Q: John Ventuleth of Temecula said he sees many vehicles parked in electric vehicle charging spots and the cars are not being charged. Sometimes, he said, the cars parked in the EV spots are not even EVs. “People may even drag the cord to their gasoline fuel door and hang it there as if it was being charged. Schools are the worst, where you have cars parked in the EV site for eight or more hours not getting charged,” Ventuleth said. He asked if there are laws or ordinances prohibiting these types of activities?

A: Indeed there are. First, an EV parking space is a designated space for charging an EV. These spaces are clearly marked with signs and charging consoles so they stand out. An EV parked in such a parking space is supposed to be charging and not just parked there. And, we should add, disabled drivers with a disabled parking placard who are not driving an EV cannot park in these spaces.

California Vehicle Section 22511 spells out the rules regarding EV parking and signage for EV charging parking spots.

“A local authority, by ordinance or resolution, and a person in lawful possession of an offstreet parking facility may designate stalls or spaces in an offstreet parking facility owned or operated by that local authority or person for the exclusive purpose of charging and parking a vehicle that is connected for electric charging purposes,” the law says.  The same is true for public streets; spaces in public locations can also be set aside by a local authority such as a city for EV charging, according to this CVC section. The law also says that private property owners and public agencies can have a vehicle towed from these parking spaces at the owner’s expense and after notifying local police if the vehicle is not connected for electric charging purposes.

Most cities and counties in California have their own ordinances or rules allowing EV parking spaces in public and private parking areas, as this state law allows. Anyone who parks in an EV parking space and is not charging could be cited and the vehicle towed.

Q: A few years back, Caltrans planned to widen Highway 189 about a quarter mile east of Lake Gregory Drive. “They got sidetracked because of an emergency. When are they going to start back up? It’s a very dangerous area,” asked reader Tom Chamberlin of Twin Peaks, the unincorporated community in the San Bernardino Mountains.

A: We asked Caltrans for an update and heard back from Emily Leinen, spokesperson for District 8. She said, “It did not get sidetracked because of an emergency. The project has been postponed until further notice due to utility issues. We do not know when it will reach construction.”

Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write ontheroad@scng.com or call 951-368-9995.