Another slight for Green HOV stickers

Ok Mike I'll bite.

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and remember before Bart. I was there when Bums were called Hippies and I even had an Ecology Flag. Later I spent some years living there and LA as an adult. Smog always has and always will be a concern in most high density populations, but the real reason for Car Pool Lanes, now called HOV, was/is an attempt to try and reduce traffic congestion by Cities, Counties and States. On paper 2 or 3 cars with single drivers replaced by 3 people in one vehicle. The reality is of course much less than ideal, but in the big picture I'm sure it helps some.

We already know about the CA commissions to mandate lower emission vehicles and I herald some of the success, although even they have given into pressure when unrealistic demands were placed. In the past and some still, incentives have been given for purchasing Green vehicles, though that money is still coming out of everyone's Taxes Paid. This has helped, but I think the cost of driving is more important to most than the parts per million of anything, which is why higher MPG vehicles are gaining.

Toll roads, Bridges and whatever are different as well. This originally was used as money to help subsidize and pay for Bonds to finance new construction. Now I think the Politicians use this revenue for much different things. Kind of how the Lottery was supposed to pay for Education, but we know how that went.

In the end, every Governmental Body determines who is allowed or not, what is paid and by who, and it is up to the people of that electorate to monitor and control them, at least it should be. I just think of the Green Car people as another "Special Interest Group" trying to get there's too. The cars take up the same space causing same congestion on the freeway and should pay tolls like the rest for the same usage as well. This is just my opinion and means nothing except where I live, because I vote here. Texas Tollways Sorry if my opinion is not a popular opinion in CA (I am native), but a special interest group is just that. But what do I know? This was fun but I've said enough because an opinion is, well...you get my drift. I still like my Prius.

 

Arguments can be made in many ways...
Why should a parent taking a kid to school get to use the HOV lane...they aren't reducing anything. They aren't "carpooling" in any way. They would have two people in the car with or without HOV lanes. Someone driving solo in an EV is producing less smog every day.

I'm just saying that there can be many reasons for having these special lanes. They are used as an incentive for the greater good. There is nothing to say thay have to be used for 2 or 3 people in a car.

Mike

 

High-occupancy vehicle lane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toll road - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've said my peace, however it really doesn't matter to CA residents anyway, because I live and vote in TX now. Any civil debate is fun though.

 

alright, here we go…

well, to be really clear, the lanes all have the exact same readers, all of which read just fine at speeds of 65+ (as tested by me personally). Bay Bridge far right lanes are type 3. Same for the carpool lanes on the Dumbarton and San Mateo bridges.

oh god, this is ridiculous. the point of fastrak is to reduce congestion at the toll plaza and not have to waste time fiddling with cash. you also do effectively have to stop because 99% of the drivers in that lane will be paying with cash anyway.

i have. i've also bothered to read the signage. they are not closed and you certainly don't risk getting a ticket. all HOV lanes throughout the bay area revert to normal usage outside of rush hour. the exception are those far right lanes on the Bay Bridge, which are signed for bus usage only. However, the signage is completely bogus and basically made up, and it's quite debatable whether it actually carries any force of law. Regardless, the San Mateo and Dumbarton bridge HOV lanes turn into "express" lanes (type 3 according to your typology above) and are signed as such. The transponder will always deduct the correct toll regardless.

seems to work just fine in New York. Are you suggesting California residents and tourists are dumber?