Feds Blame Hybrids for Clogging HOV Lanes

[Kadie]

Feds Blame Hybrids for Clogging HOV Lanes
Written by Elizabeth Bishop, Senior Internet News Producer

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The frustration with high gas prices turned many people to hybrid cars, not only to save money at the pump but to save time during rush hour. They applied for and received HOV exemption stickers for those cars. They look like golden keys glued to the bumpers that allow drivers to whiz by solo in the carpool lanes. The state issued 85,000 of them.

The data now shows carpool lanes are getting as backed up and congested as the regular lanes, and the federal government says hybrid vehicles are what's clogging them up. If hybrids don't get out, the federal government may pull its funding for California highways.

Tony Angulo of Elk Grove likes his Toyota Prius and proudly displays his HOV exemption sticker that allows him to drive in the carpool lane even when he's are riding solo.

snip...
But the Federal Highway Administration is not handling the traffic situation quite as well. It's found HOV lanes on Highway 99, Interstate 80, and Highway 50 are not moving as fast as it would like.

Federal authorities believe it might be a different story if California had not provided those exemption stickers to hybrids. So they sent a letter to Caltrans ordering to "take action to promptly bring the (carpool lanes) back to the required operational performance level."

more...
http://www.news10.net/display_story.aspx?storyid=31533

[MisterHowdy]

1. A small matter

Clogged lanes seem like a small price to pay
in order to reduce emissions and fuel consumption.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. Are they really saving that much?

As a MC rider, I get to use those lanes too, and would like to seem them less filled.

[AX10]

2. Why the hell doesn't the GD goverment blame...

SUV's for the nations high rate of oil consumption?

[David Zephyr]

3. Those lobbyists from GM, Ford & Chrysler have done well, haven't they?

This all comes from GM, Ford and Chrysler who've lobbied (bribed) to focus any negative attention on Toyota. What a crock of shit.

[susanna]

8. Are you freaking serious?

I'm dying here. That's just hilarious. Swear to...something.

On edit: I'm in Detroit; I have worked for 2/3 of the Big 3 and think this is just ridiculous. Sorry.

[Selatius]

4. Why doesn't the Fed simply propose revitalizing light rail infrastructure in intra-metro areas?

I hardly think it's a bad idea to reintroduce a modern equivalent of a street trolley on America's roads once again to reduce the number of cars on the roads.



Or even mass transit buses that look like trolleys:

[DKRC]

6. Why not designate more than one HOV lane as the hybrids multiply?

That would encourage more carpooling and gas saving vehicles.

[tired_old_fireman]

7. They should reverse it

They should force all heavy vehicles and single occupancy vehicles that get poor mileage to drive in the HOV lanes. Then, the carpoolers and vehicles that get good mileage could drive on the less cluttered freeways while the high polluters slogged their way home in their lane of shame.

[Kadie]

10. Welcome to DU tired_old_fireman!

I like your idea!

:hi:

[frazzled]

9. No carpool lanes here, but there are "express lanes" ...

in which anyone can drive (I'm talking the Dan Ryan and Kennedy expressways in Chicago). And they are just like the HOV lanes in California, which I've also driven: no telling when they will be more clogged than the regular lanes. Take a Ouija board with you and guess: then pray you've chosen the right lanes, because you ain't getting off soon.

Which is to say: this article is bullshit, blaming HOV lane crowding on hybrids. They're crowded because they're a single lane and there are a lot of people taking them. What percentage of vehicles are hybrids? I'd wager it's not more than 4%, tops.

[LeftyMom]

11. Hint to the federales: Every lane on the 99 is crowded

The highway system here wasn't built to accommodate the bedroom communities that farmland here seems to sprout like dead trees sprout mushrooms.

[Ezlivin]

12. Privatize all roads - it's the only solution

Well, that's what they'll tell us. It seems like every highway problem can be solved by making more toll roads or selling existing roads to private companies.

Soon we'll be told that the solution to the HOV problem is a "special" lane that can only be used by those who can afford the $100 per month access fee.