Solo hybrid drivers lose yellow-sticker car-pool lane access

Los Angeles Times ^ | July 1, 2011 | Abby Sewell

[americanophile]

Sorry, Prius owners. Starting Friday, your yellow sticker no longer works in California's car pool lanes while driving solo. The car pool privileges, originally allowed as an incentive for people to buy low-emission vehicles, have expired.

The change affects 85,000 hybrid car owners -- about a third of them in Los Angeles.

Bruce Yonemoto, 60, a professor of studio art at UC Irvine who commutes from downtown Los Angeles several times a week, said he often saves more than an hour during choked traffic because the yellow sticker on the rear bumper of his Prius gave him the right to speed by in the diamond lane while other drivers idled.

"I get sad looking at the other lanes now," Yonemoto said. To avoid sitting in rush-hour traffic, he said he'll start waiting until 7 p.m. to leave campus.

Hybrid drivers will undoubtedly feel the difference when they are shunted into regular traffic lanes, but experts said the change in traffic will barely register for other commuters.

"To have a measurable impact on traffic, you really need to talk about significant changes in volume or demand, and this isn't big enough to really create any significant change one way or the other to either the HOV lanes or the general purpose lanes," said Marco Ruano, chief of freeway operations for Caltrans District 7, which includes Los Angeles.

[USMCPOP]

“Batteries not included” Ha, ha.

[USMCPOP]

Want to see scary commuting on a motorcycle in traffic? Look no further:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XihQeZpwqpE

[EDINVA]

Something kind of cruel about putting out an incentive to buy a $40K car, then removing the incentive.

[BobL]

“Minorities hit hardest....”

Actually it’s Majorities Hardest Hit...minorities have better things to do with their money than throw it down the Hybrid Hole.

[Publius6961]

Ahahaha, now you're stuck with the rest of us in traffic, except that you paid a premium to drive a no-frills eco-car.

Laugh it up fuzzball...

How does a class action suit by 85,000 prius owners against the State for breach of contract and misrepresentation sound to you?Guess who will pay for the legal expenses??

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

[BookmanTheJanitor]

"I get sad looking at the other lanes now," Yonemoto said. To avoid sitting in rush-hour traffic, he said he'll start waiting until 7 p.m. to leave campus.

Sheesh, Bruce...just carpool to work with a co-worker

[APatientMan]

Please tell me you copied and pasted.

[Publius6961]

Wait until the batteries are out of warranty and need replacing!
There will be tons of hybrids and electrics for sale, dirt cheap.

I doubt it.

Let me think.
I've been averaging between 45 and 50 mpg for eight years, both when gas was $1.85 and $3.85. Same set of batteries and going strong.

Why would I want to sell it?

If you believe the doofuses claiming that I'll have to pay 8k for new batteries, plus $20k when I trade it in (hazardous waste fee) for the ton's worth of batteries (ignorant, too) I got this windmill I want to sell you.

[Publius6961]

So.... wonder how long that battery lasts, while sitting IDLING with the AC on HIGH ?

Let me answer that this way...
I live in the San Joaquin Valley (up to 114 in the summer), commute to Sacramento County, have been in parking-lot stoppages a few times, and never had a problem.
Any more juvenile questions?

[Let's Roll]

Yes, but they got their ‘pious’ and boy do they feel superior.

[linn37]

The car pool privileges, originally allowed as an incentive for people to buy low-emission vehicles, have expired.

from the article.

[Publius6961]

I was surprised to read in Westways that a Pious’ battery can power the car for no more for a few hundred yards. Sooo, a Pious is not a real alternative vehicle to anybody but a liberal.

More like three miles on a level road like I5.
A regular car which runs out of gas will travel ZERO miles on the battery.

Your point?

[Publius6961]

Please tell me you copied and pasted.

For a patient man you surprise me.
What's "copied and pasted?"

[gitmo]

Shouldn't it be the other way around? The hybrids can idle in traffic for hours without wasting our precious gasoline. Build HOV lanes for the gas vehicles, since they get lower mpg, and save millions of gallons of gasoline.

[ltc8k6]

It’s hard to believe lane splitting is legal in some states like California, but it is.

[APatientMan]

All the ha’s. I instantly thought - copied and pasted (I hope...)

No real opinion about a car - If your driving it because it makes sense to you and not because “it’s the right thing to do for humanity’s sake” - so be it.

[APatientMan]

All the ha’s. I instantly thought - copied and pasted (I hope...)

No real opinion about a car - If you’re driving it because it makes sense to you and not because “it’s the right thing to do for humanity’s sake” - so be it.

(having a beer or two)

[CharlyFord]

WHAT??? What are you doing? Trying to put logic in the decision process. It's not about doing what would work. It's about doing what feels good and looking out for the 'brothers'.

I retired, moved, and haven't seen an HOV lain for over 15 years. I hope I never see one again. I'd rather walk a dirt road than drive in that environment again.

[terycarl]

More like three miles on a level road like I5. A regular car which runs out of gas will travel ZERO miles on the battery

you really can't be serious....the baTTERY IN A REGULAR CAR, TRUCK, LAWNMOWER, TRACTOR,(whoops) is meant to operate a starter which will enable an internal combustion engine to operate.....for a thousand or so miles....a real electric car (a golf cart) is designed to operate for a few thousand YARDS, and 4 or so hours with 2 people aboard.....stopping once for a potty and beer break, not exactly the way to go from Chicago to minneapolis...

[gitmo]

I remember my first encounter with an HOV lane. I was visiting Dallas, and saw this empty lane on the interstate, with a diamond overhead. I think it said “HOV”, too. I had no clue this lane was reserved for some privileged class. I drove in it. I eventually got pulled over. The cop told me I was driving in the HOV lane.

I told him I’d never heard of any such thing. I was from the Appalachians.

He gave me a break.