On NBC they just talked about the fact that Los Angeles is considering free parking (at meters) for hybrids. They showed the Prius and the Honda. Also, said that LA has a fleet of Prii and despite the raise in gas prices they have saved money this year.
Free parking for hybrids proposed - LA Times (registration required) Hahn says his plan to allow gas-electric vehicles to use metered spaces at no cost would help improve the city's air quality. Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn wants to free hybrid vehicle drivers from fear of the city's parking enforcement officers by allowing hybrids to park at meters at no cost. "I think we want to do whatever we can to improve air quality in Los Angeles," said the mayor, adding that he hopes the plan encourages motorists to turn to hybrids. "I think it will be fun. People will realize they won't have to fish around for those quarters," he said.
L.A. Rolls Out Campaign for Hybrids L.A. Rolls Out Campaign for Hybrids - LA Times (registration required) When Councilman Eric Garcetti appeared at a Hollywood hot dog shop Friday to announce a proposal to exempt hybrid vehicles from city parking meters, he may have gotten a bit ahead of himself. As the press conference came to a close, his fiancee's 2004 Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle sat nearby in front of an expired parking meter. A bike-riding parking enforcement officer saw it and began to write a ticket. An aide to Mayor James K. Hahn, the proposal's co-author, quickly explained the new proposal to an officer. If approved by the City Council, the aide explained, in September hybrid vehicle owners would no longer have to plunk their pocket change in city meters. The officer had a ready response: It's not September yet. The aide plunked a quarter in the meter, and the officer backed down. So began the city's campaign to promote the environmentally friendly hybrid vehicles, which use a mixture of gas and electricity.
I love it. Only self -serving politicans here! Yes, I live here too... How about for Orange County- grin... Cathy
Some of the enterprising readers from the VWVortex board have proposed slapping hybrid badges on their cars to confound the parking meter maids in Los Angeles: "Hurry, Hurry - Get Your Hybrid Badges Here!"
I don't know if I trust a City of Los Angeles parking enforcement officer to be able to determine a hybrid vehicle from a gas vehicle. These are the same individuals who gave my partner a parking ticket at 9:30am in a zone that had parking restrictions starting at 10. He contested and sent in pictures with the address and the street sign in the same picture, as well as closeups of everything. Despite that they rejected his appeal and he had to go to court. He finally won. If they can't tell the difference between 9:30am and 10am, how will they be able to tell the difference between a gas Highlander and a hybrid Hylander?
My guess woulod be special license plates. IN VA the plate is specially marked for hybrids, any badges on the car do not matter.
