Continued awful trips on HOV

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   Acording to news reports over the last several months, there were several thousand hybrids bought in the DC metro area over the last 12 months alone.  The most popular reasons given for purchase: HOV exemption and environment.  I'd estimate about 5-10% of the cars I see in the HOV-3 during HOV hours are hybrids, almost all with only 1 person in a car with 4 doors.  While Hybrids are not the only reason for the congestion, they are one cause that is very easy to fix - just get rid of their exception status.

	Like Connie said, I bought a house in Stafford because of the "affordable" price and the fact that slugging the HOV allowed me to get to work in less than an hour.

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Arbo Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 28 May 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Arbo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 1:03pm
	Acording to news reports over the last several months, there were several thousand hybrids bought in the DC metro area over the last 12 months alone. The most popular reasons given for purchase: HOV exemption and environment. I'd estimate about 5-10% of the cars I see in the HOV-3 during HOV hours are hybrids, almost all with only 1 person in a car with 4 doors. While Hybrids are not the only reason for the congestion, they are one cause that is very easy to fix - just get rid of their exception status. Like Connie said, I bought a house in Stafford because of the "affordable" price and the fact that slugging the HOV allowed me to get to work in less than an hour.

KCWolfPck Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote KCWolfPck Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 12:45pm
	I don't get it that people blame hybrids. Note: I do not drive a hybrid...I carpool. I used to drive myself in the single lanes. That got to be unbearable so I started carpooling. I'm sure there are MANY others like myself who just couldn't take the drive anymore and started finding ways to use the HOV. Now....out of the thousands of cars that use the HOV...how many do you think are hybrids??? I'd guess 100-200 at the MOST are in the lanes at any given time and I think that's a high estimate. That is a small fraction of the cars. Think back several months. Adding 200 cars to the HOV lanes would be inconsequential. It might mean that you woulda had to pass an extra car or two...but whoopie. These backups that go from the beltway to 14th street are not caused by just 200 cars I promise you. Sure...they don't help the situation...but they certainly don't cause them. The straight fact is that more people are on the HOV. It is cause by more people moving south, former single drivers that finally started carpooling or slugging, and hybrids. In my opinion.....I think the hybrid is the least significant of the 3.

3ForHOV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote 3ForHOV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 12:33pm
	quote: Originally posted by KCWolfPck [br]Well....more and more people are moving down south. This is leading to more and more people carpooling. Thus more and more people in the HOV. It's not just hybrids....it is just more people moving into the area....PERIOD! I just read a study that said at the current population growth rate, that 5 minutes would be added to our commute every four months for the next 3 years. So if you think it's bad now....just wait. It's only going to get worse. It has steadily been deteriorating over the last decade. It seems like right after Hurricane Isabel, traffic has been horrific day and night!!! It's even worse when it's drizzling rain!!! I can't see blaming the traffic doubling over the last month and half on people moving down south. Most have to get the feel of the area and get settled first before finding the commuter lots, directions, etc. I see way more Hybrids than I see cheaters on my daily commute day and night.

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: 12 Nov 2003 at 12:20pm
	quote: Originally posted by Connie [br]The bottom line is that in the past month, the HOV lanes have become a nightmare commute.[:(!]I've heard several culprits - backups from early morning that drag on, downtown flooding and yes, even Hybrids. I have certainly observed more CF license plates in the lanes and while some might argue they are not the problem, they WILL become the problem as more and more are purchased. While some want the exemption continued because they bought the Hybrid to take the HOV lanes and get to work faster, I could argue that I and others bought our homes where we did because we could carpool via the HOV lanes and get to work faster. Therefore, I too am interested in protecting my investment[:)]and I believe that everyone benefits when the HOV system addresses congestion as it was originally intended. I've read that some people are sending emails - to who? And about what specifically? Well said Connie. Hybrids are not only a "minor" part of the problem, they are a "major" part and will be as long as they're permitted to drive in the HOV lanes. HOV lanes are for multiple (3 or more) riders only, or that's what I am led to believe.

sancochojoe Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote sancochojoe Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 12:11pm
	Thats the same argument I had on another post. More People are moving South. PERIOD!!! And not one person that complains about hybrids want to admit or recognize thats the case. Look around, all those new homes being built at an incredible rate. You don't think they are commuting. The slug line at 610 between 5 and 5:30 will have almost 20 people waiting. That was unheard of several months ago.

KCWolfPck Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote KCWolfPck Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 12:01pm
	Well....more and more people are moving down south. This is leading to more and more people carpooling. Thus more and more people in the HOV. It's not just hybrids....it is just more people moving into the area....PERIOD! I just read a study that said at the current population growth rate, that 5 minutes would be added to our commute every four months for the next 3 years. So if you think it's bad now....just wait. It's only going to get worse. It has steadily been deteriorating over the last decade.

MDC Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MDC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 11:44am
	I left Potomac Mills around 7:30 this morning, and got to Rosslyn at 8:30. The slow traffic was from Lorton, to Glebe, then normal from there on. Not even a backup on Washington Blvd. There was not an accident, or any unusual distraction at any point. The traffic reports on the radio didn't report anything other than the slow traffic. I didn't count, but I saw about a dozen different "CF" plates during the trip including the one that mocks "HOV". All I can say is that a year ago, this didn't happen. The only thing that's changed since then is the number of vehicles with excemptions to HOV has more than doubled.

3ForHOV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 27 Mar 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote 3ForHOV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 11:32am
	"I have certainly observed more CF license plates in the lanes and while some might argue they are not the problem, they WILL become the problem as more and more are purchased. While some want the exemption continued because they bought the Hybrid to take the HOV lanes and get to work faster, I could argue that I and others bought our homes where we did because we could carpool via the HOV lanes and get to work faster. Therefore, I too am interested in protecting my investment and I believe that everyone benefits when the HOV system addresses congestion as it was originally intended." This has got to be the best comeback to the single rider hybrid owners I've read. Because of the HOV lanes, this is why we bought a house in Woodbridge. I'll be damned if I have to get up any earlier just to get to work. The HOV lanes are a big quality of life issue for me. Unfortunately, no one has a solution -- not even the politicians. For instance, when Toddy Puller was asked if she knew of a way to ease congestion, her reply was, "I don't know." At least she was honest about it!!!

Connie Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Connie Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 10:49am
	The bottom line is that in the past month, the HOV lanes have become a nightmare commute.[:(!]I've heard several culprits - backups from early morning that drag on, downtown flooding and yes, even Hybrids. I have certainly observed more CF license plates in the lanes and while some might argue they are not the problem, they WILL become the problem as more and more are purchased. While some want the exemption continued because they bought the Hybrid to take the HOV lanes and get to work faster, I could argue that I and others bought our homes where we did because we could carpool via the HOV lanes and get to work faster. Therefore, I too am interested in protecting my investment[:)]and I believe that everyone benefits when the HOV system addresses congestion as it was originally intended. I've read that some people are sending emails - to who? And about what specifically?

mroyal Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote mroyal Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Nov 2003 at 10:41am
	I agree with you Bob. There are many contributing factors to days when the traffic is snarled and hybrids are still a relatively minor factor. A lot of times, the problem that caused the backup is cleared long before we get to the scene. Any hickup can cause a massive slow down regardless of which lane it occurs in. I don't see any miracle solution to that, unless you can teach people to drive and not rubberneck. Kindest Regards, mroyal