Recumpence Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 (edited) Hello All, I just wanted to let you know about an interesting thing that happened to me today. My wife and I went shopping and when I pulled into the grocery store (local organic store), I saw the front most spot open. Hmm, I pulled in only to look up and see a sign that read "Fuel Efficient Vehicle Parking". Wow, the first time I have been able to park in a special spot! I thought for sure it would be a handicapped space, but NO, it was for FE vehicles only! I looked over at my mileage reading on the dash and at my wife and said "Well, at 51mpg on this trip, I would say I qualify to park here!" Cool! Matt Oh, the name of the store? Whole Foods..... :) Edited June 26, 2013 by Recumpence SnitGTS, MikeB, Jus-A-CMax and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted June 26, 2013 Report Share Posted June 26, 2013 :wub2: these stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScubaDadMiami Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Hmmmm. In the WFs here in Miami, I have only seen one charging station, and no FE parking. :sad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtb9153 Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtb9153 Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 I got to do this last time I was at Chick-fil-A. Parked right in front near the door. This is great since I will get to do this each time I eat there. This is the only Chick-fil-A in San Jose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salsaguy Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 (edited) very cool. but I'm wondering how many will abuse it since no permit/placard is required and no min mpg value is expected. and what will they do it you violate it? there is no legal vehicle code to cite you for. FE is very much subjective to interpretation. A 15 mpg sports car would be more FE compared to the same owners 8 mpg V12 Bentley at home so....who's to say... :) Edited June 27, 2013 by salsaguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtb9153 Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 SalsaGuy, good points. I don't know how they plan to enforce this. I will say I felt strange parking there since it seemed like it only applied to fully electric cars or rechargeable models like the Energi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salsaguy Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 most people won't know the difference between an Energi and just a hybrid. most folks don't even know what a c-max is and most haven't seen any/one.the cmax looks futuristic enough that it's easy to pass for a FE vehicle.the ones that will have a harder time is the Camry Hybrid which looks like a regular Camry / good sized family sedan and not like a FE car at all soI wouldn't worry. Park away.I will have to ask my sister about this as she works at a Whole Foods here the valley (of So. Cal.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtb9153 Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 I hope to see more of these popping up in the valley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAZ Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Salsa guy, your statement "most folks don't even know what a c-max is" really rings true. I was responding to a freebie offer today and was asked what I drove and when I responded with C-Max the used car salesman asked what that was. This was at a FORD dealership in Michigan not 10 miles from the factory. salsaguy and ScubaDadMiami 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdefny Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 (edited) I concur with Salsaguy. How do they plan to interprete/enforce this. A couple of years ago you might have designated these spaces for hybrid cars, but there are now so many options that might be considered green. A driver of a Suburban that could use E85 might consider his car green. Or a hybrid Suburban might legitimately consider his car fuel efficient. At least the C-Max is the real deal. We should see more spaces like this as more buildings are biuilt to LEED standards. A building needs a certain number of points to get certified and "green" parking spaces can get you a few. Edited June 27, 2013 by Tdefny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recumpence Posted June 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 I think there is no way to enforce it. I would assume this is on the honor system. As for people not knowing what the C-Max is, try this one on for size; When I was shopping for my Max, I asked a friend (who's son works as a designer at Ford in Michigan) what his son (again, a FORD employee) what he thought of the C-Max and he simply answered "I have never heard of that car". I couldn't believe it.......... Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plus 3 golfer Posted June 27, 2013 Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 The closest World Food (although we like the store) is too far to drive for "up close" parking. :) One probably has to get local communities to pass laws on restrictive parking in order for enforcement of such signs on public property. On private property, I believe the owner of the property has the right to have vehicles towed with little, if any consequences especially if signage clearly indicates the parked vehicle is in violation. So the question is does World Food (likely in a shopping center) have the owner's permission to have unauthorized vehicles towed. I wouldn't want to pay a $150 tow / storage bill if I decided to park in a "fuel efficient" space to get my vehicle back even if I thought I was right (my Jetta TDI was more fuel efficient than my C-Max). A hundred yard walk trumps $150. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recumpence Posted June 27, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2013 Here is a picture I took today. If you look closely, you can see a Prius parking in the FE spot ahead of me in the distance. :) Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingrider01 Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 unless the township has a ordinance that allows enforcement there is nothing that can be done. Here there are a number of charging stations put there by businesses for their employee's and customers. The city council passed a tow / ticket ordinance that allows for towing the vehicle and a 250.00 parking fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recumpence Posted June 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 Yup, it is totally on the honor system here. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 Having owned a plug-in, the subject of other non-plugins taking up public EV charging spots is so common that the EV community has come up with a special term for it: getting ICE'd. salsaguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingrider01 Posted June 29, 2013 Report Share Posted June 29, 2013 (edited) Yup, it is totally on the honor system here. Matt It is on the checkbook system here - especially if you are hooked on a Friday evening - the tow lot is not open to the public for pick up on Saturday, Sunday, or holidays Edited June 29, 2013 by Wingrider01 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shane Posted July 19, 2013 Report Share Posted July 19, 2013 The local IKEA store has "Hybrid Parking", which I thought was really cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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