How to report illegal HOV stickers?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(desoto @ Feb 5 2007, 02:40 AM) [snapback]385433[/snapback]</div>

Whoops ! Taken way out of context ... big time. Never said "groups that aren't on the eco-conscious bandwagon". Only made reference to those who bash hybrid drivers ... and obviously that's what fake HOV stickers are attempting to do. Those are the 'cultists' (a word that is meant to say 'group' in a non-positive way). These 'group' members, if you prefer, are the ones who enjoy calling folks homos, tree huggers, etc, simply because some folks want to stem the tide of fossle fuel abuse ... or lesson the smog, etc.

That being said, no, I don't believe Hummer driver's hearts & minds (the narower group that was being referred to) are trying to be changed here ... (and maybe their behavior IS kind of neanderthal, as someone above stated) but I don't find it intrinsicly evil if I hold up a shield either, if/when their 'group' continues to bash hybrid drivers.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(desoto @ Feb 4 2007, 10:40 PM) [snapback]385433[/snapback]</div>

I agree with the point of desoto's post. However, we have to start somewhere, and while 'not pressing the knife in as deeply' isn't a global fix, the person carefully wielding the knife is at least taking the first baby step, and that's doing more good than the person still digging with the knife. We learn to walk taking baby steps, not going from crawling to winning marathons.

 

Bump! I pass a parked Mazda Protege (probably 2002/2003 model) every day. It has the hybrid stickers (not the joke ones, they're the real ones). I finally found some time and tried the CHP who was no help. They referred me to Caltrans, who was also no help. Then tried the DMV, who says they'll just get caught when driving in the carpool lane. Nobody cares I guess.

 

Gee, I guess I'll be the only one who's going to take the stance that it's never right to report people to the police for stuff like this. Don't worry, they'll get busted some day and it will cost them big time. You don't need to get involved like some sort of nosy old grandmother.

 

You know, maybe I just have an irreverent sense of humor, but I really have difficulties seeing these as offensive let alone as an “obvious†attempt to bash Prius owners. I do easily see it as a legitimate social commentary about a situation that many (even a few hybrid car drivers) find to considerably less that equitable.

I understand the rational that went into the decision to give hybrid car drivers access to HOV lanes, but I really can't say that I support it. The idea of HOV lanes was to cut down on single occupancy vehicles, alleviating congestion and reducing greenhouse gas emissions per traveler.

While Prius', HCH, and Insight do really have lower greenhouse gas emissions, they don't really meet both HOV criteria, as they don't necessarily cut down on the number of cars on road. On top of that the portions of the Federal regulations permitting hybrids in the HOV lanes really do create "haves" and "have nots". These stickers are just the "have nots" protesting what appears to be unfair treatment.

Sorry, while I have a legitimate state of Florida HOV sticker for my Prius, I've declined to put it on the car. I just can't see that owing a Prius gives me more rights than any other car on the road. Regardless of the kind of car, I’m still just another car on the road. On top of that, I’m burning fossil fuel just like they are; I’m just burning less of it per mile driven, but not necessarily less per mile driven per vehicle occupant (this last one depends on how you do the comparison.)

On top of that whole fairness thing, driving at the speeds at which the HOV lanes move here would kill my FE and I really can't see the point of that. Thank you, I'll stick to driving around the speed limit and stay out of the HOV lane.

 

I respect your position, but I disagree. We "haves" won't have the privilege very long (the law expires Jan 1, 2011 here in CA). So I'll be back with the great unwashed soon enough. There is a lot to dislike about the Federal enabling law for the HOV stickers, and about the state law implementing the privilege. But I don't think I'm obligated to pass on a privilege handed to me because I had the foresight to get in line in time just because of that.

Further: if I were in stop and go traffic on the freeway, THAT would kill my FE; right now, I'm getting over 50 MGH traveling in the carpool lane. So that argument doesn't work on me, either.

 

I was actually working my way to the end of the thread to post something like you said. Guess we are anarchists! of a feather.

 

Respectfully, I also don't believe that you're "obligated" to pass on anything. That "obligation" (if there is one at all) is really a function of your own analysis.

For me, the stickers are just another contributing factor to congestion in so far as they don't discourage single occupancy vehicles (which are a primary contributing factor to that congestion problem alluded to.) For you, the privilege obviously works.

With respect to the FE question, I think that you missed the operative word which is "here". That does not imply that you'll have the same results there in California. Evidently, we’re faced with different challenges:

· Having an HOV sticker does me no good because of the speed that’s common in the HOV lanes here.
· Not having an HOV sticker would do you harm because of the congestion in the South Bay.

While I can respect your desire to keep the benefit you derive from having the sticker, I can't see that desire or the benefit itself as an argument for justifying hybrid HOV privileges when the problem of the single occupancy vehicles remains large enough to cause the congestion you cite. That whole line of reasoning is getting perilously close to the hubris that those “joke stickers” are mocking.

 

I've seen number of hybrids with 6-series plates (in California) and stickers -- I can't see how this could be legit. My license is a 5Y..... and the stickers were gone by the time I got my plates -- the 6xxxxxx plates didn't start being issued until months after the stickers were gone.

 

Note that there are a (very) few legitimate ways to have stickers to a newer car; I believe that you can get replacement stickers in the case of a vehicle being totalled or stolen.

It might also be that someone bought the car with stickers on it, but had to register for new plates.

 

Actually in California if the vehicle is totaled or stolen, then the owner is out of luck as far as being able to transfer the carpool stickers to another vehicle.

You can get replacement stickers if the original stickers were damaged or stolen. However in the latter case you must submit the police report, and in the former case you are required to turn in the stickers that remain and wait for DMV to issue the replacement set.

It is true that for an investment of $8, an owner could turn in the 5xxxxxx plates and get a new set of plates in the 6xxxxxx series.

I recall that when the carpool sticker program was first implemented, LA Times had a story about it. One local Prius owner was photographed whining about the yellow color and large size of the stickers. This was before people realized that the limited availability of the stickers resulted in a market price increment of $3K - $4K. Personally I find the stickers to be quite attractive especially since I love traveling in the carpool lane as a weekday commuter!

 

Ok, I had to join this forum just because of this thread. Now, I'm not a Prius hater, my mom has one, and I think it's a great (and practical, unlike most of these things) step forward. However, do you think the highway patrol really doesn't have better things to do that cite other hybrid vehicles with stickers, just because the government didn't include them on the HOV sticker list or they're just too new? Yes, it might be technically illegal, but you guys act like it's not fair that other hybrid vehicles would try and enjoy the same privilage as you all. I'm lucky enough that I personally ride a motorcycle, and can use the HOV lane legally, and for good reason: I get 60mpg and have all the emission control systems that the best modern cars do (though that law is for safety). Luckily I don't need stickers, but if I did, I'd feel the same way as those with a non-prius high-mpg car (hybrid, or not, lets not forget cars like the honda cvcc that got 48mpg in the 70's).

Of course law is the law, and i wouldn't have the balls do it, but c'mon. My point is, why in the world would you need to report--to police busy protecting the public safety--someone with a green(ish) car for using a sticker that promotes green cars? Live and let live. It's this kind of sentiment from some of you that makes people think of Prius owners as elitist. I'm sure many a Prius owner looks at my loud and fast motorcycle as a rider of the environmental apocalypse, but we all know the Prius is not the end-all-be-all sole option out there for environmentally friendly vehicles.

Again I'm not arguing this matter's legality, and it's probably slightly annoying, but please give me one good reason in your personal moral code that this warrants you involving police. I"m really curious.

 

If you read back way earlier in this thread, there was an SUV with HOV stickers on it. There are no SUVs, not even hybrids, that qualify for HOV stickers in California.