Hybrid Parking Around DC?

I live in a MD burb of DC and am not aware of any "breaks" for hybrids. I commute to DC either by motorcycle or Metro. I recommend parking at a Metro station and riding the subway. Remember to buy a Smartrip card - the only way to pay for parking at Metro stations.
Metro Info - www.wmata.com
BTW no breaks for hybrids on MD HOV lanes and no breaks in VA HOV unless you have a special tag.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jons623 @ Jun 24 2007, 07:02 PM) [snapback]467378[/snapback]</div>

Agreed. The only breaks around here are for Virginians who bought their hybrids prior to some date -- they were able to get an HOV tag to ride the Virginia HOV lanes. Your best bet for getting around town if you plan on stopping to visit is by Metro. However, if you enjoy driving around town, there are some great parkways in and around Washington -- Rock Creek Parkway, George Washington Parkway, Tidal Basin, etc. But if you aren't familiar with the roads, it can be hard to figure out how to get to them!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hugtreeslee @ Jun 24 2007, 03:31 AM) [snapback]467177[/snapback]</div>

Expect huge crowds. When I visit the area I stay with Marriott in Tyson's Corner, Virginia. There is a Marriott next to the Dun Loring Metro station and the others have free shuttle service to the station. There are other hotels, a number of restaurants, and a mall in the area. Enjoy.

 

Putting in more info on the DC area:

1) If you're approaching on I-95, north of Richmond watch out for specially marked corridors (forget the official designation) where they look for aggressive/speeding drivers. Fines are especially heavy.

2) DC has enacted the hands-free cellphone laws.

3) Also, DC has enacted another law: No eating while driving (i.e. eating a McDonalds / Burger King hanmburger on your way into town). Not sure how strict the enforcement is. Nor do I know if it includes drinking SODAs, not the hard stuff. B)

AND -- The dumbest law:

4) Even if you have permanent HC tags or a placard from NC / VA / FL (or ANY state/jurisdiction) you still are not allowed to park in HC spaces! Unless you are a DC resident, you are NOT handicapped. <_< You have to go to the some city administration office ahead of time (and only during weekday working hours) to get a special pass! :angry:


Driving downtown can be (nay, it IS) an experience. I agree with everyone else -- park and take the Metro. It's cheap, relatively reliable and covers most of the city. Also, the Metro includes not only the subway, but also some has bus routes. When I have visitors and they want to see DC, I ALWAYS use Metro.

 

Of course, the best way to get around and park in DC is to have diplomat plates on your car. That way, you can drive and park on the sidewalks and not be ticketed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John Smith @ Jun 25 2007, 08:59 AM) [snapback]467542[/snapback]</div>

This is not entirely true. You can be ticketed in DC for driving "distracted", just eating isn't illegal. If the police see you wandering in lanes etc and pull you over to find you were eating, you can be ticketed for that.

This is also not true at all:

http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/serv/plates/handicap.shtm

No breaks for hybrid owners, you can park in a special area at Ikea in MD if you want to LOL. Other than that, ain't nothing.

Driving in DC is an art form. Its different than even NY because the way the roads are laid out is so deceptively confusing. I say deceptively because on the surface it looks like it makes no sense but once you get the hang of it, it actually does.

Crowds for thr 4th are unreal, gotta use the Metro.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John Smith @ Jun 25 2007, 08:59 AM) [snapback]467542[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SW03ES @ Jun 25 2007, 11:58 AM) [snapback]467596[/snapback]</div>

I did some more investigating. Once again, you're correct.

Here, I will say that I'm glad DC FINALLY decided to accept the recprocity of the various states on the handicapped stickers/plates. This change happened in the second half of last year ('06), and then only because of losing a lawsuit, not the largesse/intelligence of the representatives/DC government.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SW03ES @ Jun 25 2007, 11:58 AM) [snapback]467596[/snapback]</div>

This sounds completely fair to me. Some people can mult-task and others can't. As long as you stay in your own lane and keep up with the flow of traffic, I could care less if you drive 90 miles an hour while drinking a beer, smoking a joint and having your wingwang squeezed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Swanny1172 @ Jun 25 2007, 04:22 PM) [snapback]467766[/snapback]</div>

Well, yeah... but don't you think that eating a Whopper while doing all of the above really crosses the line?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hugtreeslee @ Jun 24 2007, 01:31 AM) [snapback]467177[/snapback]</div>

Please don't drive in the middle lane at 55 mph using the cruise control either getting there, or while there. I recently drove from Bethesda down to Williamsburg and could not believe how poor lane the discipline is - it made Denver look good. Anyone who stays in the middle lane is an obstacle, a hazard and a major cause of road "rage." I think it's incredibly selfish, not to mention lazy.

No special parking. Get a lift into town or take the Metro.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusRos @ Jun 25 2007, 04:55 PM) [snapback]467785[/snapback]</div>

No, as long as you can keep your car under control, you could have a lobster dinner behind the wheel. Now, on the other hand, there are plenty of folks that can't chew gum and drive at the same time.

 

I'm actually going to disagree with a lot of people on this threat. From living here on an everyday basis, I HATE the metro! With that said, I do believe it is "nicer" than a lot of other city's subway systems and its very nice for visitors.

However, I prefer to drive. I can leave when I want and just zone out and turn on the music if traffic is bad. For the regular commuter, there often seems to be some kind of problem on the metro, whether the cars are completely packed, there's a sick passenger, delays, or whatever else. I'll even drive from my office to various parts of downtown to go to a meeting rather than use the metro. I can make it from Rosslyn to Capitol Hill in 10 minutes rathter than the 30 minutes it would take on the metro.

For visitors I would say use the metro because driving in DC can be confusing.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1x1 @ Jun 28 2007, 02:41 PM) [snapback]469554[/snapback]</div>

That is true in most places, but around here the laws are treated as suggestions by many drivers, and the word "yield" is some sort of mysterious hieroglyphic thing.

Driving in the DC area is TEGWAR: The Exciting Game Without Any Rules.

 

:lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John Smith @ Jun 25 2007, 04:05 PM) [snapback]467749[/snapback]</div>

Perhaps they were resistant because commuters from MD and VA would 'acquire' handicapped placards then park all day on the street in metered spaces for free taking up all the available parking in business districts to avoid having to pay for parking to go to work.

Some streets you could find 80% of the parking spaces full of handicapped Marylanders and Virginians every morning at 7:30AM and wouldn't move til 5 PM

Apparently 3/4 of the total handicapped population of each state commutes to downtown DC every day.

Numerous exposes by the local news consistently found a remarkably low percentage of valid placards and/or operators who actually were the handicapped person who owned the placard.

With any privilidge there will be those who abuse it. For a while there, it was actually possible to go to an appointment downtown and have a hope of finding a 1 hour meter open. No Longer.

I'm glad you're satisfied. That's certainly something.

But, I doubt the actual genuine handicapped people will have any better luck finding a place to park than the rest of us at this point. So, I'm not really sure who 'won' that particular snit fit.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1x1 @ Jun 28 2007, 02:41 PM) [snapback]469554[/snapback]</div>

Actually, both parties are responsible for the merging action in VA to ensure safety & smoothness.