A Reddit post recently received a lot of traction when a user shared their story about people parking their non-electric car in an electric vehicle charging bay!
He’d Just Got a Brand New Car
Back in 2015, the Original Poster (OP) purchased a brand-spanking new electric vehicle (EV).
They Weren’t Great Back in Those Days
The batteries at the time weren’t as powerful as they are today and only allowed for a measly 60-80 miles per charge.
However, being the eco-friendly guy he is, he was determined to make the most of his new ride and take it for a spin to a shopping center about 60 miles away.
A Rare Sight
The shopping center was a prime location for EV owners as it was one of the few places that provided charging stations.
And to sweeten the deal, the charging was free, so OP was keen to make the most of this opportunity.
He checked that the charger was working through the app and hit the road once satisfied.
No Way!
After an hour of driving, OP finally arrived at the shopping center, only to find the EV charging bays blocked by non-EV vehicles!
The bays were marked, but some jerks had still decided to park their non-electric cars in them.
He Was Mad
He was ready to blow a fuse, but instead, he decided to take action and headed straight to the information desk.
These People Couldn’t Be More Useless!
The information desk said they couldn’t ask the owners of the non-EV vehicles to move their rides, leaving OP feeling helpless.
He explained to them that he needed to charge to get home and asked if they could make an exception, but they were utterly useless.
All of His Suggestions Were Ignored
He even suggested they clamp or ticket the offending vehicles, but they refused, stating they didn’t do that either. The information desk gave him a firm no to any tactic he proposed.
As the parking lot was free to park, there were no cameras or attendants to monitor it.
He Would Not Give Up!
The information desk was a dead end, and OP was beginning to feel like he was hitting a brick wall.
But he’s not one to give up quickly, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.
He Was Resourceful
OP was determined to get a full charge, and he had an idea. At first, he thought to park in front of the other cars, but the cable was too short to reach his car.
He noticed that there was a wide sidewalk to the edge of the charging stations that didn’t lead to any disabled or parent parking spots.
A Sneaky Ploy
He slowly drove onto the sidewalk, made sure no one was around, and started the charge.
After securing his EV, he went shopping, hoping he wouldn’t run into any trouble.
When he returned to his car at the end of the day, he saw an employee, possibly security, looking perplexed at his car, parked there on the sidewalk.
He Played It Cool
But OP played it cool. He simply unlocked the car, pulled the cable away, and drove off with a full charge!
He’d Succeeded Where Others May Fail
OP’s sneaky parking job had done the trick, and they made it home without any issues. However, the experience left a sour taste in his mouth.
They’d Let Him Down
He couldn’t believe that the shopping center didn’t have any systems in place to prevent non-EV cars from blocking the charging bays, especially when they were one of the few places offering EV charging at the time.
It was a frustrating experience.
He Returns to the Scene of the Crime
Some good did come out of this experience, though! The next time they visited the shopping center, a year later, they were pleasantly surprised to see the EV bays now marked with more paint and parking restrictions.
Positive Outcomes!
Fines were in place for non-EV cars that parked there, and there were even posts at the end of the sidewalk where OP mounted the curb.
The OP’s sneaky charging job seemed to have spurred the shopping center into action!
In the End, It Was a Win
Reflecting on the experience, OP couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
He had managed to charge his car and make it home despite the obstacles in his way, and he had even prompted positive change at the shopping center. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
What Did Reddit Think?
Reddit users loved this guy’s tale of malicious compliance. One user shared their tale of a similar experience: “Here (Romania, smallish city) mounted EV charging bays at the shopping center, and it is not rare for people to use them as a special place for their limited edition 6 liter SUVs.”
“Well, I was shopping, and someone argued with the security about the EV bays being occupied and having back the same response as you. A couple of hours later, both cars were honking like crazy because the EV was blocking the exit, leisurely charged.”
“After a couple of hours more, the man just talked with security officers, took the charger out, and went on with his day. Two months later, there is a camera watching the EV bays and more clear signage.”
What do you think about this guy’s story? He used his brain to devise a great solution to a problem and created a positive outcome for more electric vehicle users!
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The post A Proud Early EV Adopter Devised an Ingenious Plan to Overcome Charging Bay Obstacles, Charging Bays Are for EVs Only! first appeared on Fistful of Dollars.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Luis Molinero. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit