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Forum LockedQuestion for Hybrid drivers on HOV

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tdar20 View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Jul 2002
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tdar20 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2005 at 3:57pm
I bought a Hybrid Honda Civic a couple of years ago. Prior to that I car pooled, slugged and I drove and picked up folks. I bought the Hybrid to simply save time. By avoiding the slug lines I shaved off almost 20 minutes of my commute from rte 17 each day. That being said I kept the Hybrid for about 18 months and then sold it for a Toyota Highlander and started taking the train, thinking that it would be easier to use the VRE to get to Crystal City. After about a year of pulling my hair out on the train due to every day delays I am back to picking up sluggs in my new car....a nice BMW I am happy to say!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WM_DC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Feb 2005 at 7:13pm
I bought a hybrid almost 2 years ago. Before that did a number of things ...carpool, VRE, and the bus.

(1) Carpool experience - when I was a member of a carpool - When my carpool members came on time (70% of the time)... things worked great but sometimes 1 or both members would not show so then I would pick up slugs. Total commute - 1.5 to 1.75 hour each way when you consider the time waiting for carpool members or slugs.

(2) Train experience - I tried the train but my commute was over 2 hours each way (20 minute drive to the train station, then 1 hr 20 minute train ride, then metro for 20 minutes, and then walk to my office).

(3) Bus from Rt 17 - always on time in the morning but the commute usually took at least 1.5 total in the am since I was close to the last stop. In the evening - the commute home became 1 hour and 45 minutes since the bus has to make 2 stops at route 610. Also, National Coach buses could be anywhere from "on time" to an hour or more late. In addition, you never new which bus you would get. If it was a new bus - nice and clean and nice ride. But the older buses smell and some of the seats are broken. I have a fragile spine and could not tolerate the older buses or the stop/start driving.

I finally bought a hybrid for several reasons - (1) I am a working mother and I was spending over 3 hours (almost 4 hours) a day commuting. This was very difficult for me and my family. (2) Although my husband usually does bus duty in the morning, when he leaves town it is very difficult to coordinate getting children off to school and trying to make a carpool, the last bus north, or the train. Also, when they have doctor appts or get sick at school, I needed to be able to get home. (3) Also, my fragile spine could not take the "older buses" anymore.

If I see slugs at route 17 when I leave in the morning, I pick them up but usually by the time I leave, the slug line has diminished. And sometimes on the way home (at 6:30 pm) I loop through the Pentagon parking lot and pick up a slug to drop off at rt 610 or 17. So people who own hybrids are not all bad or selfish. Like everyone else, we are just trying to balance family life, our health, and help the environment.

PS - If we had a bus system "like OMNI Ride" that is clean, on time, had decent shocks and seats, and left at later hours so that mothers like me can get their kids off to school when needed .... I would go back to taking the bus.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bstebbs Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2005 at 11:46am
In response to your question about how I used to commute prior to owning a Hybrid. I used to pick up slugs. I live in Stafford and my wife worked in Georgetown and then Ballston. So, we'd pick up a slug, drop them off either at the Pentagon, Crystal City, or Rosslyn, and then I'd drop my wife off and complete my commute to Tysons Corner. That probably took an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half to complete this one-way commute. And then, we'd do the same thing on the way back.

My wife then stopped working so it was just myself and so to circumvent the commute, we bought a hybrid so that I could take HOV up to the beltway and then take the beltway around to Tysons Corner. This has saved 20-30 minutes off of my commute. Plus, I got a tax brake for purchasing the hybrid plus I've saved a ton of money in gas.

So, it was a no-brainer decision for me.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NoSUV Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Feb 2005 at 2:19pm
I bought my hybrid when living in another state. The job market brought me and 600K of my closest friends. I got the hybrid for the gas mileage = reduced reliance on the Middle East and better for the environment.

Hybrids aren't the whole problem - it's infantile to think so. Where do the hybrid drivers come from? If from regular lanes, then there should be easing of that congestion mess, and I certainly don't see it? If from slugs, then the commuter lots would have less cars, and I don't see that either. That leaves drivers who were picking up slugs before and now are not (possible) or just more people coming into the area commuting (probable). Clinton said "it's the economy, stupid." This is a case of "it's the increase in total numbers of commuters, stupid."

The way to lower the crunch has nothing to do with hybrid exemption, and everything to do with getting the total number of cars off the road. We should focus the great energy of this forum to get the legislature to pay us (and our bosses) to have us work from satellite offices.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dzthomp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2005 at 7:57pm
quote:
Originally posted by DC2RV
[br]Prior to driving your hybrids how did you commute? I'm just curious to know if previously, you were slug drivers, slug riders, carpoolers, metroriders, etc...

Thanks.



I have commuted from PW to Alex for over 20 years. I used 95, the "back roads" through Clifton and Burke and rode the VRE.
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dzthomp View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dzthomp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2005 at 7:57pm
quote:
Originally posted by DC2RV
[br]Prior to driving your hybrids how did you commute? I'm just curious to know if previously, you were slug drivers, slug riders, carpoolers, metroriders, etc...

Thanks.



I have commuted from PW to Alex for over 20 years. I used 95, the "back roads" through Clifton and Burke and rode the VRE.
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