What’s the etiquette?

[Ted the dog]

Hello all. So I plan to charge my car at a motorway service station.
If the charger is being used, and I park up to wait, how will I know if anyone else is waiting or is it just a case of race to the charger space??

 

[5teep]

You'll get dirty looks from anyone who thinks you will cut in ?
I suppose you could look for other electric cars with drivers sitting in them?

 

[Frank]

Hi,

There is no etiquette as such. Common sense and decency which unfortunately is lacking in today's society should be the only consideration. Think of it this way, you need to fill up your petrol/Diesel car and at the petrol station there is only one pump that gives you either petrol or diesel but not both at the same time. So how would you deal with that currently?

You would wait in an orderly queue patiently (usually), what you wouldn't do is:-

a. Jump the queue.
b. Park in the front of pump and duck off for God knows how long, to God knows where.
c. Take an excessive amount of time to fill up
d. Park an electric car in front of the pump and when anyone challenges you say "who the duck are you the parking police".
e. Leave your car unattended with the nozzle in the car (obviously full) bigger off and leave it and return only when it's convenient for you.


I hope you get the picture.

Regards

Frank

 

[mj224]

I always go and chat the the EV driver who is charging up. I ask how long he/she thinks they will be, and is there anyone after them in the queue.

Hopefully, Ecotricity will be adding more pumps at the service stations...

 

[AnonymouseDriva]

Also, register on NeedToCharge | The friendly way to share an EV charger , get the app, and spread the word!

 

[teepee]

I think NeedToCharge | The friendly way to share an EV charger is a great idea - I've had the stickers in my windscreen for 18 months and never been contacted, nor have I seen a sticker in another charging car window. Is the EV world using itt I wonder?

 

[AnonymouseDriva]

I don’t have the sticker in my window as a rule, but then the only time I used a rapid was for 10 mins to try it out. It’s in the glove box to pop on the dash off I ever do though. Either way, it’ll still work from my reg. I assume most of those on this forum would be on it as it’s come up enough times.

 

[JimB]

Also, register on NeedToCharge | The friendly way to share an EV charger , get the app, and spread the word!

Thanks for that, even though I currently drive a PHEV which isn't worth plugging in unless it's one of the many unused free ones at Meadowhell shopping centre, I've installed the app...although I usually manage to escape before the Outlander tops up