Question for Hybrid drivers on HOV

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   Not all of us though "ditched" our normal car to get on HOV.  I can't tell you how many people I work with, have no "HOV" reason to purchase a Hybrid, yet are.  Specifically, I work for a small software development firm with 65 employees that live in NoVA, DC, or MD.  Of the 65, TEN have purchased hybrids in the past 2 years ... and only ONE of the ten bought with the HOV lane access as the driving factor (that ONE was me).  The other nine bought for the gas mileage or environmental reasons.  

	Like you, I also like the gas mileage benefit.  However, for me, if the HOV exemption were eliminated I would most likely have to quit my job.  There's NO WAY, even with slugging, I could commute from Quantico to Reston.  

	ScarletLSG

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ScarletLSG Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 27 May 2004 Location: HI Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote ScarletLSG Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jun 2004 at 4:19pm
	Not all of us though "ditched" our normal car to get on HOV. I can't tell you how many people I work with, have no "HOV" reason to purchase a Hybrid, yet are. Specifically, I work for a small software development firm with 65 employees that live in NoVA, DC, or MD. Of the 65, TEN have purchased hybrids in the past 2 years ... and only ONE of the ten bought with the HOV lane access as the driving factor (that ONE was me). The other nine bought for the gas mileage or environmental reasons. Like you, I also like the gas mileage benefit. However, for me, if the HOV exemption were eliminated I would most likely have to quit my job. There's NO WAY, even with slugging, I could commute from Quantico to Reston. ScarletLSG

glacier Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 11 Dec 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote glacier Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jun 2004 at 1:19pm
	Max, Nice one! Cheers, Glacier

Max_28756 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Location: Va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Max_28756 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Jun 2004 at 12:37pm
	The new name for the HOV will be Hybrid Only Vehicles.

Stuck2 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Stuck2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 2004 at 3:36pm
	Probably in the lawmakers typical short sightedness they weren't thinking that everyone would ditch their normal cars to purchase a fairly small, fairly expensive car just to get on HOV. It was an incentive to get people to purchase more hybrid fuel cars in an attempt to clean up air?? I don't know. I see no reason why the exemption couldn't end (I'm a hybrid owner). I'm also willing to see it end even if it takes out my "free" ride (I travel with two). I like the car now for the gas savings!

Rosebud Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rosebud Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 2004 at 3:28pm
	Can't see it happening that they extend the law. By then the HOV will be predominately all hybrids. What have they solved?

Stuck2 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Stuck2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 2004 at 3:11pm
	The exemption is conditional and if there is such an influx of hybrids on the HOV that the HOV lanes shut down, the exemption could be taken away before then (if the lawmakers, etc. want to actually do work). Yes, it automatically ends in 2006 and there's always the chance it could be extended, but I really don't think it will unless the lawmakers are in the car maker's pocket.

Stuck2 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Stuck2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 2004 at 12:20pm
	I think a quarter is an exaggeration. But the number has increased dramatically over the past year. Hybrid owners will loose their exemption once there's a hybrid SUV on the market -- NBC4 said last night Ford will have one available by end of summer for about $27-28,000.

vabigblue Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote vabigblue Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 2004 at 11:02am
	As emancilla says, some do take or have more than one person and that's a plus. There are a lot of Hybrids driving around on the HOV lanes. A quarter of the vehicle there are probably Hybrids.

emancilla Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote emancilla Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 2004 at 8:52am
	To be fair with people who drive hybrids, some of them take more than one person. Again, HOV lanes were created to decreased the amount of cars in the highway. Hybrids defeat the purpose if they're occupied by one person.

Rosebud Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rosebud Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jun 2004 at 8:36am
	When I drive in each morning I like to get a sense of how many hybrids are in the HOV. Maybe its my imagination, but it seems like they are as abundant as ciccadas. Someone should do a study to see what percentage of HOV cars are hybrids. I can understand why people buy them, no one really like strangers in their car. They should have to take at least one other person... in my opinion.