California License Plates + HOV Sticker

Just got my Green HOV Stickers today! That was really fast!
And in perfect time too, because later this week I have to do a long 405 drive up and back during rush hour.

DISREGARD THIS: But I'm surprised... it says you have to renew it ($22) every year? The old gold ones years ago were just one-time-only $8, you never had to renew them. Then again, there's only about 1.5 years left of them until they expire. So in April 2018 I guess I'll have to pay $22 again to renew them for the last 8 months of the program? I don't think the green ones will be renewed past the end of 2018, since they're pretty much giving them out like hotcakes now. The white ones maybe, but I don't think the green will go past the end of 2018.

EDIT: I guess I was wrong, you may not have to renew the $22 fee every year. It's misleading, because one of the papers it came on talks about "If you do not receive a renewal notice, use this form to pay your renewal fee...etc" and says $22.00, Valid from April XX 2017 to April XX 2018. But this appears to be the normal car registration date, NOT the sticker date (which was mid May 2017). Yet why include a "Registration Card Valid from 4/XX/2017 to 4/XX/2018" that says $22, not the $200-some the REAL (earlier) registration card has? Weird. Maybe it's just their computer system. Because the stickers came with TWO forms/papers: one the "Registration Card" with the April dates (and $22, which doesn't make sense, because the original Registration card with the same dates I got when I got my plates, and it was $200+), and the "Clean Air Vehicle Decal Certificate" which only mentions the $22, not having to renew. Go figure.

So... is it then worth putting stickers on my new car for just 1.5 years of carpool lane, when I only drive occasionally? Yup. And besides, it kind of makes the car 2-tone (silver & green)...

 

Regarding the bill making its way through the state legislature now, I don't see how it would work... because the green stickers look the same if you got them in 2015 or 2016 or 2017, etc. So I just got mine (in 2017) meaning if this passed as is, mine would be extended until 2021, but someone who bought theirs 2 years ago would expire the end of 2018. So... how does the CHP officer tell if the green sticker is an older 2016 or 2017 or 2018 sticker when they all look the same? People with 2016 stickers will just keep driving, figuring no CHP officer will pull them over just to check the date on their sticker. Registration tags have years, these green stickers do not, so I see no workable way this could work -- unless the DMV sent you an additional, year-identifier sticker. Don't think that's going to happen...

 

I've never had to renew the green HOV stickers on my 2012 PIP. Maybe this is how they're going to extend the stickers to 2021 for us 2017 buyers after 2019, the original expiration date. I'm going to have to look at the fine print tomorrow; I had just assumed that like the 2012's stickers they would expire in 2019.


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I just had a look at the Bill Analysis (Assembly Approprations, 5/15/17) and the author notated (under COMMENTS, #3: Technical concerns): "DMV anticipates complying with this bill by using different colored decals for each expiration year. DMV has already issued decals that will expire in 2019 (both white and green.) To avoid confusion, the author may wish to amend the bill to only apply to decals that are issued after January 1, 2018."

So what the suggestion is, that if this bill passes, the DMV should change the color or design of the stickers sent out starting Jan 1 2018. That would kind of suck for people buying the car THIS year (2017) because then us 2017 buyers would expire the end of 2018 (as if this bill never existed) instead of 2021, as the bill currently intends...

 

Car registration use two stickers Month and Year. Not sure this one color decal will work well. DMV may spend more money to collect $22 bucks.

 

I would think that they'll simply extend the expiration of the current green stickers to 2021. Stickers that were already on cars have already had extensions before. Thereafter they would issue different colors for each year that cars were sold, which would expire at different times.

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Isn't HOV decal also depending on FED mandate? I don't think people at DMV can predict how many EV or plug in vehicle each year. Do you think CHP can keep up with different color of decals?

 

The Fed mandated maximum seems to me just an out more than a real limit. Especially now with chump govt., everything seems to hang on a whim!
As far as CHP is concerned, they don't have time or manpower to do anything except stop people who cross over double yellow lines (double white lines? What's with that??). I've seen a regular Prius with green HOV stickers in the carpool lane;he had no electric access on passenger side, and was fairly new car!! CHP have a lot more important stuff to deal with. (no, I don't mean where are the best donuts!!)

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I think I have seen that same Prius with green sticker. Haha.
I know double yellow lines represents a barrier (wall). I got pull over almost 30 years ago. A CHP officer told me that. I have seen I -605 used to be double yellow lines are now double white lines. I was like hmmmmm? Dose Cal Tran run out of yellow paints?

 

Yeah, it's like that on the I-10 from the 57 out in Pomona area. I've thought that if I crossed over those lines in frustration at waiting, and a CHP stopped me, I could just plead insanity!! (Oh, of CALTRANS, not me!!)

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Here is CA DMV handbook says:
Double white lines are two solid white lines that indicate a lane barrier between a regular use and a preferential use lane, such as a carpool/HOV. Never change lanes while in these lanes; wait until a single broken white line appears. You may also see these parallel lines in or near freeway on and off ramps.

 

We can not get away crossing them.

 

What if no one's looking...!!.
Just put your Prime in stealth mode!!

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While I am waiting for my HOV sticker I see people everyday in the car pool lane without any sticker in gasoline F-150, Mercedes, BMWs and yes normal Prius. I know it should not let it get to me but it really makes me pissed. CHP does absolutely nothing about it.

 

I'm assuming you mean without the extra people required? My favorites are the ones who zoom in to pass on the carpool lane and then zoom right back even though traffic is moving at 75+.

I mean i ride the HOV in my Tundra but the GF is in the car with me.

 

Right nobody except the jerk driver. And its not just the carpool lane, yesterday my wife and I were riding our tandem and we were harassed twice for no reason by drivers. And she is the one usually telling me not to get upset so I kept my middle finger to myself but she was pissed.
Its really hostile on the roads here, but the Prime makes it all better.

 

Oh yes every time I saw those people always want to see if any CHP is around.

 

Yeah, we've all seen them. Just the other day I was in the carpool lane (with 2 people in the car) and a single driver in a giant pickup got in the carpool lane and started tailgating us even though we were going 75 and he was there illegally. There are jerks like that... and people figure they won't get caught. Chances are they won't, but it's not always the case. I do have to say, I HAVE seen where the CHP pulled single people over to ticket them from time to time (as well as CHP hiding, lying in wait to catch illegal HOV drivers). And if one gets caught, the fine is pretty hefty (well over $500 when all fees are taken into account, from what I've heard).

 

I also love those people who drove on the shoulders to cut in front of you. Then all the traffic stopped.

 

my favorite pic of my Prime to date