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ronsray View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ronsray Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: This is how to lift the Hybrid exemption !!
    Posted: 13 Jan 2005 at 10:04am
In the Washington Post Article as well as the VDOT Web Site it says that Governor Warner should lift the HOV exemption for Hybrids if Virginia is notified that it is in violation of Federal Statutes. It also states that Virginia WAS notified already that we are by the Federal Highway Administration. So doesn't the Governor have a legal responsibility to lift the exemption NOW ???

So what do we do ???

********** We need to find a Lawyer who wamts to make a name for himself & do some Pro-Bono work. Then we need to get together & sue Virginia to enforce the law and lift the exemption NOW ********

Any attorneys out there want to Volunteer ?????

We also all need to go to the Governors Website and ask him to obey the Federal Statute & lift the exemption immediately.

http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Contact/email_form.html

This is from the VDOT website-------http://www.virginiadot.org/comtravel/hov-rulesfaq.asp


quote----

What happens on July 1, 2006 when the hybrid vehicle rule expires?

There is no guarantee that HOV exemptions for inherently low-emission vehicles or hybrids will continue. Exemptions to rules pertaining to travel on HOV lanes are being scrutinized, and as more ILEVs and hybrids enter the HOV lanes, there becomes an increased need to examine their exempt status.

The HOV Task Force Report released in August made this recommendation: "Do not extend the exemption for vehicles with clean special fuel license plates set to expire on July 1, 2006." The Federal Highway Administration has advised Virginia that its exemption for hybrid vehicles is in violation of current Federal statute, but Congress is considering legislation that would permit states to allow hybrid vehicles to use HOV lanes. There may have more information soon as various hybrid/HOV bills wind their way through Congress

unquote


If it's illegal NOW, why can't it be stopped NOW.







Ron
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SpongeBob View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SpongeBob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2005 at 12:06pm
The Sponge has consistently been opposed to Smugs driving their High-Breds right alongside space-and-time-conserving HOVer's. However, fair's fair: they spent the money on the car after the state told them they could use it to drive in the HOV lanes solo wearing a special license plate.

The buyers were told (I presume) that the exemption expires on 7-1-06. It's not fair to the Smugs to break that agreement.

However, that does not mean the state needs to issue any NEW clean fuel plates, does it? Why not let the current high-bred owners continue to be Smugs until 7-06, but not let new purchasers of high-breds onto the lanes? One could issue CF plates to all high-breds delivered before March 31, 2005, but none after that date -- regular VA tags only. The only people who would have to be told about the change are the Honda and Toyota dealers and VDOT officials.

OK, what would happen? The Ford and other dealers who are getting ready to debut their high-bred SUV's and pick-ups this summer will scream bloody murder and the state will back down. But it's worth a shot, no?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wagonman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2005 at 3:18pm
quote:
Originally posted by SpongeBob
[br]The Sponge has consistently been opposed to Smugs driving their High-Breds right alongside space-and-time-conserving HOVer's. However, fair's fair: they spent the money on the car after the state told them they could use it to drive in the HOV lanes solo wearing a special license plate.

The buyers were told (I presume) that the exemption expires on 7-1-06. It's not fair to the Smugs to break that agreement.


Well, instead of chaning the law they could just start interpreting the law correctly. That would get hybrids out of the HOVs. As per the law:

As used in this section, "clean special fuel" means any product or energy source used to propel a highway vehicle, the use of which, compared to conventional gasoline or reformulated gasoline, results in lower emissions of oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide or particulates or any combination thereof. The term includes compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, hythane (a combination of compressed natural gas and hydrogen), and electricity.

How can a car that runs on conventional gasoline or reformulated gasoline(as hybrids do) be cleaner than itself? Hybrid owners will argue that it uses electricity too, but do you plug it in at night? No. When it runs out of fuel you go to a gas station. The electricity it uses is converted energy that came from the gasoline you fueled up with. The way they are interpretting the law any car should get clean fuel plates. Most cars use electricity to provide a spark to propel them. Give them clean fuel plates too! They also ignored the "lower emissions" part since we know the Honda hybrids are dirtier than other conventional cars.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SpongeBob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2005 at 4:55pm
Agreed, agreed, WagonMan. They ain't as clean as they claim.

But the owners aren't at fault for buying hybrids, and the dealers aren't wrong for trying to sell them. And the committee or commission that recommended free HOV use as a sales incentive was only trying to help the environment.

OK, so it worked too well. I hold it ain't fair to tell a man one thing and then change it before you said you would. My solution above solves at least some of the immediate congestion problem and strikes me as fair. Anyone got a better idea?

(And what worries me is, if they stop the exception immediately, the papers will be full of sad stories about people who "did the right thing" and bought a hybrid, only to (surprise surprise!!) lose the best benefit of all 18 months early because of whining, greedy carpool jerks.)
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Road Warrior View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Road Warrior Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2005 at 5:47pm
quote:
Originally posted by SpongeBob
[br]Snip...
Anyone got a better idea?
Snip


How about beginning the HOV hours 30 minutes earlier on each end so that they begin at 5:30am in the morning and 3:00pm in the afternoon?

While some of the congestion is a direct result of the number of hybrids now using the HOV, the other problem are the non-carpooling drivers who jump on at 5:45am or 3:15pm knowing that they cannot make it to the end of the HOV within 15 minutes but do so anyway, thereby causing needless backups for those of us who are HOV compliant.

Northbound drivers cannot exit until they get to Springfield and even then some of them do not exit because they know there is better than even chance that there is no State Trooper in the HOV lanes inside the Beltway. And I won't even begin to talk about the Southbound lanes in the afternoon.

Just suffice to say that this is a thought on another way to provide some modicum of relief.


John
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ScarletLSG Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jan 2005 at 9:18pm
Just two more months ... that's all this "smug" asks for!!!

ScarletLSG

quote:
Originally posted by SpongeBob
[br]Agreed, agreed, WagonMan. They ain't as clean as they claim.

But the owners aren't at fault for buying hybrids, and the dealers aren't wrong for trying to sell them. And the committee or commission that recommended free HOV use as a sales incentive was only trying to help the environment.

OK, so it worked too well. I hold it ain't fair to tell a man one thing and then change it before you said you would. My solution above solves at least some of the immediate congestion problem and strikes me as fair. Anyone got a better idea?

(And what worries me is, if they stop the exception immediately, the papers will be full of sad stories about people who "did the right thing" and bought a hybrid, only to (surprise surprise!!) lose the best benefit of all 18 months early because of whining, greedy carpool jerks.)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JiggaJynx Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2005 at 8:38am
quote:
Originally posted by Road Warrior
While some of the congestion is a direct result of the number of hybrids now using the HOV, the other problem are the non-carpooling drivers who jump on at 5:45am or 3:15pm knowing that they cannot make it to the end of the HOV within 15 minutes but do so anyway, thereby causing needless backups for those of us who are HOV compliant.
John



Fifteen whole minutes? When I get to Horner around 6 am, I nearly get flattened as I cross to the slug lines by all the reckless solo drivers screaming through the lot to get onto the HOV ramp. It has been extremely gratifying, though, to see the Staties at the Horner exit this week in the afternoons. Hope they mix it up and go to other exits just to keep things exciting. I hear the Occoquan exit could use some violator busting.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NoSUV Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2005 at 10:02am
Originally posted by RobertLangDirect
[br]Did my part and sent the gov an e-mail.

Make HOV-3 -- REALLY THREE and remember too -- KEEP IT FREE.

Did my part as well asking for it to be extended. Hybrids in regular lanes unlikely to improve the OVERALL commute. Those in the regular lanes don't need more cars in there!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ronin718 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Jan 2005 at 11:05am
Ahhhh, but hybrids will get better mileage in the regular lanes than in the HOV lane because they get better mileage under city-type driving (stop-n-go, slower speeds) than highway. There's the irony and the hyprocrisy. Hybrid drivers are saying they're buying their cars to get better mileage, yet they use them in the mode that gets the worst mileage for their car. If they really want to get better mileage, drive them at the slower speeds in the regular lanes.

Come on, NoSUV, admit it. It has nothing to do with the environment. It's really for the "me-first, I can get there faster, drive in the HOV lane" advantage.
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ronsray View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ronsray Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Jan 2005 at 9:05pm
Have you done your part & emailed the Governor Yet ???[:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][?]
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