I can assure you that first responders take the badges very seriously. So much so that you could delay attempts to extract you or your passengers from an accident or a disabled vehicle for any other cause until they had assessed the "hybrid" claim on a vehicle that isn't supposed to have it, that they have not had training on, and that they have no knowledge of.

I don't want to get into the mud slinging here... just pointing out a very real ramification of false badges. IMHO, They have the same potential as removing badges from a real hybrid and both should not be taken lightly.

It is the ignorant among us that will eventually destroy us all.

Driving an HCH, I've had to explain myself a lot. I'm not a hippy, as I have been called jokingly on several occasions. I examined my driving habits and crunched the numbers and found I was a prime candidate for a small hybrid. That ultimately was a decision between the Prius and the HCH. I felt like the HCH was a better fit, and that's what I bought.

There are a lot of hybrid drivers who are driving hybrids for the same reason people drive SUVs...the hey lookieme syndrome. And of course, there are a lot of wannabes when it comes to most vehicles...Tauruses who are pretending to be SHOs, Civics who are pretending to be Si, 4x2s pretending to be 4x4s and so on. It was bound to happen...

Good job "error checking" my post without actually reading and examining context. I said we bought OUR hybrids, meaning my wife and I, who own a HAH and a HCH-II.

The leaf emblem the original poster is irked to see on some non-hybrid Fords denotes FFV -- a Flex Fuel Vehicle (eg. one that can run one normal gasoline and, say, ethanol.) It's just the leaf and road logo--it does not say HYBRID.

I find it comical that someone would actually put the emblem on a non-hybrid or non-FFV, so much so that I think our single-post-to-his-name diesel F350 driver is pulling everyone's leg. For one thing, the badging is so small I'd wager 99.9% of people don't see them anyway... only other hybrid drivers really notice them, because they're typically looking for "kin" on the roadways. I mean really, do you notice every Mustang GT vs. non-GT Mustang, or every Dodge HEMI vs. non-HEMI pickup?

- Shannon (Geeky, Wild Texan)

I doubt any emblem fools the fuel pump.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
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