Commuting Concerns on a Packed Ferry Boat

[PappaBolt]

I think you are overthinking this a bit, this isn't really an issue and the Bainbridge ferry isn't long enough to really worry about it. I sit in my car for an hour with the heat or AC blasting and listening to music and I never have issues with the 12v. Most of the 12v issues were early on when they had two 12v batteries (apparently the system design had some issues.) They moved to a single battery and there haven't really been significant issues since. Rivian's (and most modern cars) are smart enough to start shutting down things if they detect at 12v issue. Think about how many Tesla's sit on that ferry every day and have been commuting for many years.

I’m one of those early dual 12v VINs. I’ve never seen a WSF tug pull a emergency brake locked vehicle off the boat. Seems the consensus is I’m over thinking it. Appreciate all the feedback.

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[9527]

I also understand the concern. I’ve seen a Model Y bricked at a busy Starbucks drive thru. There were lots of angry customers who didn’t understand why the car couldn’t be simply pushed away. The Tesla driver was scrambling to get a tow. He was visibly frustrated and embarrassed. Every time I’m in a drive thru lane, I thought about that incident. If I’m on a commute ferry, I might just jump overboard!

 

[jbssfelix]

Boat time is 40 min commute plus load/unload time. IIDK about it being extreme, as others have reported the 12v can die without warning with no easy way to move the vehicle while in a confined directional space.

That new upcoming cast feature might be more beneficial to you than the rest of us...

 

[PappaBolt]

That new upcoming cast feature might be more beneficial to you than the rest of us...

I tend to hotspot it and use my Rivian as a mobile office, but I’m looking forward to the entertainment options!

 

[Nix]

If this were the only failure mode in every vehicle that could potentially leave a vehicle with locked wheels, I would agree with the concerns. But the reality is that ICE cars also have multiple failure modes that can lead to locked wheels.


For example:

• Stuck transmission parking pawl.
• Seized emergency brake line.
• Differential gear physical internal failure, locking axle.
• Brake lines physically or electronically locked with the brakes applied.
• Transmission shift levers or cables or electronics broken (shifter lost control over the transmission and cannot shift).
• Transmission physical internal failure, locking gears.
• Transfer case physical internal failure, locking transfer case.
• Wheel bearing catastrophic failure, seizing wheel.
• Broken suspension or steering component catastrophic failure, leaving tire stuck lodged into the body.
• Brake caliper internal failure, seizing the brake locked.
• Wheel lug backing out of hub, physically jamming against the axle housing locking the wheel.
• Iced over parking or regular brakes freezing drum brake pads locked so they won't retract, or freezing condensed water in the brake lines.
• ABS system failure, locking brakes closed.
• Master cylinder failure locking the brake lines with the brakes fully applied.
• Broken driveshaft lodged into the undercarriage or suspension or steering.

A relative was on the Bainbridge ferry when a door fell off an old truck (2 broken hinges), and they had to lash the door on with ropes. The least expected things will eventually happen, given enough opportunities (Chaos Theory in action).

 

[PappaBolt]

If this were the only failure mode in every vehicle that could potentially leave a vehicle with locked wheels, I would agree with the concerns. But the reality is that ICE cars also have multiple failure modes that can lead to locked wheels.


For example:

• Stuck transmission parking pawl.
• Seized emergency brake line.
• Differential gear physical internal failure, locking axle.
• Brake lines physically or electronically locked with the brakes applied.
• Transmission shift levers or cables or electronics broken (shifter lost control over the transmission and cannot shift).
• Transmission physical internal failure, locking gears.
• Transfer case physical internal failure, locking transfer case.
• Wheel bearing catastrophic failure, seizing wheel.
• Broken suspension or steering component catastrophic failure, leaving tire stuck lodged into the body.
• Brake caliper internal failure, seizing the brake locked.
• Wheel lug backing out of hub, physically jamming against the axle housing locking the wheel.
• Iced over parking or regular brakes freezing drum brake pads locked so they won't retract, or freezing condensed water in the brake lines.
• ABS system failure, locking brakes closed.
• Master cylinder failure locking the brake lines with the brakes fully applied.
• Broken driveshaft lodged into the undercarriage or suspension or steering.

A relative was on the Bainbridge ferry when a door fell off an old truck (2 broken hinges), and they had to lash the door on with ropes. The least expected things will eventually happen, given enough opportunities (Chaos Theory in action).

Thankfully I’ve not seen any of that happen in my years of commuting. I’ve seen many other crazy things though:

* hit a whale
* lost propulsion
* man overboard
* kayak rescue
* high seas taking on water
* medivac
* coast guard tailing
* near collisions
* mechanical breakdown

 

[endokendo]

In this extreme situation I would say some wheel dollies that you use in a garage would be better, or even some plastic glides under the wheels.

I really think this is an extreme edge case that you are not likely to run into. How long is the Ferry ride? If it is 10 minutes and the 12v battery shows no problem as you enter the ferry it's not going to die in 10 minutes. If you have a battery light on as you enter the ferry and it pulls away from the dock, keep it in drive and sit in the car so the HV battery is still engaged with the 12v and then drive it off and to a spot for the 12v to die that is easy to tow from. Basically, the same approach if you noticed the battery dying on your ICE and you were running off the alternator.

I was sitting in my Model 3 and the ferry was going to dock in Tswassen, BC in about 45 min. Suddenly the PTC heater shorted and it quickly drained my 12V battery. There was no warning signs, I heard a loud pop and then I had all the error codes displayed. The 3 was now an immobile vehicle and I had to call 6 different tow truck companies in Vancouver, BC before finding someone who could help me. The challenge was that there was a height limit for the tow truck, something like 7 or 7.5 feet. No one could get me for a couple of hours so I sat in my 3 with no power and no heat etc with the windows half open (I guess the software automatically opens the front windows half way so that one can reach in and engage the emergency latch to open the door). I got a 1.5 hour ferry ride back to Swartz Bay, they loaded up the ferry, and then another 1.5 hour ferry ride back to Tsawassen, BC. The tow truck driver got me and put the rear wheels on a 4 wheel dolly. This was truly an adventure and nothing I could have done to predict that eventually the PTC heater would fail and drain the 12V battery quickly.

will have to be prepared for things to happen and maintain that adventure spirit when I get my R1 (or R2) one day

 

[Zoidz]

I would get (well actually I did) a $100 NOCO jump starter and keep it in the vehicle. Odds are you will never need it but you have it if needed. And you could also be a saviour for an ICE if their battery dies.

 

[PappaBolt]

I would get (well actually I did) a $100 NOCO jump starter and keep it in the vehicle. Odds are you will never need it but you have it if needed. And you could also be a saviour for an ICE if their battery dies.

Yes, that carried over from ICE to EV when I made the switch. It’s stored in the frunk so it’s accessible if/when needed.

 

[PhatDaddy]

…assuming you can access the frunk.

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