"In Carpool Lanes, Hybrids Find Cold Shoulders" LA Times

[H2OSkier]

New article in the LA Times about hybrids in the carpool lane. The article questions if hybrids are causing the slowing of the carpool lanes. No mention is made of the amount of illegal cars in the carpool lanes. From my experience on the 405 there are MANY more illegal cars than hybrids in the carpool lanes. Not that it will do any good, but I wrote to the editor saying ... ahhh you missed something.

Ken

LA Times Article

[Thomas Brock]

I'm just not sure that a Prius with one passenger should be in the HOV/Carpool lanes to start with...It may be blasphemy here, but surely, we can all agree that a one-person Prius does not a High-Occupancy-Vehicle make...

[Potential Buyer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Thomas Brock @ Apr 10 2006, 11:07 AM) [snapback]237516[/snapback]</div>

I'm just not sure that a Prius with one passenger should be in the HOV/Carpool lanes to start with...It may be blasphemy here, but surely, we can all agree that a one-person Prius does not a High-Occupancy-Vehicle make...
[/b]

Um, yeah, but if it has HOV stickers that explicitly allow it then it's fine. The Prius may not be contributing to reduced traffic, but it is contributing to reduced pollution and gas consumption.

[Thomas Brock]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Potential Buyer @ Apr 10 2006, 12:29 PM) [snapback]237522[/snapback]</div>

Um, yeah, but if it has HOV stickers that explicitly allow it then it's fine. The Prius may not be contributing to reduced traffic, but it is contributing to reduced pollution and gas consumption.
[/b]

Indeed, there are some cities/states that allow Prius' to get and maintain the proper authorization...My point is...A car with one person shouldn't be in the HOV/carpool lanes.

[tbstout2]

In VA, the purpose of the HOV lanes is to allow mass-transit to flow without any impediments. This means buses, “slug” vehicles and, of course HOV cars (either two or three riders).

These lanes had been so underutilized that the VA lawmakers decided to allow motorcycles, law enforcement vehicles (if they are on duty) and Clean Fuel vehicles to use the HOV lanes. Clean Fuel vehicles include LPG fueled cars and trucks, electric cars, and hybrid cars and trucks.

If the lanes are becoming crowded lets begin taking away the exemptions from the vehicles that have the least benefit to the public.

1) Lets STOP letting hybrids that get less than 40 MPG on the HOV lanes.

2) Most motorcycles get less MPG than my car, why should they be allowed an exemption?

3) There are so many law enforcement vehicles on the HOV lanes and not all of them are on duty. I see Fairfax County police driving all the way down the 95 HOV lanes – all the way through the adjoining county – and I know they aren’t on duty. The FBI-like vehicles that cruise up the roads at 75 MPG (without turn signals) are just using the road as their employee benefit. If they are going to use the road then they should obey the traffic laws.

4) Lastly, without a doubt, the violators outnumber the hybrids. The state police do such a poor job enforcing this problem that it will not stop.

I do utilize the HOV lanes every day. However, I know that it is a temporary privilege that can be revoked at any time in order to keep mass-transit flowing. But, let’s go after the vehicles that use the most gas and spew the most emissions!

My two cents.


Oh, BTW, I do have a carpooler in my car every day. So, that's HOV2... not HOV3 as intended on that part of the highway but still better than an SUV with three people.

[Emma]

While pollution and fuel consumption is certainly a problem, it seems to me that the amount of vehicles on the roads, especially in areas where HOV lanes have been created, is also a huge problem. The more people who buy hybrids in these areas and get the stickers that will allow them to drive solo in the HOV lanes, the worse the traffic problem is going to get, no?

[unruhly]

We the people, need every incentive possible, to get our consumption of fossil fuels reduced.

If allowing hybrids in an HOV lane causes a few people to replace their cars/SUVs with a higher economy car, then the plan is working. In order for the masses to get on the bandwagon, they have got to see others doing it. We are in the lead. Make the masses envy you in the HOV lane and perpetuate the end goal of reduced polution and foreign oil dependance.

[Thomas Brock]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(unruhly @ Apr 10 2006, 01:07 PM) [snapback]237544[/snapback]</div>

We the people, need every incentive possible, to get our consumption of fossil fuels reduced.

If allowing hybrids in an HOV lane causes a few people to replace their cars/SUVs with a higher economy car, then the plan is working. In order for the masses to get on the bandwagon, they have got to see others doing it. We are in the lead. Make the masses envy you in the HOV lane and perpetuate the end goal of reduced polution and foreign oil dependance.
[/b]

And until then, traffic will simply be as congested as always...Except for the privileged few...

There's no good solution, other than economical mass transportation.

[hycamguy07]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Thomas Brock @ Apr 10 2006, 12:32 PM) [snapback]237524[/snapback]</div>

Indeed, there are some cities/states that allow Prius' to get and maintain the proper authorization...My point is...A car with one person shouldn't be in the HOV/carpool lanes.
[/b]

Yeah I agree, Car pool lanes need to be limited to 3-4 passengers in a vehicle no one should get special treatment just because you drive a ev or a hybrid vehicle...

[dipper]

If you want to kick out ev and hybrids, you need to kick out the Bikers first. Most of them do not even get close to 40mpg now anyways. They should require HOV permits just like exempt cars with mileage requirements. And when evs and hybrids are rejected, so goes bikes.