Omnibus Stupid MFers in the news thread (Part 2)

[Just_Asking_Questions]

@LSLGuy

Trivial enough that I’m a bit surprised it doesn’t already exist.

I hope it will someday. The west is big, we need more charging stations, for all brands of EVS (or some form of a common charging system!)

When I went to see the eclipse in Texas, I was surprised to see a mulit-charger station in a grocery store parking lot in Bumfuck, excuse me, Big Springs Texas. And there were two cars charging. I thought Texans hated woke communist electric cars?

@Dag_Otto

Maybe he just wanted decent green chile.

Best enchiladas I had were in Trinidad, Colorado, just “over the hill” from Raton, NM, on his route. If I were planning on killing myself, I’d be sure to stop on the way.

[wguy123]

@LSLGuy

under-served interstates

Can you give examples of the under-served interstates? A quick look at the aforementioned I40 and it appears to have plenty of Superchargers. There are definitely longer stretches on the interstates through WY, MT, but I can see future Superchargers in the works in some of those stretches. But even as it currently stands, you could drive from Spokane, WA to either Bismark, ND or Cheyenne, WY without having to veer off the interstate.

For me, it’s the state highways that need investment! Plenty of level 2 charging, but we need level 3 charging to really allow for travel in EVs.

I guess this doesn’t really belong in this thread though…oops Back to stupid MFers.

[Just_Asking_Questions]

@wguy123

Can you give examples of the under-served interstates?

Just asking: are Superchargers only for Teslas? Are there sufficient charging stations for my theoretical Ford or Chevy EV along the way? I don’t know how compatible everything is.

[Great_Antibob]

@Just_Asking_Questions

Just asking: are Superchargers only for Teslas? Are there sufficient charging stations for my theoretical Ford or Chevy EV along the way? I don’t know how compatible everything is.

It depends somewhat on model. Many older models won’t be compatible. But manufacturers of most North American EVs (including GM and Ford) have agreed on using the same charger standard for upcoming models. And adapters are in the works for many of the ones that can’t natively handle it already.

So, the answer is “it depends” but will sooner rather than later be “fully compatible, albeit probably requiring a Tesla online account to use their stations and possibly also needing a plug converter”. Competing charger networks do exist and many are already or can be transitioned to be NACS compatible.

[enipla]

@Just_Asking_Questions

Though I would be interested to know if going I70 would have worked. Can’t the Wankenpanzer go over a little 11K foot hill?

Going over the divide would not be any problem at all (well better not be).

My guess is this guy put in Las Vegas, and picked the first one on the list that popped up.

[DesertDog]

@Just_Asking_Questions

Going east (to I40) it’s uphill all the way.

OTOH, when we came back from Grand Canyon a couple months ago it warmed the cockles of my heart to watch the GOM* go from 179 to 225 coming off the Colorado Plateau on I-17. Getting to the Canyon was via Prescott and AZ-89 to Williams so the climb up was a lot gentler.

*Guess-O-Meter

[Thing.Fish]

Maybe he just didn’t feel an urgent need to arrive at his destination as quickly as possible…

[Just_Asking_Questions]

@DesertDog

go from 179 to 225 coming off the Colorado Plateau on I-17

regenerative charging, or just adjustment to the lower power demand going dooooowwwnnnnhill?

My instantaneous mileage indicator in my car pegs at 99 mpg going down the Camp Verde hill, at about 80 mph!

[Pleonast]

@Just_Asking_Questions

@DesertDog

go from 179 to 225 coming off the Colorado Plateau on I-17

regenerative charging, or just adjustment to the lower power demand going dooooowwwnnnnhill?

My instantaneous mileage indicator in my car pegs at 99 mpg going down the Camp Verde hill, at about 80 mph!

From over in the EV thread from a while back:

@Pleonast

This past weekend I looked more carefully at the numbers. Going from San Bernardino to Big Bear is 30 miles across and 6000 ft up. Going there took 80 miles of charge. Coming back recharged the car 20 miles.

There’s definitely regenerative charging when dropping elevation over many miles.

[LSLGuy]

So the net effect of the climb & descent was just about zero. 60 miles distance and 60 miles net charge consumption.

[echoreply]

Sorry for the long dump, but someones are wrong on the internet!

@Smapti

Turns out the Vegas Cybertruck bomber used ChatGPT to plan his act, which I assume explains why he drove to the wrong Las Vegas first.

It’s funny to laugh at the guy (I mean, I guess, or more a commentary on the sorry state of mental health care for veterans and active duty US military).

I don’t know what his thoughts were on choosing his route, but there are lots of completely legitimate reasons he would have picked the route he did, that have nothing to do with ChatGPT, charging infrastructure, or destination confusion.

He picked up the Cybertruck in Denver on Saturday, then charged in Monument on Monday. So he drove the truck around Denver on Saturday and Sunday, and then on the way down to Colorado Springs on Monday he charged it in Monument, which is between Denver and Colorado Springs.

On Tuesday he charged it in Trinidad, which is on the Colorado and New Mexico border.

@Railer13

I’m guessing he took that route to avoid the mountains in Colorado, as it’s 300 miles farther than driving on I-70. Or maybe there are more charging stations along that route.

Not so much avoiding the mountains, as avoiding the weather and traffic. Ahead of the 1/1 holiday, it is possible I-70 had extremely bad traffic. Bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic for 50 miles is possible. Routing in the Cybertruck may have seen miles of backed up traffic on I-70, and picked a different route.

There were closures on I-70 in the mountains eastbound on 12/31, 1/1, and 1/2, so my guess is that traveling westbound would not have been any fun.

There is plenty of charging along I-70. That is not a reason to avoid.

The map in the linked fact check article, and shared everywhere, showes his route as if it’s one continuous trip. It is not. The origination in Denver and the next two charges are on different days.

@Just_Asking_Questions

Can’t the Wankenpanzer go over a little 11K foot hill?

EVs do fine in the mountains. EVs are not magically proof against Vail pass being closed. It wasn’t, but do you want to take that risk when weather is coming in?

@LSLGuy

20 Supercharger or equivalent generic facilities installed at existing truck stops would serve 100% of the presently under-served interstates

Tesla supercharging infrastructure on the interstates is only a problem if it gets too busy, and you have to wait to charge. Assuming an open charger, interstate travel is well covered. Off interstate travel is different, and is going to be completely dependent on the exact area.

@Dag_Otto

Maybe he just wanted decent green chile

OK, that hurts. Besides, Colorado green chili is made with New Mexico peppers.

@Just_Asking_Questions

are Superchargers only for Teslas

It’s complicated. Some non-Teslas can charge at some Tesla superchargers. Over time it will get less complicated, and more non-Tesla cars will be able to charge at Tesla superchargers.

@enipla

My guess is this guy put in Las Vegas, and picked the first one on the list that popped up.

You hate driving on I-70 (if I remember correctly), why would he be any different? If he lived in Colorado Springs, he probably knows which way to go to get to 70.

[Just_Asking_Questions]

@echoreply

I mean, I guess, or more a commentary on the sorry state of mental health care for veterans and active duty US military

I’m not convinced his mental/TBI issues are responsible for some of his screed about getting women out of the military and military tribunals for Democrats and using semis to block the roads to restore America to its past greatness.

[peccavi]

@Just_Asking_Questions

his screed about getting women out of the military and military tribunals for Democrats and using semis to block the roads to restore America to its past greatness.

Sounds like a good back up candidate for Trump’s Secretary of Defense nomination.

[Just_Asking_Questions]

@peccavi

Sounds like a good back up candidate for Trump’s Secretary of Defense nomination.

And being dead is not a limitation! trump will find a way!

[Chronos]

I’m still somewhat bemused by the attitude of “I don’t want to hurt anyone in making my statement that all Democrats should be killed”.

[Smapti]

Clearly ChatGPT was doing its best not to violate the First Law of Robotics when it wrote his manifesto for him.

[echoreply]

@Just_Asking_Questions

I’m not convinced his mental/TBI issues are responsible

Yeah, TBI is linked with increased rates of suicide, but I’m not aware of studies linking it being a misogynist class stupid MFer.

(Though I would not be surprised to learn that having brain damage increases the odds of being some kind of right wing nutso. One of the “theories” bouncing around is that Trump’s majority showing in 2024 is due to so many more people with brain damage due to COVID than were around in 2020.)

[LSLGuy]

@echoreply

Yeah, TBI is linked with increased rates of suicide, but I’m not aware of studies linking it being a misogynist class stupid MFer.

OTOH, studies conclusively link Faux News watching, followed quickly by addiction, to becoming a misogynist class stupid MFer.

Given some of the keywords in Sgt Livingstone’s manifesto, his whole descent is obviously Faux’s doing. Shame they’re not criminally liable for what they’ve done.

[DesertDog]

@Just_Asking_Questions

regenerative charging, or just adjustment to the lower power demand going dooooowwwnnnnhill?

Regenerative braking, definitely.

@LSLGuy

So the net effect of the climb & descent was just about zero.

Well, the gain was in about 15 miles so it was positive for a while, about another 15, so I essentially got 30 miles for free and, like I said, the ascent was a gentler grade so the power depletion was not as noticeable as I-17 would have been.

Make no mistake, it’s not like I have a solar panel on the roof of the car. I’ve seen estimates of the efficiency range from 50 to 70%. If you accelerate from 0 to 60 in, say 10 seconds then immediately close the throttle to let the regen take you from 60 to 0 in 10 seconds you’re going to consume 2 or 3 kWh of power, at least. But as I pointed out to a friend as we were slowing for a red light, when was the last time your ICE gave you some gas back.

Driving around town I rarely use the hydraulic brakes. I try to deliberately once a day to keep the rotors polished. Other than that, it’s most commonly when I get caught by a yellow in my face, by somebody doing something unexpected in front of me, or I misjudge the distance to a red light.

[Dewey_Finn]

This very short YouTube video is an interview from something called freedomnews.tv of an Upper East Side resident named Andrew Heiberger, who has complaints about Manhattan’s new congestion pricing scheme. He says

Starting today the congestion pricing is going into effect - nine dollars each day to pass 60th Street. While I disagree with it for many reasons, for me in particular, it really hits home, because I live right here on 61st Street in this building, and my car is right there parked in front of my building. If I want to turn around and go up town to visit my kids who live on 79th Street, I have to pay nine dollars to go around the block because there’s no way for me to go uptown without going around the block and paying nine dollars. I think something has to be sorted out on behalf of residents.

The website Jalopnik did the math; that would be a walk of about twenty minutes.

As you can expect, he’s getting shit for this all over the internet and other media.