Arriving at a Cincinnati Kroger, an electric vehicle owner was dismayed to see an enormous pickup truck parked in what was clearly labeled as an EV parking spot.
They posted a photo of the offending vehicle on Reddit, writing sarcastically: "Kroger just installed an EV charger. Did we expect any other result?"
Commenters shared their frustration. "Such a nuisance," one person vented.
"Pisses me off that people feel entitled to use reserved spots," another Redditor said. "They should be ticketed like those parking in handicap spots."
Others agreed, sharing their ideas for how to handle the situation — some of which were slightly more feasible than others.
"I would have zip tied carts to his door handle," one person half-joked.
Another said, "If I had an EV I would park behind them and plug in."
But in addition to the understandable frustration, many recognized the need for stricter regulations around the behavior. "Needs to be a ticket and tow zone for people preventing others from using it as intended," one person declared.
The consequences for hogging dedicated EV charging spots vary. And while this particular incident occurred in the Buckeye State, it's been documented everywhere. Not only do non-EV drivers regularly occupy charging spaces intentionally, but they've been caught vandalizing the chargers — or the EVs themselves — as well as rolling coal on their drivers.
🗣️ When you think about owning an EV, what concerns you most about public charging stations?
🔘 Chargers not working 🚫
🔘 Chargers not being available 😥
🔘 Charging being too expensive 💰
🔘 Charging taking too long ⌚
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
The reason for many of these incidents is deeply ironic: Diesel car drivers, who feel their identities and preferred lifestyles are threatened by the rise of EVs, act in ways that threaten the lifestyles of EV owners. And while losing the chance to charge for 20 minutes at a Kroger likely wouldn't change the course of somebody's day, it's nevertheless discouraging to see — and it may prevent would-be adopters from making the switch themselves.
This unwavering devotion to dirty diesel fuel is even more ironic considering the fact that EVs are cheaper to own than their fossil-fueled counterparts, requiring less maintenance and, obviously, no gasoline.
Upgrading to an EV is also one of the best ways to reduce your pollutive footprint. While they still necessitate certain energy expenditures, including lithium mining for their batteries, EVs generate vastly fewer carbon emissions than gas cars.
So, not only should this truck driver reconsider their rude and obstructive behavior, but they also might want to consider switching to electric themself — for both their wallet's sake and the planet's.
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