ICE parking on Charging Station spots ticketable in Florida

[Larry Chanin]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the photos.

We'll see if we can plan an event when you return.

Regards,

Larry

[NigelM]

So we got signs installed at the spots just walking distance from my house. The installer asked me to take my car over and check the units were now live....They are but even with signage the spots were ICE'd, now seriously folks no-one saw all the signs and bollards? And the car park was maybe 20% occupied when I took this photo:




Good news.....at least a Volt was able to make the cable reach:

[brianman]

When cars are left on the side of the road (overnight), they get marked on the glass so that the days/weeks the vehicle is there can be easily tracked by the authorities for (I presume) towing purposes.

Perhaps they should do the same thing when an ICE parks in a dedicated EV spot -- mark up the glass with "I'm an idiot or just a jerk for parking my ICE in an EV spot." Shame can often be effective.

If they do this, they need to do some education first so that they don't start marking Tesla Roadsters like they were doing in one of the other threads here.

[NigelM]

I have small notes in my car which I just leave on the windscreens, reading as follows:

Fellow car owner,
You parked in an Electric Vehicle only charging spot. This prevented me from plugging in and charging my car (equivalent to me preventing you from entering a gas station). It would be really appreciated if you leave this space for electric vehicles.
Tip: Since July 1^st 2012 Florida has a new statute which provides fines and towing for gas cars illegally parked on electric vehicle charging spots. I probably just saved you a bunch of money by letting you know.
Thank you.

[Robert.Boston]

Perhaps print up official-looking slips that say something like:

Pursuant to state law [fill in statute cite], vehicles parked in designated EV charging locations are subject to towing.

Put in blanks for license plate, date, and initials at the bottom, then fill them in and leave them under the wiper blade. Of course, do not include language that could be taken to be impersonate a law officer!

[NigelM]

A Volt-driving friend down here prints these cards and leaves them on windscreens when he's ICE'd:





BTW, here in Sarasota the City Commission just voted to make the parking fine $35.00

[vfx]

Hi Eric,

Florida has a statute that imposses fines and towing. However, these are newly installed chargers and the locals are not accustomed to looking for the EV signs quoting the statute. I feel painting the parking space to make it more obvious will assist in detering ICEing for those who did not deliberately intend to park in an EV space.

Larry

You could have lasers and neon designating EV spots. If ICErs don't care, they don't care. Money or jail-time is the only effective (legal) deterrent.

[NigelM]

If ICErs don't care, they don't care. Money or jail-time is the only effective (legal) deterrent.

Just a teensy, tiny bit over the top? ...Or does that explain prison over-crowding in California?

[vfx]

Just a teensy, tiny bit over the top? ...Or does that explain prison over-crowding in California?

I typed jail-time but was thinking sniper nests.

[markwj]

I wish it did more to say the specific charging station in question.

For instance, I think a LEAF could park in front of a Tesla station, or a Roadster could park in front of a CHAdeMO.
Not all EV parking spots are equivalent.

It does say "a vehicle that is not capable of using an electric recharging station within any parking space specifically designated for charging a vehicle" - doesn't that mean a Roadster parked in a CHAdeMO spot would not be capable of using that charging station?

Given the comments elsewhere on this forum, officers have enough trouble recognizing Roadsters as EVs - I doubt they could tell if a particular EV could charge on a particular connector. I guess this is why California went with the 'plugged in' legislation.