I loved watching the video below — especially because last weekend, on a St. Petersburg street filled with lots of parking and adequate EV chargers, I found the same spots repeatedly blocked by ICE SUVs or cars — I even wondered if it was intentional. I mean, the signs are quite visible. One is a fast charger. Fast chargers are fairly rare in Florida cities, so it is especially annoying when one is blocked.
A faster charger that is often blocked by ICE SUVs/cars.
A lovely stretch of Beach Drive is continually blocked — despite how clearly marked the EV charging spots are.
I found 3 EV charging stations on one stretch of another St. Petersburg street, but they are routinely blocked as well. Perhaps even with all the other parking, people are still dismayed that EV drivers have three spots — so they block them with ICE cars.
At the charger I most wanted to use, a woman was just getting out of an SUV — an obviously ICE SUV. Being polite, I asked her a question to prompt an awareness that she was blocking me, “Are you going to charge?” She looked me squarely in the eyes and said yes, put money in the parking meter and went on her way, challenging me to get upset.
Or she actually could not read or understand what “EV Charging Only” means. I drove on so tired of the absurdity or the unwillingness of some people — fellow citizens — to engage in “give and take.”
After driving on in St. Petersburg, I went to USF (near Beach Drive). I found an open charger where I talked with a friendly Nissan LEAF driver who waited while I briefly charged. I moved on (as my EV was nearly recharged) so he could use the fast charger as well. In the meantime, it was another great conversation with a member of this nascent community. Surprising probably no one, it was another EV enthusiast with a down payment on a Tesla Model 3. Although, he felt not quite sure about giving up the Nissan LEAF that he loves — a sentiment that a lot of online EV discussion seemingly skips over.
Even without the sign below, I would have moved my car, but I have to admit — I love this sign.
That’s a good reminder that EV drivers can be “ICE’d” by EVs too!
Thanks to “Patrick W” on the Tesla Motors Club forum for sharing the video at the top from Fully Charged.
For another playful approach to the topic, check out this Twitter account: I’ve Been ICE’d.
Related Stories:
Tesla Owner Using Supercharger At 1AM Surrounded By 2 Police Cars & Accused Of Suspicious Activity
High School Students Build Solar EV Charging Station
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