I just heard today that the Boston city council is going to vote on whether or not to allow free meter parking and reduced parking rates at city garages for hybrids. Although they would have never EVER considered this, even if hell froze over, (maybe it did and I haven't heard yet), if the mayor hadn't just bought a FEH.......and also being an election year... I can see it now, everyone scrambling to buy stolen hybrid logo's to glue onto their cars.....Imagine seeing a chevy subdivision with an HSD tag or a hummer for that matter.....lol...

I'm in Boston quite a bit so it would be very convenient for me. They'll probably have a 2 hr limit though and maybe require you to get a special sticker for the back window or something to that effect.

I have seen the other Boston mayoral candidate driving around with her Escape Hybrid (I work in her neighborhood) - she certainly isn't worried about mileage the way she drives.

Anyway, free or discounted parking for Hybrids is really going to p*ss off some people. Knowing Bostonians the way I do, I wouldn't park my car in one of those free or discounted spaces - my invite a keying.....

I hear you Ray, sadly, that's what will probably happen. Or maybe worse, a couple of broken windows or slashed tire. I was thinking that the spaces may not be designated hybrid only, so you wouldn't actually be wasting a space, just not paying, almost like an out of order meter (1hr max). Knowing boston, the rules will probably require a graduate law degree to decipher

That would be great here in Jacksonville, FL. Especially since I work downtown!

I think a special sticker in the window should do the trick. Then, any parking meter = free for vehicles with the sticker. That way we hybrid owners are a lot less likely to end up the victim of a keying.

Free parking in Boston? Now there's a trip! Those of us who live in NYC know how precious that is! There are many groups here who clamor for a street parking placard .. there are many classes of them, usually given out to police and fire employees, dept. of education employees, etc. And the accredited press is even entitled to special license plates and parking, too. About 5500 vehicles throughout NY State have those.
Go for it, Boston.