understand that is your opinion, I'm just saying I disagree with it. If there's some bylaw that covers the process of holding spaces then I'll definitely change mine, but in the interim I'm saying that I think there is no "right" answer here.

I'm not overly keen on the idea of somebody holding a space like this, but in the scheme of things I don't think it's a capital crime as I'm assuming that girl was there for a minute or two at most - parents have been throwing their children out of cars to hold spaces since the dawn of the car. On the other hand, the person who said above they drive into spaces when somebody is holding and sit there staring the person out - this is a pure dick move and is no more right than holding the space in the first place, probably less right in-fact as they've countered bad manners with passive aggression.

As I say, just my opinion to counter some of the others. As I say, the root of the problem here is the need for more charger density.

Roadtoad

The other family were there first. Obviously there was a different (third) car there when the other family got there. The kid was reserving the spot until it came free, the mum parked in a local 'ordinary' spot temporarily. Then you showed up and jumped the dignified order!

ELM327

Zenith74 wrote: »

As I say, just my opinion to counter some of the others. As I say, the root of the problem here is the need for more charger density.

Yes...100% this is always the problem, not enough chargers. The crap "network" is not fit for purpose.



But... that not withstanding

Zenith74 wrote: »

I understand that is your opinion, I'm just saying I disagree with it. If there's some bylaw that covers the process of holding spaces then I'll definitely change mine, but in the interim I'm saying that I think there is no "right" answer here.

I'm not overly keen on the idea of somebody holding a space like this, but in the scheme of things I don't think it's a capital crime as I'm assuming that girl was there for a minute or two at most - parents have been throwing their children out of cars to hold spaces since the dawn of the car. On the other hand, the person who said above they drive into spaces when somebody is holding and sit there staring the person out - this is a pure dick move and is no more right than holding the space in the first place, probably less right in-fact as they've countered bad manners with passive aggression.
.

Both of which are d1ck moves. But you know what, if you act like a d1ck you should expect to be met with the same in kind as return.


There's no law, either way, I suspect, but you cannot impede the progress of a motor vehicle ( that is a law) so I suggest that the law does not side with the the person blocking the space. It's always first come first served.

troyzer

Zenith74 wrote: »

I understand that is your opinion, I'm just saying I disagree with it. If there's some bylaw that covers the process of holding spaces then I'll definitely change mine, but in the interim I'm saying that I think there is no "right" answer here.

I'm not overly keen on the idea of somebody holding a space like this, but in the scheme of things I don't think it's a capital crime as I'm assuming that girl was there for a minute or two at most - parents have been throwing their children out of cars to hold spaces since the dawn of the car. On the other hand, the person who said above they drive into spaces when somebody is holding and sit there staring the person out - this is a pure dick move and is no more right than holding the space in the first place, probably less right in-fact as they've countered bad manners with passive aggression.

As I say, just my opinion to counter some of the others. As I say, the root of the problem here is the need for more charger density.

What are you smoking? I have never seen a person standing in a space and holding it, never. Not since "the dawn of time" and if I did I too would also politely point to the dash cam and demand that they move.

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Zenith74

I have never seen a person standing in a space and holding it, never. Not since "the dawn of time"

Much less common now to be fair, but you used to see this in Dublin city all the time in the 80s/90s when parking was more difficult to come by and you might have to circle back to get into a space - I've been that kid chucked out of the car . But look the main point of my argument is not whether it is common or not, I'm agreeing it's not ideal, but just pointing out that countering a dick move with a more aggressive one (passive or otherwise) does not make you right.

troyzer

Zenith74 wrote: »

Much less common now to be fair, but you used to see this in Dublin city all the time in the 80s/90s when parking was more difficult to come by and you might have to circle back to get into a space - I've been that kid chucked out of the car . But look the main point of my argument is not whether it is common or not, I'm agreeing it's not ideal, but just pointing out that countering a dick move with a more aggressive one (passive or otherwise) does not make you right.

It's not aggressive to call out bull**** where you see it.

colm_mcm

Having to pay for charging will sort all this “charging within a few km of home just because it’s free” out anyway so it’s only a temporary problem.

dclifford

What if the girls mother got to the bay an hour before the OP, but the bay was occupied, so they parked close by, waiting for the space to become free.
When the space became free the girl stood in the space while the mother drove around the carpark to get back to the space. In the mean time the OP drives up and tries to get into the space.

I think the girls mother should have the space. They were there first. They were in a queue, just not a physical queue. Then the girl stood in the space, now its a physical queue and they were still there first.

Zenith74

troyzer wrote: »

It's not aggressive to call out bull**** where you see it.

Agreed, but I’m not responding to the people who are just ‘calling it out’. There’s some distance between getting out of your car and saying to a person that they queue jumped or that it’s not fair for them to hold a spot (ie. polite reasoning) and driving into the space staring out your window at them, pointing at your dashcam etc. - this could actually be in the dictionary for the definition of passive aggression.

troyzer

Zenith74 wrote: »

Agreed, but I’m not responding to the people who are just ‘calling it out’. There’s some distance between getting out of your car and saying to a person that they queue jumped or that it’s not fair for them to hold a spot (ie. polite reasoning) and driving into the space staring out your window at them, pointing at your dashcam etc. - this could actually be in the dictionary for the definition of passive aggression.

I'm sure there was an escalation. I doubt the OP's wife immediately was aggressive. She probably was polite at first and then it escalated after the teenager refused to budge.

Ginger83

In the video the guy should have parked where he stopped, car half in the space blocking it...problem solved.

goz83

troyzer wrote: »

I'm sure there was an escalation. I doubt the OP's wife immediately was aggressive. She probably was polite at first and then it escalated after the teenager refused to budge.

You can't be sure of that though. You weren't there and only have part of a story from a stranger on the internet.

I disagree with someone standing in a space to hold it...unless as has been suggested, the Tesla owner was actually there first and just waiting for the spot to become free.

98q76e12hrflnk

dclifford wrote:

What if the girls mother got to the bay an hour before the OP, but the bay was occupied, so they parked close by, waiting for the space to become free. When the space became free the girl stood in the space while the mother drove around the carpark to get back to the space. In the mean time the OP drives up and tries to get into the space.

dclifford wrote:

I think the girls mother should have the space. They were there first. They were in a queue, just not a physical queue. Then the girl stood in the space, now its a physical queue and they were still there first.

Who cares. First come first serve. Not everyone is a pushover and goes around thinking what if?

liamog

Hang on, it's not first come, first serve because you happen to snipe the space from someone who was waiting 10m away.
If that's what happened, they were OK.

These are not parking spaces, they are charging spots, the rules are a little bit different.
If I park behind a car at a petrol pump whilst waiting, then somebody jumps in front when it pulls out, I'd be royally peeved and I suspect you would too.

creedp

liamog wrote: »

Hang on, it's not first come, first serve because you happen to snipe the space from someone who was waiting 10m away.
If that's what happened, they were OK.

These are not parking spaces, they are charging spots, the rules are a little bit different.
If I park behind a car at a petrol pump whilst waiting, then somebody jumps in front when it pulls out, I'd be royally peeved and I suspect you would too.

What about if you were waiting across the road or at the back of the forecourt and someone nipped in your space which was free when they arrived?

liamog

creedp wrote: »

What about if you were waiting across the road or at the back of the forecourt and someone nipped in your space which was free when they arrived?

The difference comes from refueling being a 5-10 minute activity and charging take 25-30 mins. Doesn't help that they are designed to look like a parking space.


If you like we could just park in the the middle of the driving lane of the car park whilst we wait to charge. I'm sure you'll be OK behind my car because after all, I am just queuing for the charger.

Mousewar

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How would you force them?

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liamog

You would run over a person?

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liamog

In the scheme of things I rank deliberately driving a car into a person as much worse than holding the charging spot.
My guess is that the Guards would too.

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yabadabado

Free charging should be abolished and some system put in place where someone who takes over a charge point for an excessive period of time gets billed progressively more every 5 minutes over a set time period(30mins).

The charging price for the first 30 minutes doesn't even need to be much ,a nominal fee would do but after 35 minutes it should get expensive to stop people hogging them while they **** off shopping etc for 3 or 4 hours.

ELM327

yabadabado wrote: »

Free charging should be abolished and some system put in place where someone who takes over a charge point for an excessive period of time gets billed progressively more every 5 minutes over a set time period(30mins).

The charging price for the first 30 minutes doesn't even need to be much ,a nominal fee would do but after 35 minutes it should get expensive to stop people hogging them while they **** off shopping etc for 3 or 4 hours.

30 minutes at a destination charger is like p1ssing against the ocean in fairness. Useless

liamog

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You also have no legal right to drive into a person.

yabadabado

ELM327 wrote: »

30 minutes at a destination charger is like p1ssing against the ocean in fairness. Useless

I only used those times as an example, could be configured any way that made sense and with proper signage and info so user's know what the limits are.

Also need to be a lot more charge points built .

liamog

ELM327 wrote: »

30 minutes at a destination charger is like p1ssing against the ocean in fairness. Useless

I've been assuming this was at a rapid like Naas, do we know if it was a rapid or destination?

ELM327

yabadabado wrote: »

I only used those times as an example, could be configured any way that made sense and with proper signage and info so user's know what the limits are.

Also need to be a lot more charge points built .

The rules you suggested would be perfect for fast chargers. Charge per kWh and then penalty for time longer than 30 minutes

liamog wrote: »

I've been assuming this was at a rapid like Naas, do we know if it was a rapid or destination?

I assumed it was a destination charger in blanch reading the OP... not sure it was clarified at all actually now that you mention it

CIARAN_BOYLE

ELM327 wrote: »

I assumed it was a destination charger in blanch reading the OP... not sure it was clarified at all actually now that you mention it

the op said it was a slow charger. assume destination charger.

personally I suspect desination chargers should not be a public thing.