Ski Resort L2 Charger etiquette

[Hillbilly]

Curious what folk think of plugging into an L2 Charger for 8 hours or so whilst skiing. Typically I would assume the same etiquette as any other public charger, go move your car when you are done but I've noticed that nobody does. There are only 4 L2 chargers where I go and the parking lot fills up to overflowing pretty much immediately. If you get there early and get an L2 Charger there will be no spots to move to when you are done, well without going to a lot with a shuttle bus or something.

I've avoided those chargers since I don't need them for my trip but I've been tempted by their proximity to the lodge and the range boost. I just don't think I could sit there all day without the guilt of hogging a spot but I also wouldn't want the hassle of having to park miles away and deal with shuttles, kids and gear afterwards.

FWIW typically the 4 units are typically occupied by Tesla's or plug-in hybrids. I get the BEV sitting there all day but the hybrid's do bring out a little of the snob in me.

Just curious what others think?

If they're there, use them. It's polite enough that you look to find another place to park when you're charged. If there's no other available parking, then I wouldn't sweat it. Whoever needed a spot can get there and wait or not drive an ev if they need to gamble on charging at a destination. That's an assumed risk for all of us.

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[Hillbilly]

I think you're missing the point. If you choose to be selfish or lazy then don't plug in to start with. Your vehicle charging is your burden, no one else's. If you need juice to get home, then spend 30 minutes after skiing at a DCFC. I ski all the time at Heavenly in Tahoe, and it's a 30 minute gondola ride from the base to the mountain, so 1 hour in total. I sure as hell won't go down and unplug and move it, you're right about that. But I wouldn't plug in to begin with, because that's just being a dick.

If there's a sign that says "parking WHILE charging only" and you aren't charging, then be prepared to come back to no vehicle at all, especially if I see it. If you left your car at a gas pump while eating at a restaurant across the street, you would expect to be towed. It's no different.

You seem to think that your need for electrons is more important than anyone else. I'm sure you would be pissed if an ICE vehicle was parked in an EV charging spot. Is that any different that an EV that's not charging... nope!

It doesn't take long to gas up. That's not a fair analogy.

You sound like more of a jerk than the guy that leaves the car there to charge while skiing.

 

[RandomMcRandomFace]

It most definitely is a thing. Yes, the charger is locked to the car until charging is complete, at which time it unlocks. So therefore, yes you can, and should be, towed from a parking spot intended for vehicles that are actively charging if you are not charging. Not sure about your state, but it's completely legal in California to tow a vehicle parking in a charging spot, if they are not charging (Vehicle Code 22511).

Entitled EV owners get into an uproar over being "ICE'd" but for some reason those same people think it's okay to do the EV equivalent of ICEing.

Huh, well if this is true for a Rivian, its different than any other EV I've had (in terms of unlocking), but point remains, certainly not going to get towed in this scenario (or even remotely worried about that - I've owned an EV for 7 years and have never ever seen or heard of any car getting towed from a space after the charging completed, so no, it is not, in practice, a thing). Getting ice'd is completely different (as in, I parked to charge for several hours and didn't spend an hour moving my car in case some other skier arrived mid-day to charge for a few hours of skiing, ICE parked for a space). We don't see eye to eye on this but to each his own.

 

[DevSecOps]

You sound like more of a jerk than the guy that leaves the car there to charge while skiing.

Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment. I have zero patience for people who espouse entitlement.

Getting ice'd is completely different

ICEing is the act of blocking a parking stall containing a charger, that an EV needs. If you are blocking a charger with another EV for 4 hours, there's no difference. People get towed all the time for ICEing, and I personally have seen EVs get towed for the same in the Hospital parking garage.

Not all ski resorts have EV chargers in isolated areas specific to skiing. Here in California many share those chargers, in parking garages, with hotels, casinos shopping outlets, restaurants and more.

Charging etiquette in general is severely lacking with EV owners. So let me add some more that people might not be aware of:

• Use a charger commensurate with the capability of your vehicle, if possible. Do not use one that will supply more power than your vehicle will accept, if possible.
• Avoid parking next to someone who is DC charging, especially on shared units. EA shared units will have verbiage on them saying they are shared. It’s always in order of right to left 1 is shared with 2, 3 is shared with 4, etc. RAN chargers label them, normally in a letter number combination. For example, 1A is shared with 1B and possibly 1C, whereas 2A is shared with 2B and possibly 2C.
• Avoid charging above 80% SOC if you don’t need it
• Don’t park in charging spots if you aren’t charging
• Unplug when you are done charging and move your car. Someone else might need it.
• Don’t use chargers as princes parking. If you don’t need the charge and you connect to a charger just because you want princess parking, you’re rude. Someone might need that charge who is commuting/traveling.
• Don’t use local DCFC just because it’s free unless you need to. DCFC is designed for commuters and using it just for the sake of sucking up free electrons only blocks someone who needs it to get on with their family travels.
• Please report broken charging units to the charging company. Don't contribute to the problem, help resolve it!

 

[Hillbilly]

Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment. I have zero patience for people who espouse entitlement.



ICEing is the act of blocking a parking stall containing a charger, that an EV needs. If you are blocking a charger with another EV for 4 hours, there's no difference. People get towed all the time for ICEing, and I personally have seen EVs get towed for the same in the Hospital parking garage.

Not all ski resorts have EV chargers in isolated areas specific to skiing. Here in California many share those chargers, in parking garages, with hotels, casinos shopping outlets, restaurants and more.

Charging etiquette in general is severely lacking with EV owners. So let me add some more that people might not be aware of:

• Use a charger commensurate with the capability of your vehicle, if possible. Do not use one that will supply more power than your vehicle will accept, if possible.
• Avoid parking next to someone who is DC charging, especially on shared units. EA shared units will have verbiage on them saying they are shared. It’s always in order of right to left 1 is shared with 2, 3 is shared with 4, etc. RAN chargers label them, normally in a letter number combination. For example, 1A is shared with 1B and possibly 1C, whereas 2A is shared with 2B and possibly 2C.
• Avoid charging above 80% SOC if you don’t need it
• Don’t park in charging spots if you aren’t charging
• Unplug when you are done charging and move your car. Someone else might need it.
• Don’t use chargers as princes parking. If you don’t need the charge and you connect to a charger just because you want princess parking, you’re rude. Someone might need that charge who is commuting/traveling.
• Don’t use local DCFC just because it’s free unless you need to. DCFC is designed for commuters and using it just for the sake of sucking up free electrons only blocks someone who needs it to get on with their family travels.
• Please report broken charging units to the charging company. Don't contribute to the problem, help resolve it!

The entitlement guy... It's you.

 

[RandomMcRandomFace]

The entitlement guy... It's you.

Yea, um . . . okay. [responded to the wrong post . . . this one I agree with]

 

[ksurfier]

Not usually gas stations at ski resorts.
If there were, guessing it would be expensive since getting truck there to fuel it would cost a lot…the chargers should be appropriately priced, may increase $0.5 each hour, that would help separate those that need to charge versus those that don’t…

 

[AlcesBull]

I would simply build trains to all the ski areas and be done with this nonsense.

The Eldora situation is pretty nice though.

 

[jjswan33]

Not usually gas stations at ski resorts.
If there were, guessing it would be expensive since getting truck there to fuel it would cost a lot…the chargers should be appropriately priced, may increase $0.5 each hour, that would help separate those that need to charge versus those that don’t…

There are usually gas stations near ski areas, not so much for charging stations. Also different because ski resorts have extensive power infrastructure in place in order to run the lifts so adding some L2 stalls isn’t a heavy lift.

Agree the cost should be proportionate if necessary.

 

[jjswan33]

How many kwh did you get over 6 hours? The problem with those Flo units is they're power shared. I've seen anywhere between 400wh to 3.2kwh on the flo app this winter...making them almost worthless unless you really need it to maintain. Last summer I had much better luck however I was the only one charging...think I got about 28kwh over a bit more than 4hrs

Yeah I remember commenting when the installed them that they were underpowered. At the price I paid I should have just reserved one of the 50A RV spots for the day.

 

[WSea]

Yeah I remember commenting when the installed them that they were underpowered. At the price I paid I should have just reserved one of the 50A RV spots for the day.

Wait, howd you get charged so much? Flat $15 after first 4 hours. The rv spots are $120ish

 

[jjswan33]

Wait, howd you get charged so much? Flat $15 after first 4 hours. The rv spots are $120ish

$15/hour after 4 hours is the set rate.

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