Sleeping at Chargers: Do (or Would) You Feel Safe?

[McRat]

How about: "QUARANTINE. TYPHOID."

Criminals in the US probably think Quarantine is a cocktail, and Typhoid is a brand of car. So they would try and raid the bar in the car.
But they HAVE seen K-9 on the side of cop cars.

 

[BluestarE3]

a Tesla, and whoever is inside it, has the potential of being a different kind of target from an Alaskan pickup truck.
...
Here's a hint: always always always try to blend in.

You mean like this?

 

[dhcp]

Always have your second amendment on/by your side.

Unfortunately, we live in California where your unloaded firearm with a 10-round or less magazine (else it's a misdemeanor) is locked away in an area that can't be reached by a driver or passenger. If that loaded mag is in the gun or it's anywhere near the reach of the driver or passenger, you will have plenty of time to sleep in custody.

The only thing you could do here is maybe threatening to hit them with a bag of Whole Foods groceries or throw some kale. That is about all an assailant would expect here.

I know if I saw Arizona, Texas or Florida plates on a car I'd say 70/30 chance there is a gun somewhere inside those darkly tinted windows (also illegal in California...)

I have one fo the Utah CCW permits that allow 27-state carry but it's not accepted in California and you simply can't get permits here. I'm not a republican or super political but I hoped that the "nationwide ccw" might come about with the new administration.

 

[DarkMatter]

That isn't so unfortunate from a risk perspective. Your single largest risk factor for death by a firearm is owning one. However the firearm topic seems really off subject for this thread: nobody in here is going to change the minds of each other, and since nobody has yet pointed to an actual incident at a Supercharger or charging stop, this seems to be more a matter of perception than of actual risk. It's like thinking you're safer driving a thousand miles than flying. You're several orders of magnitude less likely to die on the plane trip, but I'm not about to try to convince someone who is scared of flying that they are wrong.

 

[DarkMatter]

this is a very naive statement.
there are more than a few SpC locations that if not in "bad" areas certainly seem to be in bad area. an example would be Mobile AL. they have even posted a sign alerting you to call for security to escort you to the mall that is near the SpCs, however that service is offered only during business hours, off hours you're on your own.

That seems like a known hazard. I've visited dozens of chargers in this area and none of them have seemed to be in particularly dangerous areas. One was near some people camping in a parking lot, and while that might worry some people, I wouldn't sweat it. The people are not camping there because it is dangerous, rather because it is the safest spot available to them.

What my original post is getting at is that perception of risk is often quite different than actual risk. In practice I would evaluate sleeping at a charger identically to sleeping in my car anywhere. The charger really doesn't enter in to it. Even with that in mind the number of places that are riskier than the known killer of driving seems quite small. Perhaps that is a misread of the data. In the USA there are 1.25 deaths per 100 million miles and 185 crashes per 100 million miles. If we can find evidence of even one death by cause and a few injuries at charging stations we might come close to matching the risk of driving there. Otherwise it seems quite unlikely that the presence of charging changes anything.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Buy a Model 3. Nobody wants to hassle you then, they'll be all over that Model S at the next stall.

In seriousness, there was this: Owner robbed and Model S stolen at gunpoint while supercharging in Barstow... | Tesla

 

[Hugh Mannity]

Just install a trunk monkey and you're good

 

[Sasmania]

On my 48 State and Canada road trip, I slept in the back about 20 times out of the 132 nights of the trip.

I understand the feeling of uneasiness 100% as you somehow feel more vulnerable than being in a hotel room.

That feeling of wanting to "sleep with one eye open", was the hardest part of sleeping in the car, as the actual comfort was pretty good. On my trip I had large logos on my car which made it stand out more, which did not help me blend in.

Several times I was plugged in at an SC overnight. Don't worry, only car there and those felt relatively safe. I also slept in a Walmart parking lot a couple times as often RV's park there as well. That was a double edged sword as the store and cameras make you feel a bit better, but then again not always the best crowd at a Walmart. The safest I felt was at an actual RV campground since that is what every single person there is doing.

Probably my worst experience was at a Plugshare spot plugged into a 14-50 on the side of a business. It was a decent area, but I had just gotten situated, probably about an hour into a good sleep when some yahoo knocks on my window. Yes, another Model S owner asking if he can borrow the same plug? WTF? Really dude? I'm kinda using it and need all the charge myself. Sorry, but first come, first serve ESPECIALLY if the person is sleeping in the middle of the night! I was so taken aback that I actually let him use if for a few hours, of course getting zero sleep in the process.

Another interesting one was on Key West where I plugged into a destination charger off near an old military base. It was kind of isolated and quiet, but I wasn't sure if that was good or bad as someone with bad intentions could have had plenty of freedom to do whatever.

I don't know if there really is a good solution, you just have to judge each location on a case by case basis.

 

[DarkMatter]

Buy a Model 3. Nobody wants to hassle you then, they'll be all over that Model S at the next stall.

In seriousness, there was this: Owner robbed and Model S stolen at gunpoint while supercharging in Barstow... | Tesla

I bet that would have gone much worse if both people had been armed. What an unhinged person it takes to do something like that. Did they somehow think Tesla would not be able to find them?

 

[Xenoilphobe]

I believe it is low risk. There is no money or cash register like at every gas station. No beer to steal or drug dealer hanging out or other perps.

Additionally a small taser or Subcompact auto takes the steam out of most people. Even a can of bear stray will put them down fast.

 

[BerTX]

Here's a hint: always always always try to blend in.

This made me come up with a new product for the Tesla accessories companies -- a lightweight car cover printed up to make the car look like a 1983 FORD Taurus...

 

[NikeWings]

I've slept overnight at a few SCs as well as several beach spots (pano roof open) along the PCH. I've got a dog, pepper spray and a gun (w/license to carry) which is enough to ward off the punks that might ever be trolling these places, and I sleep just fine. Frankly I'm more concerned walking through the staples center parking garage at night.

 

[DarkMatter]

This made me come up with a new product for the Tesla accessories companies -- a lightweight car cover printed up to make the car look like a 1983 FORD Taurus...

Which would be impressive since the Taurus didn't debut until 1986.

 

[robski]

I just drove all night from Vegas back to the bay area and felt uneasy at all the chargers. During the day is fine but at night it's an entirely different experience. Gustine at 3am freaked me out the most.

 

[Shock-On-T]

Vinyl passenger door window stickers (removable):

WARNING:
K-9 INSIDE

Put in white letters on a black background, cut to just under window size to make it easy to install and remove.

Not that scary:

 

[InTheShadows]

I do all the time. Anytime of day. Just make sure your doors are locked.

I only had one run in and it was in the early days around 2am with mall security that told me I needed to leave because I was trespassing. I told them I wasn't, I was charging my car. And told them to call the number on the Tesla sign or the cops if they had a problem with it.

 

[Phillip L]

You mean like this?

That is first time I have actually laughed out loud on this forum. How long does it take to blow that thing up?

 

[Phillip L]

Buy a Model 3. Nobody wants to hassle you then, they'll be all over that Model S at the next stall.

In seriousness, there was this: Owner robbed and Model S stolen at gunpoint while supercharging in Barstow... | Tesla

Obviously had no idea of the acceleration of the vehicle since they promptly crashed it.

 

[henderrj]

We just drove over 3,000 miles back and forth across the country. My wife likes to drive like mad and then stay for a few days somewhere. (Okay she likes me to drive like mad.) That means stopping to charge quite a few times in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere. I fell asleep a bunch of times. Maybe I'm just naive but I never worried even once. I think if we had been in the city I would never have done it. Then again, why? There's a hotel right there!

 

[Joe F]

Not a problem when the robo chargers are ubiquitous! No need to get out to unplug.