Posted on 01/06/2005 8:20:11 PM PST by crushelits
A detailed study of carpool lanes on Interstate 95 found that the number of hybrids more than tripled between last spring and October. State transportation officials fear that the trend will continue as more hybrids enter the market and more commuters take advantage of the exemption allowing them to ride alone in such vehicles.
The findings reflect the sentiments of carpool-lane users, who have inundated state officials with complaints about increased delays and congestion over the past six months. Many blame hybrids.
"For every two cars, there's one hybrid," said Cora Seballos, who carpools daily from Springfield to the District. "Since September, usually the regular lanes have less traffic" than the carpool lanes. Seballos said she has to leave home a half-hour earlier because of the increased congestion.
On a Web site devoted to slugs, www.slug-lines.com, the people who form carpools at set spots so they can use high-occupancy vehicle lanes, the issue has dominated. The forum "Hybrids -- a threat to car pooling?" had drawn more than 11,550 readers as of yesterday afternoon; only a couple of other forums drew as many as 1,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I got a new Honda Hybrid, I love it. Sips the gas like a little old lady drinking a mint julip. Unlike the early Toyota Prius I test drove a couple of years ago, this car feels solid and has some pep. I've also got a Honda CRV for bad weather and freight hauling.
The bigger issue is single occupany drivers that flaunt the law. HOV is not being enforced.
Toll roads cause a drop in efficiency and an increase in gasoline consumption unless the tolls become so high that fewer people drive the road.
Why don't the Greens do something useful like protest against gasoline waste while creeping up to toll gates? Why don't the Greens market cleaner burning fuels? Why don't the Greens raise some money for bike path construction/paving rather than just crying to the government to do it?
Have you calculated your overall gas mileage? What is the greatest distance you've gone on electric? Would you mind telling what the actual dealer price was for the new car?
Anything else is a joke. A big part of the problem is that most highway money in Va. goes to Tidewater and Richmond and not to Northern Va. where all the traffic congestion is.
I'm not the poster, but I also have a Honda Civic Hybrid. Absolute blast to drive. 47 mpg in the summer, 42 mpg in the winter.
You never "use electric" solely, so you go 0 miles on just the batteries.
Only idiots could appreciate building an extra lane supposedly to reduce congestion and then complain when someone uses it.
Most of these "goobers" were lousy drivers when they were sixteen years of age. Now that they're sixty plus, they're intolerable.
No argument from me.
BobL you are right on. It is stupid to have this lane that is underused during rush hour (at least in my city) while cars are bumper to bumper in the other lanes. I will ignore the HOV rules from time to time when traffic is heavy. My taxes paid for that lane just like the others.
I just love my blow-up doll..........
Not a bad idea - treated it as toll lane. You put a wad of cash in a drawer, to pay for that future ticket (if they even catch you). If you do the math (counting your time as money), you'll probably come out way ahead before you're caught. It's certainly a better investment than speeding.
Yep, the police in my city rarely, if ever, patrol the HOV lanes. Heck, they won't even stop people from running down the shoulder of the interstate to pass up slow traffic.
"Since September, usually the regular lanes have less traffic"
Well, then, by golly, they better start ticketing car-poolers who use the regular lanes! They got their own lane, they can use it, damit!
This same problem has been going on at I-66 eastbound to the inner loop of the Beltway Beltway for many years. People who want to get off at Rt. 7 start moving over right away despite the fact that there is 1 1/2 miles to get over. Traffic backs up to Annandale Rd, Rt-236.
I've noticed that whenever HOV is lifted due to some problem on I-95, traffic on I-66 flows so smoothly. It's like night and day.
Now, the powers the be want to add HOV lanes to the Beltway. No doubt these lanes will be added to the leftmost lanes instead of the outer, or rightmost lanes.
Lets not forget the State Police who enforce the HOV laws while other traffic laws are neglected.
HOV lanes need to be decomissioned on I-66 outside the Beltway ASAP!
Time for a read of Thomas Sowell's "Vision of the Anointed".
I get about 45mpg. The instrument panel gives real-time and average gas consumption. You can modify your driving habits to increase your mileage, which is part of the fun of driving it. Also the electric motor has a lot of torque, so the car has good acceleration.
Paid 22k for it, with the extended warranty. Shopped around a little among Honda dealers and went to one in NJ. Not exactly an economy car but I get immense satisfaction knowing that the extra money I spent on fuel economy won't be going to those %^@&# arabs.
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