hybrids get them off HOV

quote:

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Originally posted by N_or_S_bound
[br]Ok, sure. let's do that NoSUV. Let's eliminate all POVs from the express lanes. I'm for that!

The ones it will impact the most are the SOV hybrids since they only like to ride by themselves (slugs have already shown a propensity to sharing the ride albeit a monetarily "free" one) AND eliminating POVs from the express lanes WON'T help balance the congestion between the main and express lanes like YOU state you want to do (somewhat an internal conflict in your position) AND hybrid owners will be forever indebted to politicos who made the ignoble move to devalue their "altruistic" motives justifying their purchase.

I wonder how the politicos would accept your "solution" once the HOV-participating community finally got engaged/interested in the future of their commute.


NoSb

SOV because you can, HOV because you care!

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NoSB: The politicos seem to be moving in exactly that direction - only they call it "tolls." POVs are eliminated, unless they pay a toll. Sponge used to report regularly that there's no good way to allow HOV to go for free, so the writing is on the wall that ALL POVs will pay. The step needed, and probably likely, is to allow buses to go for free - and if the bus fare was less than the toll, then although slugs now no longer have a free ride, they still pay less than POV if they take the bus. And hybrid owners can decide to pay a toll or get on the bus.

Hi slugs - long-time reader, first-time poster. I pay through the nose to live close to work - I detest long commutes. But, despite living six miles from work, it now takes me OVER a half hour to get to work. Why? Because of the HUGE back-ups at the Pentagon exit from the HOV lanes clogged with hybrids! Admittedly, I don't slug, but Metro riders feel the pain caused by hybrids as well as those who slug. Day after day, we sit idle in the HOV lanes while the regular lanes often whiz by on their way. Consequently, I will likely soon contribute to the crowding of the regular lanes, since taking mass transit just isn't worth it to me anymore. The moral of the story: GET THE HYBRIDS OUT OF THE HOV LANES!

Sorry tcm crew, for NoSUV's defensive ramblings. And welcome to the discussion forum. Valid opinions are always welcome (and preferred over defensive attacks). Many posters on this forum are well-informed and willing to engage in lively debate in order to broaden their perspective and those of others for the benefit of all. Some, however, persist in defending narrow POVs that do very little enlightening and serve the interests of few.

Looking forward to hearing more from you!

It's a good thing the hybrid owners aren't running the country.

ProNo: Let's see - I think the report said that over a quarter of a million people moved to NOVA over the past 5 years, and about that many are expect in the next 5. Do you suppose that influx of people (and cars) had an effect on your commute? Have you looked to your right lately? Has the commute improved for the regular lanes?

If you think about it seriously, you can see that hybrids or no hybrids, the commute is worse for everyone. Currently, the express lanes move at or above the speed limit the majority of the time; during the peak commuting hours, the regular lanes move at a crawl. Even if 25% of the people in the regular lanes joined the slugging system, traffic in the regular lanes would still crawl, but the express lanes would be clogged.

The solution is to make public transportation less costly than commuting. Since the majority of slugs ride for free, that presents a problem. The solution is to charge slugs - that's why the legislature is so keenly interested in converting to toll roads. Once it costs more to privately commute, regardless of informal car pools, then public transportation and the mess from the significant population increase can be addressed.

Where do hybrids fit it? Simply put, it makes no sense to anyone to have express lanes moving above the speed limit with relatively few cars while the regular lanes are so clogged. To get some of those cars out of the regular lanes, a discriminator needs to be used. Could be pick up trucks or SUVs, but our enlightened legislature decided to try to make a legacy impact on our environment and fuel consumption by promoting something "green." And it worked.