Hybrid stickers don't work in county carpool lanes

From the San Jose Mercury News....

Q I have been enjoying the use of the Highway 101 carpool lane in my Honda Civic hybrid, while getting 46ish mpg. Is it also OK to use the carpool lanes on Central, Lawrence and other expressways in Santa Clara County?


A Hybrid owners, I have bad news: No. Due to an oversight, hybrid owners -- for now -- with carpool stickers cannot drive solo in diamond lanes on Montague, San Tomas, Lawrence, Central and Capitol expressways. Legislation permitting this on state highways does not refer to carpool lanes set up by a local agency, such as the county. Local officials will seek legislation next year to correct this silly oversight, but it could be 2007 before the change occurs. In the meantime, Dan-the-County-Man says the California Highway Patrol will enforce the hybrid ban on our expressways:

Are there any lawyers out there with Prius that would take on the challenge of making this go away?

 

I'm gonna continue using the lane when it is appropriate. If ticketed I'll plead not-guilty and request a jury trial. I think that there would be enough confusion in the way the law was written and the fact that there is nothing on the diamond lane signs that indicates I cannot use the lanes I would get an aquittal from the jury.

Besides, I'd really be interested to know who is behind prodding the cops to enforce something like this. Probably some clown driving a Hummer. h34r: And I would hope that a trial would bring that to light.


BTW, my view of appropriate use of the HOV sticker is to use the diamond lane and move to the right when someone rockets up behind me at 75++. I tend to drive at about 65 mph which often is too slow for the lead foots that seem to think the diamond lane equates to the left lane on the Autobaun.