[pct-l] Charging in town

[Jay Bruins]

Just so we’re clear, the cost to charge a modern phone is peanuts:
http://blog.opower.com/2014/09/iphone-6-charging-47-cents/

$0.47/365days * 4 days between towns = $0.0051 per town*. This is no more “theft” than finding a penny on the ground and taking it with you.

Now, consider the advice to always ask: let’s assume each request took 30 seconds and the employee you’re asking is only being paid the national minimum wage of $7.25/hour; that’s 30s * 1 min / 60s * 1hr/ 60 min * $7.25/hr = $0.06!

The *true* cost of plugging in is that you’re more likely to be hanging out for longer while your phone charges (or, back in your home city, you’re able to work longer on your laptop) and you’re not purchasing any more services from the business as a result. If you’re keeping a table to yourself or spreading out on a porch and deterring other business, you’re doing far more hard-to-measure harm to the business that the electricity you’re taking.


I fully understand that societal norms don’t alway match reason, but if you’re going to worry about how you present yourself, you should focus on the big picture. I, for one, would like to think a hiker who recently took a bandana-bath sitting next to an organized pack (one that gets you easy hitch-hikes) with a friendly demeanor can start conversations and *attract* business.

Armstrong


*I’m well aware that electricity prices can be much higher in trail towns. If you were to use electricity from Grumpy Bear, which operates on a generator, your numbers would be much higher.


> On Jan 28, 2016, at 12:00 PM, Luce Cruz <lucecruz13 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> On Thu, Jan 28, 2016 at 11:28 AM, Matthew Edwards <iceaxehikes at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>> 
>> Just a word to the wise: always ask first.
>> -iceaxe
> 
> 
> Absolutely. To not ask before plugging into someone's power outlet is theft
> unless you have permission. Same with taking water.
> 
> Guidebooks could contain errors when published. Word of mouth could be old
> or incorrect.
> 
> If it's clearly offered for free use, that is obviously a whole other thing.
> 
> Just because others are doing it does not make it right.
> 
> I'm camped out on BLM land right now. Some folks on one end of the area
> released some chinese lanterns. Before the BLM folks could get over there
> to talk to them, some folks close to me released one. The BLM officers
> quickly went over to them likely because they were closer and the officers
> saw them release the lantern. I could hear the folks shouting "Well, those
> folks over there did it!". I'm sure the officers got enough info from those
> folks to identify them properly and also ran down the rules about fire,
> fireworks, and the like.
> 
> If you don't know whose it is, ask. If it isn't yours, maybe better to
> leave it alone. Just because you saw others doing it doesn't mean you have
> the same permission they did, if they had it at all.
> 
> If you think I am in error with this email, please go read some of the
> things Andrea Dinsmore has written lately about folks taking advantage of
> her kindness and hospitality.
> -- 
> Luce Cruz
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