To my surprise, a search did not reveal this topic, besides Los Angeles city parking. So, here goes: The Cox Communications office in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA has special parking earmarked for hybrid vehicles. Sierra at Tahoe ski resort (South Lake Tahoe, CA) has preferred parking which costs $15 per day. If you have a hybrid vehicle you can use that lot free. This is a pretty big deal because if you are using general parking in the hinterlands, you might walk 1/4 mile or more uphill with your ski gear to get to the entrance. We've been taking advantage of preferred parking this week, parking the HiHy in that lot. Toyota has a new 4Runner and Highlander Hybrid on display at the entrance to that parking lot. What special parking have you enjoyed with your Prius (or other hybrid)?
A store in Montreal called "Mountain Equipment Coop" (outdoor gear and clothing) has a handful of parking spaces for hybrids. However, in general when I enter a parking lot I usually park right away in order to minimize the distance travelled in the car and get some legwork done. I don't spend time zigzagging among the lanes, looking for the parking spot closest to the store's door.
The LEED-certified Rakow Branch of the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin, IL has "Reserved parking for low-emitting and fuel efficient vehicles." You might be able to make out the signs in the photo below. Link to larger version of pic I don't mind having to park far from where I'm going. But this time I decided if I've got it (a hybrid), I might as well flaunt it.
I have not seen any special parking spots for Hybrids in our area. One of these days, I'll take advantage and I don't really mind whether it is located farther away from the front door of a store. We all need the exercise.
I tend to agree that special spaces for hybrids is too much. As it is there are a ton of handicapped spaces in front of most places now. It seems like 50% of the time those are occupied illegally by asshats who are too important to park with everyone else and just park in the handicapped stalls w/o plates or placards. I find it irritating that the local police do not regularly cite those cars when they are cruising the coffee shops constantly. I was a police officer for a long time and when I was driving through a shopping center and saw one of those violations, I wrote it so long as I had the 30 seconds it took. Sorry, that was a pet peeve.
Walsh College in Troy MI, where I graduated from a year ago, has hybrid parking spaces. At the time I was attending Walsh, I did not have my Prius. The spots were always filled with non-hybrids and it was not enforced at all.
The local KFC/Taco Bell has a couple of spots reserved for hybrids. I wasn't aware most Ford SUVs were hybrids, because that's what's usually parked there.
