# Bob\_Blaylock hates Electric Vehicles and was happy to highjack a thread about it **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 13, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798 "2024-03-13T00:22:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/41 "2024-03-13T13:58:24Z")
Supression, eh? So you have been stopped from posting? You were prevented from hijacking an existing thread and told to post in a separate thread. That’s not suppression, that’s a suggestion to stop acting like a jackass. If a jerk wanted to go on a rant about chemtrails on a street corner - fine. If that jerk demanded the 1st amendment right to do so in an elementary school during class - not fine. And I suppose you have been unfailingly polite, as well: [![](https://wondermark.com/storage/2023/06/2014-09-19-1062sea.png) ](https://wondermark.com/storage/2023/06/2014-09-19-1062sea.png) ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/42 "2024-03-13T13:59:58Z")
Why should real lions have any need for a _sea_ prefix, to distinguish them from fake lions? ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/43 "2024-03-13T14:00:04Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > As I stated before, if the point is ever reached that EVs are as practical as real cars, there will be no purpose for a law to force people out of real cars, and into EVs; people will choose to buy them of their own free choice, when doing so becomes a reasonable choice. That’s worked so well with you Americans and gun control… ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/44 "2024-03-13T14:00:29Z")
It’s because you’re a bigoted fucking asshole. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/45 "2024-03-13T14:01:38Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > The law is already in place, here in California, I think you need a safe space. Idaho and Texas will welcome you with open arms. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/46 "2024-03-13T14:03:35Z")
Never had a license, other than a temp, but sometimes the old way of doing this works. What happens when the grid goes down? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/47 "2024-03-13T14:04:45Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > I think you need a safe space. Idaho and Texas will welcome you with open arms. Don’t want him. And Texas has been courting Musk and Tesla for years and is building up EV charging infrastructure, so maybe not as safe a space as you’d think ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/48 "2024-03-13T14:05:25Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > Again, I had a perfectly valid opinion, for which I was attacked, and punished. Again, you should stop being a bigoted moron. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/49 "2024-03-13T14:06:25Z")
Damn…when even TX doesn’t want you, where else do you go for your safe space? I guess ID is one of the last options. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/50 "2024-03-13T14:08:53Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > As I stated before, if the point is ever reached that EVs are as practical as real cars, there will be no purpose for a law to force people out of real cars, and into EVs; people will choose to buy them of their own free choice, when doing so becomes a reasonable choice. As I said, an EV can be as practical as an internal combustion car. What you need is an infrastructure made for EV drivers. Fast chargers on motorways for people driving a long way and slower chargers for people charging while they are home. On the short street, with apartment buildings, where I am charging now, there are eighteen chargers. Not enough when everyone has an EV, but enough for now. In 1935, when the EU also stop sale of old fashioned cars, there will be more. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/51 "2024-03-13T14:10:59Z")
Hell, even in Houston, the oil and gas city personified, there’s a ton of Teslas (and a smattering of other EVs) and chargers at oil and gas related companies. Alongside the big pickups of course People around here don’t see any contradiction in the idea that different people will have different automobile needs. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/52 "2024-03-13T14:15:25Z")
_Real_ men like EVs. Then there’s whatever Bob is. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/53 "2024-03-13T14:24:10Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Is someone forcing the OP to buy an EV? And have an abortion. Damn libruls! > [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Never had a license, other than a temp, but sometimes the old way of doing this works. What happens when the grid goes down? What happens to gas stations when the grid goes down? The gas is trapped forever! ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/54 "2024-03-13T14:24:51Z")
Never even had a temp- I always assumed gas pumps had back up power somehow. I assume the physics of the pump work without electricity, but the meter and the card reader and keypad all require power. If gas pumps already had back up power, it should be trivial to install increased back up and solar panels for chargers when the grid is down. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/55 "2024-03-13T14:28:56Z")
Solar panels. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/56 "2024-03-13T14:32:05Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > What happens when the grid goes down? Well, my EV will be fully charged when it goes down and I know I have plenty of local driving. In my old ICE I might be nearly empty and not able to get gas. For me, the point goes to my EV. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/57 "2024-03-13T14:32:26Z")
To be fair, this is a bit of an EV stroke-fest, even if @Bob_Blaylock is shaking his fist and telling us to get off his lawn. There are still some major obstacles for many people with EVs. Charging time is one, charging availability is another. And the combination is often more than many are willing to endure. It may just be convenience, but not so many people are willing to just carve out a half-hour or more of charging time as well as whatever distance out of their way they have to go to do it. In my case (suburban NE Dallas), the nearest Tesla Supercharger is like 15 minutes away and not anywhere I’d choose to hang out. So I’m looking at roughly an hour to get there, charge, and get back, and it’s not even somewhere I could run mundane errands, like a grocery store or discount store of some kind. That’s a pain in the ass, when compared to going to any number of gas stations that are almost ubiquitous anywhere I’m going or on the way to where I’m going, and spending 5-10 minutes filling up, going to the bathroom, getting a drink, etc… and being on my way. It gets worse on longer trips- if you’re already driving 5 hours to get where you’re going, nobody wants to drive an hour out of their way, spend 30 minutes or so charging, and then going on their way. That just added about 30% to the trip, vs. the negligible time for getting gas. I think that if they can get that charging time down to 5-10 minutes via some method or other (swappable batteries? some kind of parallel charging? ) and get those chargers at least as ubiquitous as gas stations, then EVs will make a LOT of sense to everyone, except convenience stores and gas station owners. Until then, we’re in a situation where it makes a lot of sense in some areas, and not so much in others. Same thing for situations- for some, it’s very convenient at the moment. For others, not so much. And a lot of that depends on your specific geography- if I lived in downtown Austin, I’d be set- there are Tesla charging stations all over the place. But where my in-laws live? Not so much, even though they’re over by Zilker Park in an older wealthy-ish neighborhood. Their nearest charging stations are either down south or in downtown, and that would be a pain in the butt if they didn’t go to downtown often. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/58 "2024-03-13T14:37:44Z")
And those are fair points. But they were brought up in the original thread by other posters without generating a thread in the pit. The line wasn’t crossed by saying EVs weren’t for him and for what specific reasons. The line was crossed when he hijacked the thread with several posts going beyond those reasons to editorializing (the ‘real car’ thing, for example) and generally acting like a jerk. Given some of the examples presented in this thread, it’s not isolated to EVs, either. Some people don’t merely feel entitled to their own opinion. They feel entitled to yours as well ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/59 "2024-03-13T14:40:58Z")
That was my mentality before I read a lot. I decided that I better get a PHEV to make sure I could get there. But then I started playing with EV trip planners and figured out we could get to a lot of our normal places without too much more hassle or time, particularly when you throw in destination charging. And yes, I look forward to faster EV charging in several locations (look at northern to central Idaho for the charging desert we have to deal with), but it is coming. > [@Great\_Antibob](#): > > The line wasn’t crossed by saying EVs weren’t for him and for what specific reasons. The line was crossed when he hijacked the thread with several posts going beyond those reasons to editorializing (the ‘real car’ thing, for example) and generally acting like a jerk. This. He came in to shit on EVs. He is perfectly able to start a “this is why I hate EVs and will never work for me” thread and have others come in to support him. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2024, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798/60 "2024-03-13T14:43:35Z")
> [@Bob\_Blaylock](#): > > Again, I had a perfectly valid opinion, for which I was attacked, and punished. Oh you poor, poor child. Were you sent to your room without supper? People are entitled to their opinions. You seem to want to be entitled to your own facts. People are correcting (not attacking) your facts. This makes you have the sads. My opinion is you need to Man Up, sonny and stop whining like a little titty baby. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bob-blaylock-hates-electric-vehicles-and-was-happy-to-highjack-a-thread-about-it/998798.md?page=4)