Looking for a place to plug in: St. John's electric vehicle driver says spots often filled by gas cars

A St. John's woman who drives an electric vehicle is sick of looking for a place to plug in. But it's not for a lack of parking spots for electric cars in the city. 

Helena Butler says the electric car parking spots are often occupied by gasoline-engine cars.

"That's the frustration ... You're trying to do the right thing and drive clean, and then can't find a parking place."

Butler says the problem is most prevalent at public buildings — places like the Health Sciences Centre and the Avalon Mall.

The Health Sciences Centre has eight electric vehicle parking spots, the mall has two, and there is one on every level of the 351 Water Street parking garage, Butler said.

It's exciting to see so many spots offered, she said, but it's a let down to see them taken up by cars that don't need them. 

The problem is so bad, she's started leaving sticky notes that say "Not an electric car" on the vehicles.

"I didn't want to be rude, but I just wanted to point out that clearly they are not in the parking space that's designated for them."

She's not convinced it's because people aren't aware the spots are for plugging in. 

"I would like to give them the benefit of the doubt [but] the ones at health sciences, there are big square boxes," she said.

"I think it's a really entitled attitude."

Butler said that when she can't park and power up when she needs to, she often has to cut the outing short and head back home.

No enforcement

In addition to her sticky note campaign, Butler has also approached the management of some of the public buildings in question to see if there's anything that could be done.

"They say, well, they aren't actually enforcing," she said. 

And that's the piece that Butler believes is really missing.

"I'm already thrilled that there are this many plug-in spaces. I would like to see it monitored so that people with plug-in cars can actually get to use them," she said. 

"The facilities are right on track, they're doing the right thing, but it really doesn't mean much unless they enforce it. It literally is just window dressing, or to look like they're making an effort."

She's hoping the lack of enforcement is just a step in the learning curve and that as more people buy electric vehicles, building managers will sign on to the idea of keeping their parking spots free.

Bon Antle, the area manager at Indigo, the company that owns 351 Water Street, agrees.

"Since at this point there are very few electric vehicles, we have not yet had to enforce use of the spots for electric vehicles only," he said in an emailed statement to CBC News.

"Once there is more frequent use we will undertake an awareness campaign to remind everyone that the [electric vehicle] spots are reserved for electric vehicles."

Service NL said there are about 499 hybrid and 122 electric vehicles registered in the province, out of 353,000 passenger vehicles. That's 0.18 per cent, or one tenth of one per cent, of all private passenger vehicles. 

Pickup trucks are not included, as there is currently no electric option for those in Newfoundland and Labrador.