rising cost of gas

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   I understand that as a driver in order to make use of HOV3 we need slugs. However I have noticed an increase in riders vs. drivers as gas costs rise.Everyone want's a free ride. Does the greater sluging community see a tip jar per se when gas prices increase this summer as they usually do?

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brad b Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 05 May 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote brad b Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: rising cost of gas Posted: 05 May 2005 at 1:19pm
	I understand that as a driver in order to make use of HOV3 we need slugs. However I have noticed an increase in riders vs. drivers as gas costs rise.Everyone want's a free ride. Does the greater sluging community see a tip jar per se when gas prices increase this summer as they usually do?

ronsray Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Jan 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote ronsray Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2005 at 1:44pm
	Shop around for gas prices !!! Try using this link. If you buy from the cheapest station, prices WILL come down at the others!! http://gaspricewatch.com/usgas_index.asp

carleric Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 22 Apr 2004 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote carleric Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2005 at 2:02pm
	What's odd, Brad, is that I've noticed the exact opposite where I am. I ride from Potomac Mills to Rosslyn, usually leaving at 7 AM and for the past few weeks there has been an unusually large number of cars waiting for people. I counted them yesterday morning and there were SEVENTEEN waiting for slugs.

VA4ver Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 09 Feb 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote VA4ver Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2005 at 2:12pm
	Has anyone thought that the more you drive around to find better gas prices, the more gas you waste? The nature of the slug system is compensation comes from the drivers' use of the slugs to access HOV.

getmehome pweeze Members Profile Find Members Posts Master Slug Joined: 18 Jun 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 501	Post Options Post Reply Quote getmehome pweeze Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2005 at 2:16pm
	No money to slug, drivers will be just as bad as the fools that support HOT lanes. :'}

sluDgE Members Profile Find Members Posts Master Slug Joined: 27 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 501	Post Options Post Reply Quote sluDgE Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2005 at 2:25pm
	Slugging started and has always been for the mutual benefit of both drivers and riders (slugs) with no exchange of funds. You might recall that folklore says slugging got its name from the "slug" coins that bus riders would not have to use to ride public transportation to/from work because auto drivers would offer them a free ride. [;)] We need to keep slugging as it is.[^] Sometime in the past, there was aother suggestion that slugs might pay a slight fee to drivers -- and a "message board lawyer" indicated this would likely be against the law for a non-public transportation operator (i.e. a driver picking up slugs) to collect money from people that he is offering a ride in competition to public transportation companies licensed to operate in Va. [}:)] Keep on sluggin'! [:)]

CallmeMrSlug Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote CallmeMrSlug Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 May 2005 at 3:24pm
	As a rider, it is easy for me to say it should always be free for the rider but I do appreciate that drivers are paying additional expenses as gas prices rise. I also have noticed more slugs from 610 going to DC. For most of the winter, I would arrive at 6:00-6:15 and there were only a few in the DC line. This morning, I got to the lot at 6:05 and there were twenty people in line! I did drive yesterday because of a doctor's appointment. From home to my office, it took almost 2 hours, and it took 1 hour and forty five minutes to come home (thanks mostly to a blissful, and highly unusual, ride between the HOV merge and Stafford). I usually make it to work in an hour and fifteen minutes from my home to the office. In other words, slugging saves at least an hour or more a day. If your time is valuable at all, the time savings handily pay for the gas increase. I do want to say that I do appreciate all those who drive for picking up the riders. I have only been slugging for 6 months or so, and almost all of my rides have been pleasant. Thank you drivers!!!

122582 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote 122582 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 May 2005 at 8:26am
	Brad, when prices hit $2.25 and up down south, I saw a big increase in the number of slugs. I recently suggested that if the HOV becomes HOT, that slugs pick up the tolls, and rapidly found out that the slugs want a free ride - period. A tip jar doesn't sound like a bad idea considering we leave a tip for a way too expensive cup of coffee at Starbucks, or give a $2.00 tip for a $12.00 haircut that takes 10 minutes. I've thought about that myself, but it just wouldn't fly. sluDgE's post about accepting money for a ride might be on track, but then how would formal carpools be legal?

uhura2 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 17 Nov 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote uhura2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 May 2005 at 8:41am
	quote: Originally posted by brad b [br]I understand that as a driver in order to make use of HOV3 we need slugs. However I have noticed an increase in riders vs. drivers as gas costs rise.Everyone want's a free ride. Does the greater sluging community see a tip jar per se when gas prices increase this summer as they usually do? I think that it would be illegal for $ to be given to the drivers...but, I could be wrong.

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: 06 May 2005 at 10:38am
	Although I would support "tipping" the driver; however, if slugs weren't available, then drivers would undoubtly spend a few dollars more in gas. I mean, as you can see, slugs are part of the solution to saving gas.