EV driver’s bold act sparks outrage – here’s why Australians aren’t impressed

A driver has sparked outrage among residents after running an extension cord across a suburban sidewalk to charge an electric car.

Keith Bensley was out for his morning walk in Sawtell on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales when he came across the cord leading to a parked car on the side of the road.

“It surprised me, it was a real trip hazard,” he told the ABC.

Mr Bensley said the cable ran all the way from the gutter to the top floor of a nearby apartment building.

The electrical engineer noted that the unconventional charging method not only presented a tripping hazard, but also a serious fire hazard.

“There was no attempt to put anything over the cable, and it had rained the night before so it was nice and wet,” he said.

“If there was (water) between the plug and the socket. It can actually burn and a fire can start if it’s on dry grass,” he said.

Mr Bensley believed car owners were ‘desperate’.

Keith Bensley was on his morning walk in Sawtell, on the Mid North Coast of NSW, when he came across this extension cord running across a footpath

Keith Bensley was out on his morning walk in Sawtell, on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, when he spotted this extension cord running across a footpath.

Mr Bensley sparked a heated debate in the community after posting the photo on a community Facebook page, with many local residents voicing their displeasure.

‘Gosh! That is dangerous, because of the electrical hazard and the tripping hazard. Where is the common sense and consideration for other people?’, one lady wondered.

‘What about wheelchair and walker users? Call the council. That’s ridiculous,’ another commented.

Others said Mr. Bensley should have simply pulled the plug.

The debate comes as electric vehicle sales are set to double by 2023, the EV Council said

However, some commenters missed the point, claiming it was just “one more thing to whine about.”

The debate comes after electric vehicle sales are set to double by 2023, according to the Electric Vehicle Council.

A council report found there are now more than 180,000 electric cars on Australian roads, with most electric cars sold in suburban and regional areas.