I live in a complex of townhomes with shared parking lots, no assigned spaces. Some of my neighbors got very upset 3 years ago when they installed three EV charging stations around the complex, effectively removing 6 public parking spaces. At the HOA meeting many argued that parking would now be impossible.
In reality there is ample parking, some residents were just sour that their favorite spots were now reserved for electric cars. They were sure to emphasize that NOBODY in the neighborhood had one at the time anyway.
A year ago my neighbor/friend T leased an EV and started using one of the spots regularly. He parks and charges there like every three days or so. The charging stands are really low wattage so he parks overnight to charge.
We needed a new family car and we bought an electric about three weeks ago. I work 110 km away, and the below zero weather means I can just make the commute there and back with like 4-5% left on the battery. It takes between 6-8 hours to fully charge it at these stands, so I’ve been doing the same as T and charging overnight while the prices are cheaper. Usually I park in a regular spot and then move when it’s time to plug in.
I got super sick last week, so my partner took the new car to work for the first time. When they came home, they parked at the charger and came inside because they don’t have the app/don’t know how to set it charging yet. The expectation was that I would go out and do it later.
Now this particular day my flu was crazy and I was puking, feverish, cramping, etc. It sucked. I knew I wasn’t going to work the next day, and my partner was carpooling so no one needed the car. I weighed up the idea of going to move it. Looked at the app and saw all five of the other charging stands were available as per usual. I decided I didn’t want to get my feverish ass outta bed to go out in sub-zero weather to move the car. Since I was laid low, my partner was taking on all the parental responsibility for the night and I didn’t want to ask them to move it either.
I figured there’s like a 0.000001 percent chance that someone will be getting 6 guests at 10 p.m. who all drive EVs that need a charge. I went to sleep confident that I was in no way inconveniencing anyone else.
The next day I took out the trash and found a note under my windshield wiper which said:
“This is NOT a parking spot! It is only to be used WHILE CHARGING!!!!!!!” They also drew a very angry face.
Now I am new to EV ownership, and I know there are rules. I technically broke that rule. However while I know I breached the letter of the law (a sign posted at the station, not an actual law) I do not believe I broke the spirit of the law. No one was inconvenienced. I was just puking.
So AITA or is my neighbor being extremely petty?
YTA
YTA
Look, I completely understand why things worked out the way they did in this case, but it’s not a parking spot. It’s a charging station. Period.
If you aren’t charging. You shouldn’t leave your car there.
Your partner should either have figured it out or move it.
YTA – it is a charging point / space NOT a parking space.
You would be the AH if you did this regularly and blocked other users needing to charge, but when you are sick? She’s being pissy because she’s probably one of the residents that lost their favourite parking spot. Ignore it.
YTA.
Those arent spots for electric cars, they are spots for charging. Since you weren’t doing that, you weren’t eligible to use it. Would you feel the same if a non electric car was there the same amount of time?
You have effectively decided these spots (the best ones according to you) are your reserved spots.
Now, I would say that the others are a little short sighted, since you being there meant one less regular spot was taken, but you are ultimately the AH for treating it like your personal reservation when no one else gets that option.
YTA
You wrote:
>I knew I wasn’t going to work the next day, and my partner was carpooling so no one needed the car.
So, you were planning to occupy a charging spot not only overnight, but also through the next day.
All you had to do was ask your partner to move the car (or start charging it; you could have talked them through it over the phone).
YTA.
YTA-it was rude.
YTA – Your partner could have moved the car to a non-EV charging spot while you were busy puking.
I was going to say yta, but given the circumstance here… is there a half yta?
Yes. YTA.
If someone parked their car in front of a fuel bowser all.night, that would be the same thing.
I guess ESH
You used the charging station as a parking spot, knowing you had no plan of charging anytime soon. Your partner should had moved the car.
Writing notes like that is childish and stupid.
Of course YTA.
YTA. No matter how you twist it, it is a space for vehicles to park while charging said vehicle. It is not just a plain old parking space. My building has several and they tow EVs that park in the charging space while not actively charging and yes they charge overnight. The whole point is so EVs don’t just use the space for parking only.
I wouldn’t expect you to get out of your sick bed but your spouse could have moved the vehicle.