Posted on 08/08/2012 5:55:34 PM PDT by NCjim
800 number on Blink plug-in stations? Useless, don't bother "Ecotality's Blink network seems a little worse for wear. Despite a fat government contract, some of the company's electric plug-in charging stations have been found out of order, and their 1-800 number operators are little help."
Businesses with exposed electric sockets need to keep the power switched off unless they want these parasites running up their electric bills.
Whatever Dem pols can do to shaft taxpayers, they will.
I'm sure whoever is flipping the bill for this "free" service is more than happy to see ICE vehicles taking up the parking spaces.
The article asked readers to post comments about their experiences being ICEd. Is it just me, or is there not a single comment on that article at all? Talk about a tell...
"I'm just making up for the lack of carbon footprint of Toyota Prius drivers."
I’d guess it’s somebody from an electric utility who reads meters.
Here in the heartland if you refuse to hook up your electric meter to the internet, they come out and read it from the street via rf connection.
Since their product is selling electricity, some of their minions use electric cars.
After just now reading the article I posted in the post above yours, it appears that, yes, the person parking in a charging space does have to pay for the service --when it actually works. Appears that despite a $115 million contract from the taxpayers, service is very unreliable.
I have a former colleague working at Intuit. He captured a picture of two electric motorcycles charging outside the building where he works.
The damn things cost $5,000. They are fast enough to safely travel on the freeway, but have a fairly limited range. Not good enough for the 60 mile round trip I was doing on my Kawasaki Versys and Harley XL1200R.
Zero S goes 114 miles on the new, bigger battery.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2165728/Environmental-Warrior-Mayor-Bloomberg-cools-SUV-wall-unit-AC.html
If they’re paying for the electricity, they have a right to park where they can purchase their fuel, just as we have a right to not be deliberately blocked by a parked electric car in front of a gas pump.
HA! I am at FCCO and do also!
I fgure that since half the total energy expended in a car’s life cycle is consumed during manufacturing, my 14 year old, 205,000 mile vehicle has amortized that up front cost over the 14 years (so far) of its life and is therefore one of the most efficient vehicles on post.
By the way, I heard that we are going to be a test site for some “Pelosi 2000” electric vehicles. Can’t wait to see Range Control try and drive it up Agony in January with a load....
112th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 1402
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 2, 2012
Received
AN ACT
To authorize the Architect of the Capitol to establish battery recharging stations for privately owned vehicles in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives at no net cost to the Federal Government.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. BATTERY RECHARGING STATIONS FOR PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLES IN PARKING AREAS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AT NO NET COST TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
(a) Definition- In this Act, the term `covered employee’ means—
(1) an employee whose pay is disbursed by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives; or
(2) any other individual who is authorized to park in any parking area under the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives on Capitol Grounds.
(b) Authority-
(1) IN GENERAL- Subject to paragraph (3), funds appropriated to the Architect of the Capitol under the heading `Capitol Power Plant’ under the heading `ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL’ in any fiscal year are available to construct, operate, and maintain on a reimbursable basis battery recharging stations in parking areas under the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives on Capitol Grounds for use by privately owned vehicles used by Members of the House of Representatives (including the Delegates or Resident Commissioner to the Congress) or covered employees.
(2) VENDORS AUTHORIZED- In carrying out paragraph (1), the Architect of the Capitol may use 1 or more vendors on a commission basis.
(3) APPROVAL OF CONSTRUCTION- The Architect of the Capitol may construct or direct the construction of battery recharging stations described under paragraph (1) after—
(A) submission of written notice detailing the numbers and locations of the battery recharging stations to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives; and
(B) approval by that Committee.
(c) Fees and Charges-
(1) IN GENERAL- Subject to paragraph (2), the Architect of the Capitol shall charge fees or charges for electricity provided to Members and covered employees sufficient to cover the costs to the Architect of the Capitol to carry out this section, including costs to any vendors or other costs associated with maintaining the battery recharging stations.
(2) APPROVAL OF FEES OR CHARGES- The Architect of the Capitol may establish and adjust fees or charges under paragraph (1) after—
(A) submission of written notice detailing the amount of the fee or charge to be established or adjusted to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives; and
(B) approval by that Committee.
(d) Deposit and Availability of Fees, Charges, and Commissions- Any fees, charges, or commissions collected by the Architect of the Capitol under this section shall be—
(1) deposited in the Treasury to the credit of the appropriations account described under subsection (b); and
(2) available for obligation without further appropriation during—
(A) the fiscal year collected; and
(B) the fiscal year following the fiscal year collected.
(e) Reports-
(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal year, the Architect of the Capitol shall submit a report on the financial administration and cost recovery of activities under this section with respect to that fiscal year to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives.
(2) AVOIDING SUBSIDY-
(A) DETERMINATION- Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act and every 3 years thereafter, the Architect of the Capitol shall submit a report to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives determining whether Members (including any Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress) and covered employees using battery charging stations as authorized by this Act are receiving a subsidy from the taxpayers.
(B) MODIFICATION OF RATES AND FEES- If a determination is made under subparagraph (A) that a subsidy is being received, the Architect of the Capitol shall submit a plan to the Committee on House Administration of the House of Representatives on how to update the program to ensure no subsidy is being received. If the committee does not act on the plan within 60 days, the Architect of the Capitol shall take appropriate steps to increase rates or fees to ensure reimbursement for the cost of the program consistent with an appropriate schedule for amortization, to be charged to those using the charging stations.
(f) Effective Date- This Act shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter.
Passed the House of Representatives August 2, 2012.
Attest:
KAREN L. HAAS,
Clerk.
END
One solution to the problem would be to put the chargers in the farthest reaches of the parking lot. There’s no reason to reserve good parking places for such a small segment of your customers. It would piss me off walking past all the empty premium parking spaces
Actually I think what these people are doing is pretty funny.
We have two new city buildings who wanted to quality for the “Green Award” so they placed Hybrid Vehicle Parking Only signs at all spaces on the front two rows. Everybody ignored them, but this is Texas. City planners should have known better. After all the press, calls and letters they have received bet they won’t do that again.
Do they really get free charges? I thought they had a credit card reader at those charging stations. Free electric charging! That's crazy!
I noticed several of the companies who have designated “electric-car parking” stalls have put them right up front next to the handicapped stalls.
And yes - I park in them all the time ;-)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.