Oh, ffs, it is not a $3,000 fine. It is closer to $150… the only way it would get to $3,000 would be if you had 50 of them and you were summons to attend court.
Also, no. Every single Tesla driver I have ever crossed paths with in and around charging stations are entitled arseholes, so fuck ‘em, leave it unplugged, take a photo and send it into the local council or if in a shopping centre, call centre management and get their shitbox towed.
I like the duality of this sub-Reddit, one day its “EV uptake is almost at zero, market saturation has peaked, no one wants EV’s now…” and the next post will be “… car company is no longer selling ICE vehicles and will focus more on EV only production…”
It’s called “lobbying” and it’s what petrochemical companies do. They dont want you being able to fuel up at home from a plug in the wall. They have billions tied up in distribution and retail outlets, as well as refineries.
These companies have a vest interest in persuading the lowest common denominator that EV’s are the devils work. That is why any Fox/Sky/Murdoch paper/mouthpiece will report “EV sales are falling, no one wants EV’s. The dangers of buying an EV…” etc etc, while the real world figures show EV adoption at 1000% over the last few years.
The reason it is ramping up because 2 or 3 years ago, EV’s were niche and not many companies made them and they were a bit of an exclusive thing… Petrol companies are now just coming to the realisation that EV’s are coming thick and fast and people want them, so they are doubling their efforts to stem the tide of change…
It happens every time there is a massive consumer shift, companies are slow to react and want to cling to the old ways. So, instead of moving with the times, they try and convince people that the old technology is better, cheaper, faster, cleaner, etc… when it isn’t, they just dont want to change.
I have previously read the articles and they are sensationalistic garbage, designed to induce outrage.
The fines are nowhere near those levels. In NSW, the fine for parking in a charging bay whilst not charging (NSW Road Rule 203C) is $129.
(source: The actual fines, not Murdoch newspapers outrage puff pieces.)