I don't get the argument... Hybrid cars can also take more than one person (the driver).

Hybrid with 2 persons pollutes less than Normal Civic with 2 persons. Period. End of story.

I don't know about you guys, but if I had had the convenience to carpool commute to work, I wouldn't have spent over 26k for a civic hybrid. Which means, I still drive either a non "green" car, or a hybrid to commute to work. In this case, it helps the air pollution if I drive the hybrid, and therefore I am rewarded with carpool access.

If I have been carpooling all my life with a non hybrid car, I am not going to stop carpooling just because I have a hybrid with HOV sticker. The reason is simple, "because Gasoline price in California has gone over $3 for a while! It saves to share gas money"

If I haven't been able to carpool, changing to a hybrid does help air pollution and reduce maybe 1/100000000000 global warming effect. But it does help.

 

Wow... somebody ate their wheaties this morning . The argument isn't about a Hybrid not being able to carry more than one person. The argument is if a hybrid with a single driver should be allowed in an HOV lane... my answer is no. I am in favor of all cars in the HOV carrying more than 1 passenger. A hybrid with 2 people in it pays huge dividends.

 

In this case, Motorcycle bikers shouldn't get on HOV lane as well? Basically, the fact is, whether you like it or not, selected hybrid with carpool sticker can get on HOV lanes.

If you feel like you need to be more convinced, HOV lane now serves two purposes: (1) reduce traffic (2) reduce air pollution. When the HOV lane was first designed, I believe it mostly served the purpose to reduce traffic; there wasn't any hybrid around, and people probably didn't foresee how technology could achieve. But with Hybrid technology and the awareness about the whole global warming threat, Governor Arnold tried to encourage drivers to go Hybrid by providing carpool access. It is very common that one development/design has evolved to serve multiple purposes.

I think taking things too literally actually limit the possibility for the greater good. For instance, computer was design to compute, but now it has been developed to be office processor, entertainment and media center, and gaming console, etc. So as an analogy, you probably would not agree to use a computer to watch movies because it was named to "compute data", not a video player.

At last but not least, there are some traffic diverted from highway lanes to HOV lanes. Regular driver who suffer daily highway traffic should also be benefited theoretically.

 

Motorcycle's were originally allowed in because the vast majority were / are air-cooled, and could break down under prolonged hot idling.

 

I guess you forgot to eat your wheaties today.

Your comparison to computers lost me... everything else is fine, I just don't agree with it and glad that's gone.

 

HELP!

I didn't pay any attention to this stuff because I've been living in Dallas with plans to move to DC... but I'm moving back to Los Angeles tomorrow, and I'm not at all caught up with the HOV sticker cancellation. My understanding is that they've distributed the allowable ammount-- some 62,000 or something like that, and now I'm going to be out of luck if I try to get some for my HCH I. Can anyone summarize what all is up with the program as of April 21, 2007?

If anyone knows how I might obtain said stickers, please let me know.

 

They should issue stickers for the next generation of Green cars that are even more green, yet likely to be cost ineffective initially.

If they issue more stickers for just Hybrids, that's fine too.

The "limited" stickers along with tax breaks (that will also end) have done their jobs to jumpstart or create momentum for Hybrid cars. Seems like every other car in San Francisco is a Prius now which is a great thing and most of them don't have stickers (never leave the city?).

I'd never have gotten a Hybrid w/o the sticker but happy to have one now. When my sticker expires, I'd likely get another Hybrid anyways. I must admit I am more green now based on awareness. I had 4 friends purchased Hybrids based on my (and others) doing so even though they don't go near a commute/HOV lane. I even have a 400hp BMW sitting in my driveway that I don't use on weekends because the Hybrid Civic is a really, really good car.

 

I spent 5 weeks this winter in the Palm Springs area and noticed retired people with these stickers on the right lower rear fender. They may go to L.A. once a yr., what a waste. No wonder they don't have enouph to go around!

 

Does anyone have answers for these few HOV questions?

1. Will any more HOV stickers be issued in the near future?

2. If they do issue more stickers, will they be handed only to the 08 models or can we with the 07 models apply for these stickers?

3. Can we use the HOV stickers, issued in Arizona ( for a CNG, I am looking into)?

Madhu

 

The sticker "quantity" under discussion only applies to hybrids. CNG cars - which also require a special sticker to permit solo drivers to use the Calif. HOV lane -- still can get that particular, different colored sticker as there are no quantity restrictions for CNG cars.

As to your first two questions, chances are "no."