Carpool Stickers New

You might want to sell them to these guys.


Got Stickers

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(solaris8888 @ Apr 28 2007, 08:05 AM) [snapback]431663[/snapback]</div>

Hmmm. Full disclosure would mean at least mentioning that they cannot legally be used on any other vehicle, however. Also be nice to hear how or why you have a "new set" if your car is totalled. Bad timing?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(solaris8888 @ Apr 28 2007, 04:34 PM) [snapback]431865[/snapback]</div>

Oh man, that REALLY sucks beyond words!

There is still that little issue that the HOV decals are non-transferrable, however.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(solaris8888 @ Apr 28 2007, 07:05 AM) [snapback]431663[/snapback]</div>

You might contact DMV and see if they will let you buy another Prius and put the stickers on them...
Given your special circumstances, they may let you legitimately re-register the stickers to a new car... especially if there is proof that the old car was totaled and the stickers were never applied (i.e., they are not out on the road somewhere right now...)

 

I'm a reporter for the LA Daily News writing a story about the value of carpool stickers. If any Prius owners with or without the sticker would like to voice their opinion on whether the stickers are really a time saver, and if their value (apparently $4,000) has made you think about selling your car, please call me at (818_ 713-3735 or email me at [email protected].
Thank you!
Julia Scott

 

Here's what I sent Julie.

Are the stickers a time saver?

Not for me. When I bought my car I was looking at transferring my work location to another school. (I am a teacher-librarian). I did not know what school I would be working at and applied for the stickers ($8) when I bought my car in April of 2005 as a hedge against an unknown future commute. Have I used them? I've had to commute to L.A. and up Hwy 15 a few times and have used the stickers then to drive in the HOV lanes. Yes, they did save some time. But on a regular basis there is no HOV lane in my daily commute to work. My most frequent use is being able to use the HOV onramps to get on the freeway.

Has their value (can raise used car price as much as $4,000) made me consider selling my car?

One of the reason I bought the HOV stickers when I purchased my car in April, 2005, was a consideration of resale value. Many on Priuschat felt the stickers were ugly and devalued the car. They also did not want to apply any sticker of any car to the paint on their new car. I felt the stickers would be in demand and raise the value of the car once all of the alloted stickers had been issued. Use of the HOV stickers has now been extended to Jan, 2011. The fact that the HOV stickers on my car raises it's value is certainly a consideration, however I would rather wait until a newly redesigned Prius has a Lithium Ion battery and/or a Plug In option before I trade my current car (with stickers) in for a new car. Even the sticker premium isn't enough to motivate me to replace my car before there is a significant design improvement in the Prius.

You really should do a brief history of the HOV lanes for your article.

HOV lanes were not designed to relieve congestion on the freeway. Nor were the HOV lanes designed to save gas supplies by encouraging carpooling. The original intent was to improve air quality by reducing the number of cars on the road. My Prius has roughly 20% of the emissions of a regular car. That is the equivalent of having four passengers with me every time I drive, not just when I am in an HOV lane. My Prius gets roughly double the mileage of an average car. So every time I drive it, it is the equivalent of having a passenger with me all of the time. It saves gas and it save air quality. So if your article is about how crowded the HOV lanes are I'd rather not be a part of it. I think offering a limited supply of HOV stickers to encourage people to buy hybrids is an excellent idea. In fact, I think more incentives should be offered to convince people to switch to more efficient, cleaner cars. Free parking at parking meters or reduced yearly car registration. I imagine when the majority of people are finally driving hybrids....I'll be in an electric car. No gas burned....no emissions. And powered by photovoltaic panels on my roof. It may not be a Prius, but it will probably be a Toyota.

 

Are these still for sale?