California Prius HOV lane sticker "gold rush"

Yeah I think you're missing something. The fact that every Prius owner has made a conscious effort to do the following: save gas, save the environment, and save money (on gas). While they're doing that...perhaps save time driving in traffic. That's where the HOV stickers come into play.

While I do agree with you about people that just get the stickers to have them and hardly if ever use them (I would bet there aren't that many of them), people that have to deal with L.A. highway traffic on a daily basis (like myself) feel that since it's offered they're sure as hell going to take advantage of them. They've earned it.

It seems that the majority of people in this country are such lemmings that they have to buy the massive SUVs that get very little gas mileage to feel important. I mean really...who needs a monster like a Suburban when there's no kids, no spouse, and no need?? I used to have an '93 Explorer (I still have it actually--haven't sold it yet) that I used for my daily commute. I took a long hard look and asked myself, "do you really need 4x4 drive?" I moved out of the cold weather about 7 years ago and thus the need for that was eliminated. So it was time to do what I could to sway the masses into realizing that the products that the Detroit automakers continue to create are out of touch with the good of the nation, the world, and more importantly to them--their customers.

I really do hope that the HOV lanes become choked with hybrids...perhaps this might send a message to those that need to be told that people that purchase hybrids aren't just buying them for the HOV sticker.

 

There's a new and frighteningly large cloud of HOV Sticker Smug forming over the LA metroplex.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(M. Oiseau @ Apr 3 2006, 01:53 PM) [snapback]234207[/snapback]</div>

Exactly what I was thinking!

I agree with OP that, ideally, a Prius owner should still carpool if possible. But, if not, and you travel the highways frequently, go ahead and take advantage of it. But to get the sticker "just because" (as my 8 year old would say) really misses the mark IMHO.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ellerjefe @ Apr 3 2006, 09:05 AM) [snapback]234169[/snapback]</div>

Yep. The cost. $8 is so low that there is no hesitation to buy it.

Raise it to $100 is my thinking. Or, better still, $1000 for a lifetime (provided one continues to own a qualifying car), and spend the collected money to add more HOV lanes. That seems just.

I do commute in the HOV lane, and would prefer to do so with fellow carpoolers, but that just hasn't worked out. But i'm not in the lane as much, as say, someone who works on a timecard. I bought the Prius as a statement, to save gas, to preserve clean air. The timing though was entirely related to certaintly in acquiring the sticker.

Really want to save gas? Here in CA, I suspect we change jobs a lot, and commute more as a result. Give people prop 13 tax portability, and folks just might move close to where they work.

 

Since I live on the Central Coast, 200mi away from both the Bay Area and the Los Angeles area, I'm not going to apply for HOV stickers. Certainly, they should go to those who will use them.

Even better, when I drive to/through these metro areas with diamond lanes, I'm not alone. They're family trips, so I've got two or three of us in the car.

I tend to agree with the OP that there isn't really an "entitlement" to HOV stickers just because we have Priuses. The state is giving us a perk for our wise choice, to encourage others to join us.

Flaunting an HOV sticker to "punish" those who haven't embraced the same energy values is even less reason to use the stickers!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ellerjefe @ Apr 3 2006, 09:53 AM) [snapback]234206[/snapback]</div>

The way I see it...people that purchase hybrid vehicles that get the required MPG have earned it. Why? Because I COULD have purchased a vehicle that gets 10 MPG with a weight that forces me to burn through a tank of gas in a few days or a week. Because of the fact that I DID buy a vehicle that gets well over 45 MPG and that I get to visit the pump every three weeks or so.

Your Hummer statement makes no sense to me. The Hummer gets zilch MPG-wise compared to the Prius. Now, your carpooling statement makes more sense...except for me it doesn't apply. So does that make me a bad person for wanting to save time in the HOV lane while I do my daily commute? Sorry I disagree.

Regarding motivation to buy...the person that buys a hybrid JUST to travel in the HOV lane is an idiot, IMO. I bought it based on the same reasoning that I use to purchase anything--research, personal experience (test drive), and input from others (friends, PC and other sites). The motivation to save (as I mentioned in my first post) was the biggest draw for me.

On a bit of a side note, I would think that the HOV stickers would be better used if there was more enforcement of the law. Before I got my stickers, I would count how many people passed me (sitting still) in the HOV lanes without the stickers and with only one person in the car. How much money could the state bring in if there was some sort of automated system (like red light runner cameras) in place? From the number of people I counted, $341 per offense could finacially save the state.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(p21usa @ Apr 3 2006, 11:03 AM) [snapback]234213[/snapback]</div>

I must be missing something. Are you guys saying it is bad to have the stickers, and never use them? Who gets hurt with that scenario? I have them, and yet I carpool in our EV or Prius about 99% of the times I'm in the HOV lane. Was I wrong to purchase the stickers? Is my action of having a real carpool AND the stickers a bad thing? If others are using the stickers so they can drive solo in the HOV lane, and I'm using them for window dressing... who's the bad guy?

You may be humored to know that I fought against the legislation that brought us these stickers...and then purchased them for myself the moment they were availble to me.

I too have reservations about the whole HOV access for hybrids thing - the access is supposed to be used as an incentive, not as a reward. And yet hybrids NEED no incentives as witnessed by my six-week wait to buy one! Let's add incentives to vehicles that use no fossil fuels....and get some momentum behind getting them built and on the roads.

Here's my little HOV sticker page that shouldn't say anything new.

Nomex suit on.

 

Those stickers are there for two purposes. The first is to encourage buying of hybrids. Those hybrids save gas and reduce air pollution whether they are in the carpool lanes or on city streets. The benefit, not to the buyer, but to ALL residents continues wherever it is driven. The buyer paid extra to own a hybrid, perhaps spurred by the HOC sticker (used or not), but all residents benefit. Think about who is really "entitled" here, and who is getting the "free ride"?

The second reason is due to the South Coast Air Quality Management District 's (AQMD) failure to meet federal clean air standards. Carpool lanes and the stickers are means to demonstrate "mitigation" in the face of failure to meet standards. This allows continued funding of clean air projects despite not meeting standards. Getting more clean air vehicles and carpoolers into carpool lanes serves this mitigation purpose.

No one can read minds of Prius owners and conclude there is a mindset of entitlement present. I think this tells more about the observer than the Prius owner.

 

If I could carpool, I seriously would. Unfortunately, I have one of those jobs where I never know what time I'll need to be in the office in the morning, nor do I know if I can leave at 6, on any given day. It would be really frustrating for those riding with me, and for me, if I did the carpool thing. Now that I have the stickers (since last week), I plan on taking full advantage of having those stickers, every day I work. I do agree with the notion that if you are not going to use them, don't get them. I've seen many posts from folks who don't want to put the stickers on because it will take away from the looks of the car. To me, these stickers are wasted. There are those out there who will never be able to get stickers because these folks have them, and are not using them. I also agree with the idea of carpooling, whenever possible. That truly is the point of the HOV lane. I know that whenever I can, I will. I only wish that could be every day.

 

I'm really tired of the Prius "smug", Hybrid "smug" labels, etc. All day long, I see SUV smug, Corvette smug, Porsche smug, BMW smug, jacked up Pick-up smug, slammed Honda smug, et. etc. Anybody who is proud of their purchase, for whatever reason, tends to be "smug" about their ride (for lack of a better term). They feel that their vehicle fulfills their need (or contrived need) better than anyother vehicle on the road. I'm glad I bought my Prius (the HOV sticker saves me 1 hour a day, 5 hours a week, 20 hours a month on my commute), it also gives me a solid 48 mpg with absolutely no sacrifice on my part. Smug, I guess I am, so what. Get over it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BellBoy @ Apr 3 2006, 01:13 PM) [snapback]234222[/snapback]</div>

The only reason I looked into and ended up purchasing my Prius was to save over 30 minutes of driving a day.

Idiot

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(San_Carlos_Jeff @ Apr 3 2006, 11:43 AM) [snapback]234265[/snapback]</div>

Well if you are completely serious about that statement, I guess that means you have money to burn so to speak.

I'm sure that with gas prices pushing $3/gal again that a lot of your fellow posters here wouldn't mind you subsidizing their monthly fuel bill.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BellBoy @ Apr 3 2006, 04:24 PM) [snapback]234311[/snapback]</div>

Not quite enough money to burn, but I'm fortunate to have enough to make this purchase and spend an extra 2.5 hours a week with my family instead of sitting in traffic. It wasn't a snap decision, but ultimately I decided that life is short and the time with my kids is priceless.

 

This is a non-issue. The state is likely to raise the number of available stickers if the lanes remain unclogged.

Nate

 

The HOV stickers are for zero pollution or very low polluting cars, and there are many, many models that meet the criteria (but they are considerably rare compared to the Prius).

The adoption of incentives is to help consumers justify buying a low emission vehicle. While we love our Prius, and would have bought it without the HOV stickers, we may not have bought it without another incentive ... the $3150 tax credit. Economically, without that tax credit, the savings on gasoline over a Matrix or other small car isn't enough to pay for the extra cost of the Prius. I do love blowing through the ramp metering light every day ... I used to routinely run the thing, risking the $371 ticket, but the Prius has made an honest man out of me.

For all of these incentives, the goal is to drive the demand for cars the government feels are a better choice for the environment and for our energy policy.

 

Well I live in the San Fernando Valley, and have to drive to Marina Del Rey 5-6 days a week....!!
I want my dang stickers....it's been 2+ months since they cashed my check

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(BellBoy @ Apr 3 2006, 02:24 PM) [snapback]234311[/snapback]</div>

Well Bellboy, I'm really starting to understand the South Park episode more every day. I am also a big idiot because the only reason I purchased a Prius is to drive in the HOV lane. Driving 120 miles a day in the car pool lane saves me over an hour of time five days a week. That is about 240 hours a year. My time is valuable. I also own a Hummer and a few track cars that get about 3mpg on race fuel at over $6 a gallon. I guess that makes me an even bigger idiot.