Annoyed by idiot at Tesco

John Adams · June 17, 2022

Since having my car in March, I have used Tesco's free Podpoint charger whilst shopping each week and manage to get about 6kw of free charge. Every little helps? Until this morning. I get there and all 4 bays are full but the one bay had a Nissan Leaf there which was not plugged in. We went shopping for about 40 minutes or so and it was still sitting there when we came out with no one in it and not plugged in. Why are people so selfish? I really hope this will not be a problem going forward as more people get EV's and I would really love to know why this person thought it was ok to leave his/her car there when not charging. Rant over but I was slightly peeved this morning and I would certainly not leave my car there if it wasn't plugged in.

NemesisUK · June 17, 2022

Just like those selfish people who park in disabled spaces or toddler and baby spaces. Although those tend to be close to the store entrance/exit I'm guessing the charge spaces are some way away? If so the driver was definitely making a protest

Ken R · June 17, 2022

I've witnessed Tesla's being left charging at Tesco for hours with drivers being picked up by colleagues/partners so not even shopping. Should be a time restriction enforced.

Harrier Man · June 17, 2022

There is an app from needtocharge.com that I have downloaded to my phone. The app and developer seem genuinely to want to solve a problem that I think will get worse before it gets better. I don't know how widespread the app is in use and, as I haven't taken delivery of my car yet, there has been no chance to test it. However, I don't want to be one of the 'selfish' people and will be using the app myself. I don't have any problem coming out of a restaurant (or Tesco) to move my car if it has finished charging and somebody else wants to use the charger.

Marlinleg · June 17, 2022

My local Tesco guy pulls in to charge his EV . I asked what do Tesco charge you to charge your car. Nothing I always charge hear for free I don't go into Tesco but I walk my dog in the park across the road

😳😂😂😂

J Henderson · June 17, 2022

Is it not Volkswagen who foot the bill? All the charging points I've seen carry prominent VW branding.

LenT · June 18, 2022

11 hours ago, John Adams said:

Since having my car in March, I have used Tesco's free Podpoint charger whilst shopping each week and manage to get about 6kw of free charge. Every little helps? Until this morning. I get there and all 4 bays are full but the one bay had a Nissan Leaf there which was not plugged in. We went shopping for about 40 minutes or so and it was still sitting there when we came out with no one in it and not plugged in. Why are people so selfish? I really hope this will not be a problem going forward as more people get EV's and I would really love to know why this person thought it was ok to leave his/her car there when not charging. Rant over but I was slightly peeved this morning and I would certainly not leave my car there if it wasn't plugged in.

I suppose there could be reasons why the EV was parked at a charger and not plugged in. For example, the charger may be out of action. We have a new Sainsbury store with a short row of charging bays and they are often vacant for that reason.

But the situation you describe - namely one EV monopolising a charger for hours - I see as almost inevitable. Until there might be a Battery replacement system - rather like exchanging your empty gas cylinder for a full one - it’s never going to be a speedy process.

And personally I wouldn’t even contemplate an EV unless I had a charger at home.

Of course, stores such as Tesco offering free charging are only going to exacerbate the problem. If they want to provide it as a customer service, then they could use their Loyalty Card system to activate the charger. That would restrict it to Tesco customers and even identify the user.

Or are they doing that already?

PCM · June 18, 2022

Having seen how rare metals are extracted for 'EV' cars, I'm not interested in having one.

But I agree, taking spaces when drivers should not, is unfair and selfish.

John Adams · June 18, 2022

6 hours ago, LenT said:

I suppose there could be reasons why the EV was parked at a charger and not plugged in. For example, the charger may be out of action. We have a new Sainsbury store with a short row of charging bays and they are often vacant for that reason.

But the situation you describe - namely one EV monopolising a charger for hours - I see as almost inevitable. Until there might be a battery replacement system - rather like exchanging your empty gas cylinder for a full one - it’s never going to be a speedy process.

And personally I wouldn’t even contemplate an EV unless I had a charger at home.

Of course, stores such as Tesco offering free charging are only going to exacerbate the problem. If they want to provide it as a customer service, then they could use their Loyalty Card system to activate the charger. That would restrict it to Tesco customers and even identify the user.

Or are they doing that already?

All chargers were working according to the Podpoint app which you need to log on to to get free charging. If you don't have the app you are restricted to 15 minutes only. You don't need the loyalty card

Malc · June 18, 2022

6 hours ago, LenT said:

Until there might be a battery replacement system - rather like exchanging your empty gas cylinder for a full one - it’s never going to be a speedy process.

There IS this system in place

it's called NIO ...... I'm reading common now in China where it hails from probably but ALSO Norway seems to be embracing this specific EV technology

simply pull into yor local re-filling station and slip-in, slip-out, pop in your replacement EV charged unit for another 500 miles maybe :thumbsup:

No silly stretching cables or parking-up in a Tesco's bay that's being hogged by some lout in his EV ........... just bring on the NIO system and all will be well with EV charging . just like popping into your local petrol station for a 5 min top-up

I'll be waiting for that to arrive on our shores before i think about moving from my 4ltr V8 limo ..... after all, Norway is just a stones throw from our far flung Shetland shores eh !

Malc

John Adams · June 18, 2022

16 hours ago, Ken R said:

I've witnessed Tesla's being left charging at Tesco for hours with drivers being picked up by colleagues/partners so not even shopping. Should be a time restriction enforced.

There is a time restriction at most Tesco's of 3 hours free parking otherwise you get a lovely ticket in the post.

Herbie · June 18, 2022

The Battery exchange system is a great idea but it would need a complete redesign of the cars wouldn't it?

I haven't got an EV, nor do I intend to have one, but taking my hybrid as an example, I believe that the rear seats have to be removed to get to the Battery pack. Not an easy or quick job (I assume) so maybe not the panacea we're looking for.

LenT · June 18, 2022

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

The battery exchange system is a great idea but it would need a complete redesign of the cars wouldn't it?

Undoubtedly so. But manufacturers have shown the ability to cooperate and standardise components in many industries, such as electronics. Malc has described just such a system for EVs with regard to Battery exchange.

If it encourages the uptake of EVs it will probably find favour in the auto industry.

Ken R · June 18, 2022

4 hours ago, John Adams said:

There is a time restriction at most Tesco's of 3 hours free parking otherwise you get a lovely ticket in the post.

Yes I agree however there are a number of Tesco Extra stores in this area with unlimited free parking hence the problem.

Harrier Man · June 18, 2022

5 hours ago, Herbie said:

The battery exchange system is a great idea but it would need a complete redesign of the cars wouldn't it?

I haven't got an EV, nor do I intend to have one, but taking my hybrid as an example, I believe that the rear seats have to be removed to get to the battery pack. Not an easy or quick job (I assume) so maybe not the panacea we're looking for.

To see how it works, take a look at

. Of course the car has to be designed in a particular way (with perhaps a few variations - just as we have unleaded, premium and diesel now) but perhaps the convenience for most people will win the day?

Malc · June 18, 2022

this is seemingly popular throughout Norway and the 3 mins re-fill must have been shortened for the 2 min video

I for one, in my little terraced house and nowhere to keep my car, would consider this type of EV ( eventually ) as would many non-EV thinking people with the same issues as I have in simple " re-fuelling "

Bring it on then Toyota :thumbsup:

..............another goddam neighbour seems to have got 'imself a damned Bentley now .. that's 3 of 'em ........... and it's summer and there's one of them's Jensen Interceptor adorning our roadside too ........... all these old classic bangers littering the streets eh !

Malc

DanD · June 20, 2022

On 6/18/2022 at 8:52 AM, PCM said:

Having seen how rare metals are extracted for 'EV' cars, I'm not interested in having one.

Is it worse than how oil is extracted and processed?

Marlinleg · June 20, 2022

As I've said before electric cars are only as clean as their power supply

RXtoNX · June 20, 2022

2 hours ago, Marlinleg said:

As I've said before electric cars are only as clean as their power supply

Which no different to many of the green energy claims going which have been going around for the past few years and continue to do so.

Example: A local Planning Committee approving various Battery energy storage plants in rural locations because, in their eyes, they are supporting the use of green energy!

A complete set of idiots who can't seem to grasp the real facts at all when they are laid out in front of them, particularly the very basic fact, that these Battery energy storage units can't be green energy since they will be charged by power from fossil fuelled power stations!

They have refused to answer questions about having a plan for the decommissioning and disposal of the Battery components when they reach the end their useful life (it will be someone else's problem) and don't understand, or want to understand, how cobalt is mined.

They listened intensely to the developers telling them how this is green energy and without these facilities we will all be cast in to darkness every winter and no doubt grasped all other offerings from the developers to make them so dismissive of the realities of what they have approved!

Edit: apologies to the OP, just realised I’m so off topic🙄

Malc · June 20, 2022

38 minutes ago, RXtoNX said:

apologies to the OP, just realised I’m so off topic

off topic is often quite good .. just thinking what a local Tory MP has been saying lately about,... " oh really ! do we want to import all those solar power roof panels from China . does anyone else understand how they're produced for us in the UK to get our free solar energy ! "

food for thought no doubt

Malc

John Adams · June 20, 2022

If anyone is interested in my original post (given that the majority of comments are about other issues) I went to Tesco this morning and the car was there again but not plugged in. I asked around and discovered that the car belongs to an employee at Tesco Having spoken to the store manager today he agreed about the inconvenience and has instructed the employee not to park there when not charging. So hopefully problem solved.

royoftherovers · June 20, 2022

1 hour ago, John Adams said:

If anyone is interested in my original post (given that the majority of comments are about other issues) I went to Tesco this morning and the car was there again but not plugged in. I asked around and discovered that the car belongs to an employee at Tesco Having spoken to the store manager today he agreed about the inconvenience and has instructed the employee not to park there when not charging. So hopefully problem solved.

Could you not have acted in that manner 21 Posts ago John ?🤣

John Adams · June 21, 2022

8 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Could you not have acted in that manner 21 Posts ago John ?🤣

Do you think I go to Tesco everyday£

runsgrateasanut · June 21, 2022

Unbelievable -unless it was the Managers Car and a more convenient walk to enter the Building. More likely the Manager told the employee to bag the site so he could use it later in the day, perhaps? Difficult to figre out such selfishness.