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PRIUS NOT ALLOWED IN HOV LANES IN CALIFORNIA?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by The Old Man, Jan 20, 2006.

  1. The Old Man

    The Old Man New Member

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    I received a letter this week from California DMV informing me that hybrid vehicles may not be able to use the HOV lanes in California anymore...if CalTrans opts to do it.

    Does anyone know what's going on here? Are we supposed to get a letter one day informing us that it's just not possible anymore to drive solo in the HOV lanes? We get ugly decals to place on our cars (several places, I might add) that may not completely come off so we can drive in HOV lanes until 2008...and now we're getting letters from CA DMV stating that it may be discontinued even before 2008! Upsetting.

    OK...need to go to the market and buy some ice cream! That'll make me feel better! Ha ha!
     
    #1 The Old Man, Jan 20, 2006
  2. Rancid13

    Rancid13 Cool Chick with a Black Prius

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    I heard something about CalTrans doing some sort of a review (I think they're at 40K hybrid HOV stickers right now?) to find out if allowing the specified hybrids to use the carpool lanes is having a negative impact on the flow of traffic, or something to that effect. I honestly don't think they'll find a problem though. At least, that's what I'm hoping. :blink:
     
    #2 Rancid13, Jan 20, 2006
  3. Rancid13

    Rancid13 Cool Chick with a Black Prius

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    Found an article thanks to Google News:

    Yellow light for hybrids

    By Lisa Mascaro, Staff Writer



    If you've been thinking about buying a hybrid car so you can drive solo in California's car-pool lanes, this might be just the time to seal the deal.

    Full Article Link
     
    #3 Rancid13, Jan 20, 2006
  4. San_Carlos_Jeff

    San_Carlos_Jeff Active Member

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    IIRC the law is written so that lanes can be retricted at any time. If it happens it probably wouldn't be all lanes state wide, it would affect certain lanes in congested regions. I just hope it doesn't happen....
     
    #4 San_Carlos_Jeff, Jan 20, 2006
  5. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    I haven't followed the HOV thing. Do the stickers stay with you, or with the car (when you sell it)? If they stay with you, can you pass them on to children in your will, or do they expire at some point?
     
    #5 Jack 06, Jan 20, 2006
  6. San_Carlos_Jeff

    San_Carlos_Jeff Active Member

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    I believe they stay with the car.
     
    #6 San_Carlos_Jeff, Jan 20, 2006
  7. robw95

    robw95 Junior Member

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    It's actually nothing new if you reveiw the original law. The plan was for the program to be reviewed at the 50,000 sticker threshhold and then reevaluate to
    see the effects. I just got my sticker this week and the number was 45,9xx so they are getting close to the eval point. The total limit was always set at 75,000. What I'm wondering is how long there are going to take to evaluate the program once it hits 50K.

    I'm not panicking, I don't see any clogging of the lanes at all from hybrids on my commute and I'm on some of the most congested freeways in SoCal.
     
    #7 robw95, Jan 20, 2006
  8. kpauley

    kpauley New Member

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    #8 kpauley, Jan 20, 2006
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