Charging My EV in a Charging Bay. Parked in by Truck Driver, Asked Him to Move. AITA?

pegaxs on 27/03/2023 - 12:16
Last edited 27/03/2023 - 22:40

Had to do a quick round trip to Sydney over the weekend (about a 500km round trip). Needless to say, I had to top off the EV in Sydney for the return journey. Pulled into the Seven Hills DC fast charger, plugged in and went for lunch.

Upon returning to my vehicle some 30 mins later, I saw that I was parked in by a garbage truck (and I mean "really" parked in, like cant go forward or backwards). I asked the guy "mate, how long you going to be?", and he didn't answer… I gave it another minute or two and asked again, "Hey, mate. Can I just get you to move forward a bit so I can get my car out???" Driver didn't even glance sideways… Waited another 2 or so mins and asked again "Mate, just how long are you going to be?" and he just went about his work, ignoring me the whole time. In this time, a Polestar also turned up to charge, but saw the truck there. Waited 5 mins and left as well.

After about 15+ mins, the driver finally got back in his truck and backed it up about 10 meters and I could finally get out.

I posted these photos and explained about the incident on a dedicated forum to the scolding and laughing at drivers who ICEhole or otherwise block EV parking bays. Much to my surprise, everyone (bar about 2 people) said I should pull my head in and that the guy was "only doing his job" and that I need to "get a life" and that "15 mins isnt going to kill you" to being told "was your leaving based on you needing to attend hospital???"

So, am I the a#%ehole? for asking this guy to move his truck?
Is 15 mins for someone to do their job "reasonable time to wait"?
Was I not the a$&ehole, and it was reasonable for me to want to leave on my time schedule?
What would you have done? Just waited it out, called the bikies, or chucked a "Karen"?
Is parking over an EV charging bay ok, but across a driveway at the local servo blocking access to the fuel pumps not ok?

Some photos and the obligatory MSPaint diagram…
Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3

MS Paint depiction
Google map satellite image with overlay of scale outline of truck and where truck was parked and where they could have parked that hindered nobody.

Poll Options

  • 52
    You ARE the a-hole. Guy is just doing his job.
  • 974
    You're NOT the a-hole, but damn that truck driver is.
  • 34
    Meh, neither here nor there, it's only 15 mins.
  • 13
    Bikies... This definitely required bikies...
Automotive Electric Vehicle

Comments

  • Dack Smith on 29/03/2023 - 12:20
    -7

    How dare the lowly garbo block the way to my environmentally friendly explosive prone battery that will go in the dump and not degrade for the next 10,000 years?

    The gall of the man

    He should be ashamed!

    • UFO on 29/03/2023 - 12:45
      +4

      Point on the teddy where the bad man hurt your feelings and took away your ability to comprehend an otherwise very clearly non-political post.

      Take your anti-EV propaganda to Sky/Faux News… at least there you might be more relevant to the topic and point you are trying to make (very poorly I might add).

  • PurchaseAnxiety on 29/03/2023 - 13:00
    +5

    NTA. The key factor here is the driver not responding to you. If he'd said "sorry mate, will be 15 mins, is that ok?", then it'd be a whole different story. The fact that he's ignored you and parked very close to you suggests that he's just an a-hole, or even that he just doesn't like EVs and their drivers, which seems to be a surprisingly common grudge.

    • Hangryuman on 29/03/2023 - 13:41

      'he just doesn't like EVs and their drivers, which seems to be a surprisingly common grudge'

      I hate EVs and their drivers, but I don't have a rubbish truck to demonstrate as effectively as that guy (sigh) !

  • damianjp on 29/03/2023 - 13:44
    +1

    Congratulations. You have discovered that common sense is not common practice.
    The vast majority of the population is in that bucket. Further proven by the responses you recieved online and even on this website.

    Assuming the whole story is correct, the issue of him having parked you in is not even the larger problem.
    The fact he didnt even respond to you is the greater issue (lack of basic human deceny) and REALLY shows the type of person you're dealing with.

    But, fear not. This man likely suffers resentment, hate and jealousy. It will destroy his own potential until the end of time; while you continue on your journey enjoying the fruits of your labour.

    Don't dwell on the idiots.
    Enjoy the Tesla.

  • JimmyF on 29/03/2023 - 14:02
    +1

    So, am I the a#%ehole? for asking this guy to move his truck?

    It was fair question to ask the truck driver how long they'll be there. The fact they ignored you, makes them an a$$hole on this part alone.

    It also seems they have parked the truck aggressively close to your car, by putting one of the truck wheels into the EV parking space. This with the fact they didn't answer you and took their time, would show the truck driver has something against EVs…. Must be worried his 'weekend' will be ruined or something.

    I think you are in the right, I think it was fair to ask the driver how long they would be. It's also fair for you to wait 5-10 mins for the driver to finish as well. You could have unplugged to stop charge/idle fees while waiting if needed.

  • seannami on 29/03/2023 - 14:11
    +1

    Ignoring you was a ICEhole move, but the bigger one is designing the layout so that the dumpsters can only be emptied by blocking in a load of cars, that is the a-hole move right there

  • Baghern on 29/03/2023 - 14:49
    +1

    Use to work in a warehouse, found truckies were friendly.

    But after hearing their stories, yeah most are arseholes, there's a reason they choose this job. The loneliness exacerbates their anti social behaviour

    The "fall of the back of a truck" is not a joke

  • maximum on 29/03/2023 - 14:59

    He's also parked within 10 metres of a crossing. What a naughty man! I'm sure his boss would like to hear from anyone who was affected by that too.

  • bunnybash on 29/03/2023 - 15:01

    I'm more interested in your thoughts on the BYD for 500km trips? How was it?

    • pegaxs on 29/03/2023 - 16:05
      +3

      Off topic, but sure… It was good. No issues. Drove from Upper Hunter area down to Cabramatta, with about 70% freeway 110km/h travel. Arrived with 41% charge. Drove from Cabramatta to Seven Hills to the DC fast charger, plugged in @ 39% and went for lunch. 30ish mins later I got back to the car at about 85%. Was ready to unplug and be on my way… Was boxed in so left it on the charger until old mate moved his truck. Got to 96%… unplugged and drove back to Upper Hunter, arrived with 40%.

      If you time your stops to coincide with something else (shopping, eating, sight seeing) you dont even notice it. Would happily drive it from Sydney to Brisbane or Sydney to Melbourne without stressing.

  • bashar20 on 29/03/2023 - 15:52

    You could call current Affair and share the story.

  • Willy Beamish on 29/03/2023 - 16:46
    +2

    Even tho you drive an EV you're not the A-Hole, that driver is an absolute douchebag tho

  • CocaKoala on 29/03/2023 - 20:45

    Looks like that truck was driving around and being driven by garbage.

  • ozaym on 29/03/2023 - 22:19
    +4

    Do us all a favour, report this to the truck company, date, time, rego, and the pictures, post it on social, tag the company, tag the CEO, and board … fark them!

  • noshopping on 30/03/2023 - 03:19
    +2

    Report this to Cleanaway
    Tell them about this thread and how thousands of people have seen how they operate
    Call Current Affairs

    Judging by how quicky this thread blew up, the general public love this stuff. Time to get your 15mins of fame.

  • dwhes on 30/03/2023 - 07:33

    What an absolute douchebag. Clearly anti EV. The fact he wouldn’t even acknowledge or talk to you. Doubt you’d have had an issue if he’d politely responded and said I’ll just be 5 or 10min, is it ok if you waited until then? People like this will sadly be dragged kicking and screaming into the future.

  • lordra on 30/03/2023 - 09:50
    +1

    You know what would have been fun op?
    When he moved his truck, you drive up in front and don't let him leave. 🤣
    But then you're not better than he is.

    Call ACF and see if they'll take you up. Did you have a video? I'm sure the fuel place will have video footage.

  • Vistaman on 30/03/2023 - 13:02
    -6

    https://earth.app.goo.gl/G6g6ZN

    The Google Earth street view has numerous images of a clean away truck at this location prior to EV chargers being installed.
    Please have a look at the multiple images of the location. It is a busy place with two drive through fast food chains a petrol station with a minmart and a recycle center.

    These images are evidence the Clearaway drivers are aware they have to be mindful of restricting the exit lane.

    This questions the assumption that the truck was parked close to the EV to intimidate it's driver.

    The images depict the tight exit lane and also the slope which prove that the OP's claim the truck could easily have parked in other locations to be questionable, because not only would the alternative locations restrict traffic, it would also create the additional hazard of the large bins being wheeled on a slope across the path of traffic.

    In my view as a media guy, the conduct of the truck driver is one thing, but the EV driver complaining that his subsidized parking bay was being blocked by a once a week(?) collection by a recycle truck is also worthy of media attention.

    Getting back to the truck driver, perhaps his decision to allegedly ignore the OP was that the alternatives were more deleterious than imagined.
    Was he to stop what he was doing, lock up the bin store and either backup across the pedestrian route? or go forward but with the risk of being blocked from behind, which would then lock him into the one-way exit onto the divided main road and a world of pain?

    In respect to the OP referring to his "rights" what are the rights of both parties on private property?

    Politicians and councils have worked to place and subsidise EV charger and recycle centers, what would they say to a complaint that once per week the EV bays (usually occupied for 30-60 minutes) are blocked by the recycle collection for 15 minutes?

    Without corroborating evidence (video), the OP has chosen an odd hill to die on, has he clearly identified and impugned the reputation of Cleanaway, a company who values it's social and environmental credentials?

    To be brutal, the photographic evidence indicates the driver did his best to reduce hazard to traffic.
    Google street view proves the introduction of charging bays have reduced the saftey of the driver.

    In the context of the above, would the complaint by a user of the EV bay regarding driver attitude pass the pub test?
    Which context would A Current Affair adopt?

  • Protractor on 30/03/2023 - 14:34
    -4

    "In my view as a media guy, the conduct of the truck driver is one thing, but the EV driver complaining that his subsidized parking bay was being blocked by a once a week(?) collection by a recycle truck is also worthy of media attention."

    OP is just attention seeking. "Look at moi"
    Normal ppl move on or complain to the company, because that 'may' change the outcome.
    He clearly doesn't want a universal resolution.

    Truckie is probs reading this thread. Cleanaway is a massive business. Somehow the word would have trickled out.

  • wirelesscord on 30/03/2023 - 14:43
    +1

    It's pretty clear that this recycling station is a recent modification to the site, and the only way Council would have accepted allowing servicing next to a row of carparking and adjacent to a circulation aisle is that the site owner's "promise" that all servicing would occur in off-peak times. So either they've made this site modification without permission, or likely operating outside the agreed conditions for the modification.

    It's not even about blocking other cars in, but that a heavy vehicle has a high chance of conflicting with pedestrian movements. The photo shows the truck right next to a pedestrian crossing, which is a pretty big no-no.

    Pretty easy complaint to the relevant Council imo.

  • nicksinternet on 30/03/2023 - 15:01
    +3

    Writing on side of Truck:

    "Cleanaway 131339, Making a sustainable future possible"

    Looks quite impossible really.

    • Protractor on 30/03/2023 - 15:31
      -4

      OP would rather be famous, than make a difference for anyone else in the same boat

  • pufffdragon on 31/03/2023 - 00:48
    -4

    30 mins to fill a car up with electricity? If you have to wait that long, what's another 15 mins gunna matter.

  • berger on 31/03/2023 - 07:34
    +1

    You got his rego, his company. Tell their HR department the guys a dick

  • Wilson Wallace on 31/03/2023 - 07:53
    +1

    I wouldve had the trucked towed or driven it out myself. (profanity) of a truck driver.

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