Heckled at the EA Charger in Amarillo TX

[DerekS]

So I'm working my way back home from my road trip, and I'm charging fairly late at night when a guy running the street sweeper in the Sam's Club parking lot pulled up.

"If that thing took gas you'd be done already!"

I was on a short charge hop so I countered that I was almost done and had only been here 6 minutes.
He then pivoted to his next anti-EV talking point.

"Better hope that thing doesn't catch on fire!"

At this point I realize he was just one of those Facebook trolls in real life, so I asked if he just hated EVs, and he agreed that he did.

"I just don't like what they're doin, jackin up the gas prices to try and force people into EVs."

I disengaged at that point because there was no point trying to talk to someone this ignorant.

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[Atipical]

Unfortunately are just misinformed people out there that love giving people a hard time. You made the right move by disengaging. There was no way you'd "win" in that situation. He's probably just jealous you have a Porsche at the end of the day.

 

[W1NGE]

So I'm working my way back home from my road trip, and I'm charging fairly late at night when a guy running the street sweeper in the Sam's Club parking lot pulled up.

"If that thing took gas you'd be done already!"

I was on a short charge hop so I countered that I was almost done and had only been here 6 minutes.
He then pivoted to his next anti-EV talking point.

"Better hope that thing doesn't catch on fire!"

At this point I realize he was just one of those Facebook trolls in real life, so I asked if he just hated EVs, and he agreed that he did.

"I just don't like what they're doin, jackin up the gas prices to try and force people into EVs."

I disengaged at that point because there was no point trying to talk to someone this ignorant.

I bet his son had the Mach E you encountered yesterday

 

[smoothound]

This is really important.....

I think the EV industry needs to be more collectively-effective at raising the public's awareness and understanding about the relationship between EV, ICE and fuel and the economy/jobs. Most mainstream EV actors have feet in all camps and are gearing up for the transition. So it suits their business model(s) to get this right.

Messages about saving the planet etc (whilst very important) will not reach or take root in a large section of the public. The message needs to be more tailored to this section's present knowledge-base and things that affect them directly. It also needs to be focused on debunking common misconceptions - and if necessary, making it uncool to be ignorant in this area etc....

Other industries have faced this kind of public distrust/fake-news in the past - and eventually they get their act together, but often not until a heavy weight mass of misinformation has been allowed to take root - and it takes years to recapture the lost ground while they dither or try to act alone.

Of course there will be a small minority who will never change their opinion in the face of clear facts - but we can (and do) live with that.

EV Manufacturers need to get together and act on this ASAP - the messages need to be simple and coherent.

 

[Fish Fingers]

So I'm working my way back home from my road trip, and I'm charging fairly late at night when a guy running the street sweeper in the Sam's Club parking lot pulled up.

"If that thing took gas you'd be done already!"

I was on a short charge hop so I countered that I was almost done and had only been here 6 minutes.
He then pivoted to his next anti-EV talking point.

"Better hope that thing doesn't catch on fire!"

At this point I realize he was just one of those Facebook trolls in real life, so I asked if he just hated EVs, and he agreed that he did.

"I just don't like what they're doin, jackin up the gas prices to try and force people into EVs."

I disengaged at that point because there was no point trying to talk to someone this ignorant.

The smart thing is to disengage like you did.

As Mark Twain once said....
'never argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience'

That said, when I run into any (usually passive aggressive) comments about electric cars, I usually just say 'you obviously know a lot about them, tell me more - as its interesting learning all about them from someone who hasn't got one'.

Or 'absolutely fascinating.....so who told you these pearls of wisdom.... a man in the pub?
Cause amazingly it's complete bollocks'

 

[Gnasher]

I’m sure that oil companies are not helping this. There were grumblings about the Shell garage near me being replaced by a Shell EV recharge only garage (not many of those around..) but people got used to it and it promoted sales.

 

[tigerbalm]

Interestingly the only similar experience I've ever had like this has been with Tesla owners charging alongside me. So less anti-EV and more – not sure what it is – I guess – pro Tesla positions.

 

[Fitz]

I think the appropriate level of engagement was to point back down the street and tell him he missed a bit. In Ireland we call this sort of thing "begrudgery" and its a national pastime. Another good passive agressive line is "EV;s are complex machines and not for everyone"

 

[WRC_1S]

So I'm working my way back home from my road trip, and I'm charging fairly late at night when a guy running the street sweeper in the Sam's Club parking lot pulled up.

"If that thing took gas you'd be done already!"

I was on a short charge hop so I countered that I was almost done and had only been here 6 minutes.
He then pivoted to his next anti-EV talking point.

"Better hope that thing doesn't catch on fire!"

At this point I realize he was just one of those Facebook trolls in real life, so I asked if he just hated EVs, and he agreed that he did.

"I just don't like what they're doin, jackin up the gas prices to try and force people into EVs."

I disengaged at that point because there was no point trying to talk to someone this ignorant.

My Nana use to say "you can't educate pork". Don't argue with stupid!

 

[BigBob]

My Nana use to say "you can't educate pork". Don't argue with stupid!

As Homer Simpson once said,
"Mmmmm Pork'

 

[Fsudoles]

Interestingly the only similar experience I've ever had like this has been with Tesla owners charging alongside me. So less anti-EV and more – not sure what it is – I guess – pro Tesla positions.

Tesla Fanboys…

 

[nickmdp]

"I just don't like what they're doin, jackin up the gas prices to try and force people into EVs."

Probably my favorite part of the whole thing. "They" almost certainly refers to someone that has little/no control over gas prices.

 

[TaycanCook]

Probably my favorite part of the whole thing. "They" almost certainly refers to someone that has little/no control over gas prices.

Contrary to popular belief... Gas prices are "not set by a dial in the oval office." Still my favorite statement of the year.

 

[thecoloradokid]

You were in Amarillo, TX - that kind of ignorance is to be expected. I have experienced similar encounters in Grand Junction, CO and in Cedar City, UT. Unfortunately, it comes with the territory when the Electrify America charging locations in out of the way rural areas are located in a Walmart or Sam's Club parking lot. Just not a lot of people who understand anything beyond the garbage presented to them on Fox News.

 

[Wakesurfer]

So I'm working my way back home from my road trip, and I'm charging fairly late at night when a guy running the street sweeper in the Sam's Club parking lot pulled up.

"If that thing took gas you'd be done already!"

I was on a short charge hop so I countered that I was almost done and had only been here 6 minutes.
He then pivoted to his next anti-EV talking point.

"Better hope that thing doesn't catch on fire!"

At this point I realize he was just one of those Facebook trolls in real life, so I asked if he just hated EVs, and he agreed that he did.

"I just don't like what they're doin, jackin up the gas prices to try and force people into EVs."

I disengaged at that point because there was no point trying to talk to someone this ignorant.

Heavy sigh..................................... I have a fried that recently said that EV production should be halted until the grid is built up, otherwise we will all be out of electricity..................... I responded by saying, 'Sometimes you do have to put the cart before the horse'. Yes, yes, we have all heard that 'the grid' is having a difficult time keeping up with the current heat wave, and here in Texas we had our own set of special problems a few winters ago. Sometimes it does take difficult events like a grid failure for the power companies and the regulators/legislators to wake up/face up to the increase in demand that is not going to go away.

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