1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Fraudulent HOV Green sticker prius spotted

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by knckdwntxt, May 17, 2014.

  1. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    701
    219
    0
    Location:
    So Calif
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tesla Model S
    Sigh. Based on if it's not a Toyota-manufactured Plug-In, it doesn't qualify. Period.
    Oh, I guess he could have converted the Prius to run on propane or LPG?
     
  2. Tracksyde

    Tracksyde Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2011
    1,429
    761
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Or he could have just applied even though he only has a regular hybrid Prius and the DMV sent him stickers (yes, it has happened.. and yes, it is documented here somewhere)
     
    acceleraptor likes this.
  3. JoeS

    JoeS Member

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2013
    77
    27
    0
    Location:
    LA / Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I talked to a guy with a regular Prius with HOV stickers in CA. He said he just applied and they sent it to him. A cop did warn him(when at the police station for another matter) that they could ticket him for just having in on this car even if he wasn't in an HOV lane.
     
  4. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    701
    219
    0
    Location:
    So Calif
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tesla Model S
    Just because the DMV erroneously sent stickers (if that's indeed what the case is with the subject vehicle) doesn't change the fact that the car is unequivocally ineligible for HOV stickers.
     
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,105
    10,039
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Shouldn't those be getting white stickers, not green?
     
    PriusC_Commuter likes this.
  6. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    701
    219
    0
    Location:
    So Calif
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tesla Model S
    I was being facetious. :)
     
  7. Tracksyde

    Tracksyde Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2011
    1,429
    761
    0
    Location:
    So Cal
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I agree.. just pointing out that the most likely explanation is probably the correct one because it has happened and probably happens a lot more than most of us think. I think most of the people who applied with an ineligible car/VIN knew they weren't eligible.
     
  8. acceleraptor

    acceleraptor Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2014
    228
    75
    0
    Location:
    Milpitas, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Just to be clear, I wasn't referring to the most likely situation is. That's pretty obvious.

    I was referring to a situation where, based solely on what is can be known from the photo itself (because you don't know anything about how the car may have been modified underneath nor do we know to what extent the owner may have gone to meet the impractically long and cost-prohibitive restrictions for meeting ARB conversion guidelines), that it is possible for SOME kind of conversion to qualify for SOME kind of sticker. There's a guy who's putting an entire LS1 engine into a Prius body.

    Is it *likely*? No. That's not the point. Unless you have personally seen this car, and popped the hood and seen its engine compartment, how do you know what has or hasn't been done to it? You don't.
     
  9. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    701
    219
    0
    Location:
    So Calif
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tesla Model S
    Occam's Razor. And I know there is no other rational explanation because after-market conversions, other to ALTERNATIVE FUELS, do not qualify for HOV access. If you can find me one post-market converted Prius that got HOV stickers, I'll shut up. Otherwise, this conversation isn't helpful.
     
    PriusC_Commuter likes this.
  10. acceleraptor

    acceleraptor Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2014
    228
    75
    0
    Location:
    Milpitas, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    ... no. Based on what you posted, you found one or a few examples of attempts that failed (because the guys didn't want to go through the difficulty and expense of the certification process). That's confirmation bias.

    I don't dispute what the most likely explanation is (he may also have had a family member with a plug-in--I'm finding my family in a similar situation). I'm saying your reasoning is flawed and doesn't support your claim that you KNOW he can't get one. What if he's one of those nutjobs who DID convert to alternative fuel, and/or got it certified by the ARB and has such a letter?

    And no, I wouldn't continue to harp on this if you didn't keep insisting on making conclusions based on uncertainties.

    As a note: Occam's Razor states the simplest explanation is usually the correct one (not always). :rolleyes:
     
    #50 acceleraptor, May 20, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 4, 2014
  11. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,105
    10,039
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    But DMV will know.
    The sticker is the wrong color for an alternate fuel conversion, so that is ruled out.

    It could be a plug-in conversion, with a concealed plug. If that is the case, and properly certified, then DMV should have no difficulty dismissing the anonymous tip.
     
    acceleraptor likes this.
  12. acceleraptor

    acceleraptor Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2014
    228
    75
    0
    Location:
    Milpitas, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Yup, and they're the ones who can also do something about it.
     
  13. rxlawdude

    rxlawdude Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2011
    701
    219
    0
    Location:
    So Calif
    Vehicle:
    2015 Tesla Model S
    Sigh^2.

    What models will qualify?
    Qualifying vehicles will be posted to this web page. In general, vehicles with the potential of meeting the Enhanced AT PZEV requirement include plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hydrogen internal combustion engine (hydrogen ICE) vehicles. In order to be certified as an Enhanced AT PZEV, PHEVs and hydrogen ICE vehicles must:
    • Meet California's most stringent tailpipe emission standard
    • Have zero evaporative emissions
    • Have a 15 yr/150K mile warranty on the emissions system and;
    • Have a 10 yr/150K warranty on the zero emission energy storage system.
    Not all PHEV and hydrogen ICE vehicles will meet these requirements.
    http://arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/factsheets/clean_vehicle_incentives.pdf
    Please find any conversion shop that will extend their warranties to that extent. Drawing conclusions from uncertainties seems to be what you're doing.
    I'm showing you the law, in black and white. I'm asking you to show ONE site on the Internet where a plug-in conversion qualified for a green HOV sticker.
    This is becoming one of those threads trying to prove or disprove God exists. In other words, folly.
     
    mertechperformance likes this.
  14. acceleraptor

    acceleraptor Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2014
    228
    75
    0
    Location:
    Milpitas, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    For a guy who's such a good reader, you completely missed my point. Multiple times. I never made any conclusions.

    Read my actual words:
    You said:
    which I did not understand. When you said "I see nothing about a Plug in Hybrid conversion", do you mean a conversion TO a plug-in hybrid? If it was converted, how would you know it was to a plug in and not something else? Nothing about the picture seems to indicate that, if a conversion was done, what kind it might have been.

    Thank you. I didn't see this stated anywhere, hence my original speculation.

    Also, where does it state (successful) conversions would all be white decals? Nothing in the application or their literature seems to indicate what color conversions would get. Aren't there natural gas conversions?
     
  15. rogerv

    rogerv Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2008
    1,639
    317
    14
    Location:
    Simi Valley, California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Alternative fueled vehicles get the white stickers for natural gas, etc along with pure electrics.
     
    lensovet likes this.
  16. acceleraptor

    acceleraptor Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2014
    228
    75
    0
    Location:
    Milpitas, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Really? Huh. I would've expected natural gas to leave trace amounts of emissions.
     
  17. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,123
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    They do, but they're supposedly much cleaner burning than gasoline powered vehicles.

    And, from picking a random zip code in your city, How clean is the electricity I use? - Power Profiler | Clean Energy | US EPA says ~50% of the electricity in your (and my) region come from natural gas.

    How does electricity affect the environment? | Clean Energy | US EPA is also insightful.
     
    acceleraptor likes this.
  18. cproaudio

    cproaudio Speedlock Overrider

    Joined:
    Jul 7, 2010
    2,401
    758
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Not sure if this is fraudulent or not. The plate shows that it was bought in Nov 2013. Not sure if Accord PHEV was available back then or not. 20140207_171658.jpg
     
  19. acceleraptor

    acceleraptor Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2014
    228
    75
    0
    Location:
    Milpitas, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Eligible Vehicles - Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

    2014 Model Year Vehicles
    Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid TZEV* Plug-in Hybrid 2.0 EHNXV02.03H2 [​IMG]

    I believe 2014 year models are available for purchase by that point in time during the prior calendar year.
     
  20. DianneWhitmire

    DianneWhitmire High PRIUStess

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2007
    4,062
    1,123
    64
    Location:
    Laguna Niguel, CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    There was an Accord PHEV back then, yes. By the way, if you spot a Prius Persona Series with green HOV stickers, that's an old manager here. I have no idea were the heck he got HOV stickers but he may be the one you see in a white car running around with green stickers that isn't a plugin. Incidentally, look for the plug door. I have sold two dark gray PHEVs to folks in the entertainment industry who have replaced the lighter plastic chrome-look panels to dark gray to match their cars. FYI.
     
    PriusC_Commuter likes this.