Plenty of social media users have shared instances of dirty-fuel-powered cars purposefully parked in electric vehicle charging spots to prevent access to vital battery refueling technology.
While one Redditor observed that they've seen many examples of this happening in the United States, it seems the issue has now gone international.
On the r/MildlyInfuriating community, someone from Frankfurt, Germany, shared their own example, observing that "of course" the offending vehicle was a U.S.-style SUV.
"It's very rare to see this here," they noted.
Electric vehicles offer their owners a number of benefits, from cheaper refueling costs compared to gas-guzzling equivalents to reduced need for maintenance. Improved health is an additional bonus as these machines don't produce toxins and particulate matter-filled tailpipe emissions.
EVs are also far better for the planet over their life cycle, even when considering the damage caused by the need to mine for the precious metals required for battery production.
With government initiatives like the Inflation Reduction Act making the initial costs of electric vehicles a lot cheaper — and other similar state-specific initiatives helping to eat into price tags more — purchases are becoming much more accessible, too.
But that hasn't stopped drivers of internal combustion engine cars from being unnecessarily angry about a technology they perhaps think will put the existence of the vehicles they love at risk. Reactions have ranged from harassing EV drivers, damaging vehicles, cutting charging cables, and coal rolling.
Parking in EV charging spots is another tactic, infuriating drivers who need a little extra juice to get where they need to go. In Germany, the original poster noted that blue spots mean it's mandatory that vehicle owners must be charging while parked there.
One Redditor questioned if a punishment could be levied on the ICE driver. "Isn't Germany super big on bureaucracy?" they said. "I'd imagine they will get towed and have to go through some hell of phone calls, forms and faxing to get it back and pay a fine?"
But one user quickly refuted the suggestion. "Towing is rare here," they replied. "You usually get a ticket straight to your mailbox."
As EVs increase in numbers on the world's roads — 14 million were registered globally in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency — perhaps issues like this won't be as common in the future as motorists gradually accept they are part of a cleaner, greener future.
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