Hybrid cheaters spotted in carpool lanes

[IsrAmeriPrius]

In the Orange County Register:

[Excerpts]

Q. I have seen two cars (not hybrids) with car-pool stickers on them. One was a Toyota Highlander and the other a Honda Odyssey minivan! What can be done about these drivers that put the stickers on non-qualifying cars?

A.Hmmmmm. The only cars allowed to have the yellow carpool stickers, for hybrids, are the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic and Honda Insight. Drivers of these vehicles do not need a second occupant to take advantage of the state's car-pool lanes.

As of Feb. 6, another 7,017 car-pool-lane stickers – these ones are white – had been issued for vehicles that run only on electricity or on an acceptable alternative fuel.

The vehicles you cited are not on the California Air Resources Board's long list of acceptable electric or alternative-fuel vehicles, either.

But Karen Caesar, a spokeswoman with the Resources Board, says you might have seen vehicles being tested.

Or you might have spotted boneheads who deserve to be ratted out (Honk's words). If you can do so safely, the agency invites you to grab the license-plate number and call 800-END-SMOG. A fine could await the culprit.

The Orange County Register[/b]

[hill]

Be careful what you report. Only FAKE stickers are illegal. Joke stickers are still legal. Here's a picture example, halfway down this thread's posts:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=2...l=Fake&st=0

Legislators are working on making these joke ones illegal. As it stands, if you are in the carpool lane w/ 2 or more in the car, regardless of what kind of car, the joke stickers are not illegal.

[Soylent]

Heh..I don't have a sticker, but I often take the car pool lane. I figure if they see I'm driving a Prius, they won't pull me over.

[TonyM]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Feb 20 2007, 08:23 AM) [snapback]393309[/snapback]</div>

Heh..I don't have a sticker, but I often take the car pool lane. I figure if they see I'm driving a Prius, they won't pull me over.
[/b]

Heh..

I'm waiting to get pulled over before I slap the stickers on my car, but I carry them in the glove box.

I'm one of those "I hate all bumper stickers" types and it's killing me to think that I have to apply those ugly stickers to the paint of any car.

[bugmenot]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyM @ Feb 20 2007, 11:46 AM) [snapback]393316[/snapback]</div>

I'm waiting to get pulled over before I slap the stickers on my car, but I carry them in the glove box.[/b]

If you commute in the SF Bay Area, your wish may indeed come true:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=12381

If the decals aren't on the car, the CHP will write you a $341 ticket. Then you'll have to put the decals on the car and take it to a police station for an officer to verify that you "corrected" the violation. Finally, you'll have to waste a day in traffic court so you can pay the "fix-it" fee.

[scoot]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Feb 20 2007, 08:23 AM) [snapback]393309[/snapback]</div>

Heh..I don't have a sticker, but I often take the car pool lane. I figure if they see I'm driving a Prius, they won't pull me over.
[/b]

I hope that you are repeatedly ticketed. The "rules don't apply to me" theme is disgusting.

[TonyM]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bugmenot @ Feb 20 2007, 09:46 AM) [snapback]393345[/snapback]</div>

If you commute in the SF Bay Area, your wish may indeed come true:

http://priuschat.com/index.php?showtopic=12381

If the decals aren't on the car, the CHP will write you a $341 ticket. Then you'll have to put the decals on the car and take it to a police station for an officer to verify that you "corrected" the violation. Finally, you'll have to waste a day in traffic court so you can pay the "fix-it" fee.
[/b]

Well, kinda. One of my oldest friends is a CHPer, he'll sign it off. and, once it's signed you don't have to spend the day in traffic court, you can mail the proof of correction in with the $10 fee.

That said, I need to wash the car anyway, and I'll most likely put the stickers on it at that point.

I'm just hoping this doesn't make me a sticker-a-holic like some people I've seen on the road... Next thing you know I'll have AR15.COM and Calguns.net stickers on my car making it a target of vandalism for the majority of the people that live in the bay area..

[curtissac]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyM @ Feb 20 2007, 02:35 PM) [snapback]393419[/snapback]</div>

Well, kinda. One of my oldest friends is a CHPer, he'll sign it off. and, once it's signed you don't have to spend the day in traffic court, you can mail the proof of correction in with the $10 fee.

That said, I need to wash the car anyway, and I'll most likely put the stickers on it at that point.

I'm just hoping this doesn't make me a sticker-a-holic like some people I've seen on the road... Next thing you know I'll have AR15.COM and Calguns.net stickers on my car making it a target of vandalism for the majority of the people that live in the bay area..
[/b]

Ask your friend if this is a "fix-it". I don't think being in the HOV lane without your decals properly affixed falls under the catagory of "mechanical violation." I would think it's a mover. If the stickers are not on your car, you don't meet the requirements for being a single occupant in the carpool lane any more that if you had been driving an H3.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(scoot @ Feb 20 2007, 02:16 PM) [snapback]393405[/snapback]</div>

I hope that you are repeatedly ticketed. The "rules don't apply to me" theme is disgusting.
[/b]

I agree. If you don't have the stickers properly affixed to your vehicle, then you need to have 2 or 3 people on board (varies by loaction) to qualify for use of the HOV lane like everyone else. I wonder if the poeple that drive their Priuses the HOV lane without the stickers are the same ones that would bitch when they see someone cheating in a Highlander - there really isn't a difference.

If you want to use your Prius in the HOV lane, either put the stickers on your car or find a couple of asses to stick in your other seats.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Curtis SAC @ Feb 21 2007, 01:22 PM) [snapback]394143[/snapback]</div>

I would think it's a mover.[/b]

My educated guess is that whether it is a fix-it ticket or a moving violation depends on whether HOV stickers were issued to the particular car. If the stickers were issued, but not affixed to the car, it should only be a fix-it ticket. If, on the other hand, no HOV stickers were issued to the car, then the driver is not obeying a traffic sign which is cited as a moving violation.