Why Priuses annoy me

bluntguy typed, "If I was singling out Prisuses, please excuse me." (And it's PRIUSES, not PRISUSES.)

The subject of your post is "Why Priuses annoy me", so yeah, you DID single out one specific type of car.

Was I the only one who noticed this?

 

And many of us bought our Prius before allowing the Prius in the carpool lane was even thought of. Think of the '01-03 and '04- '05 cars... We had an 04 before this one and that was before carpool solo-ness. We just loved saving gas and being good to the environment. When I fill up and it costs $29 to everyone else's $60.. I am happy.

 

Bluntguy, stick around, because as someone already said, your topic is a good one. And people here are willing to discuss, to argue, to share ideas.

You mentioned 17% single-occupant hybrid drivers in San Jose. Was the lane full, or were they just using up extra lane capacity that wasn't being used? I realize this isn't a good argument when traffic is very heavy, but when traffic is moderate, the hybrids aren't choking the lane.

Like Evan, I live 200 miles from HOV lanes. I don't intend to get the HOV stickers. So that wasn't an incentive for my purchase of the Prius: fuel economy was first.

MikeSF, do all Bay-Area HOV lanes require three people, or is that only on the bridges? Last time I looked, San Jose's lanes only needed two people. Either that, or I didn't notice...but I had three of us in the car.

 

Couple of things to keep in mind.

First, if there is capacity in the HOV lanes, such that moving hybrids into the HOV lanes does not necessarily put the HOV lanes at excess capacity, then it is an available resource that is under utilized.

Second, if the use of HOV lanes by hybrids reduces the speed of traffic in the HOV lanes from 75 or 80 mph, to 65 mph, then that is quite beneficial to the goals of HOV lanes, since dual occupant cars that are speeding at excessive speeds do not save nearly as much gas as when they are in compliance with the speed limit. HOV lanes are not designed as rewards for excessive speeding.

Third, by moving the hybrids into the HOV lanes, the stop and go nature of the regular lanes is reduced, thus saving gas for regular commuters and reducing commute times for regular commuters.

Fourth, if you want to move another class of drivers into the HOV lanes because of the above, hybrid cars are the easiest (and a smaller universe of drivers) than other possible classes of drivers. (For example, if you go from 3 passengers to 2 passengers, the number of cars that are able to use the HOV lanes increases substantially.)

Finally, if you want to give an incentive to the purchase and building of hybrids, you can give dollars in the way of tax credits, or you can utilize an existing under-utillized asset, excess capacity in the HOV lanes.

Personally, it is probably a short term incentive, just like the tax credits, and does not create more debt.

Not that bad of a public policy when you analyze it.

George

P.S. I do not use HOV lanes for commuting. I am not a politician.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 22 2006, 10:24 AM) [snapback]259262[/snapback]</div>

This is faulty reasoning to take on a grudge against an inanimate object. Everyone knows the carpool perk is not likely to last long. I am happy with my choice of cars yet I have never been in such a position as to have this need to justify this choice to so many.

I will gladly take any perk, including the carpool lane stickers for which we do pay a nominal fee. I use it when it will improve my commute but otherwise prefer to toddle along on the second or third lanes depending on traffic.

Good luck with your anger management sessions. :angry:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 22 2006, 01:24 PM) [snapback]259262[/snapback]</div>

I dislike carpool lanes. The fact that we have them at all indicates a big problem. People should live where they work, or have public transportation to eliminate the need for all of the commuting.

I live in the same building where I work. My wife walks two blocks to work each day. We walk to the post office, bank, grocery store, marina, beach, drug store, school, auditorium, and restaurants. Our Prius sits in the garage most of the time, where it gets the same mileage as every other parked car. (Wow, my smug level really shot up. )

Our country needs a lifestyle overhaul. We need to stop rushing around, driving constantly from point A to point B, just so we can turn around and redo it. It don't know how we are going to do it, but it's going to happen one way or another.

Tom

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ May 22 2006, 04:08 PM) [snapback]259353[/snapback]</div>

I live an hour-and-a-half from a divided highway. I have no idea where the nearest HOV lane might be; my guess would be over 600 miles.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ May 22 2006, 04:25 PM) [snapback]259359[/snapback]</div>

Goodness, think about how much fuel is wasted delivering food and consumer goods to where you live out in the middle of nowhere. Irresponsible if you ask me. You should move to the city.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ May 22 2006, 01:47 PM) [snapback]259368[/snapback]</div>

I live in the same building where I work. My wife walks two blocks to work each day. We walk to the post office, bank, grocery store, marina, beach, drug store, school, auditorium, and restaurants. Our Prius sits in the garage most of the time, where it gets the same mileage as every other parked car. (Wow, my smug level really shot up.

Sounds like these folks aren't living in the country but in a city area and using very little resources. Let's play nice...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ May 22 2006, 04:25 PM) [snapback]259359[/snapback]</div>

That's totally unrealistic for many people. Houses where I work start at a half a million dollars. You are looking at over $750,000 for anything nice.

I have been at the same place for years. I'm not leaving and I'm not moving.

BTW- My initial response included a list of about 20 things "people should do" that would be huge burden but would reduce gasoline usage. I decided it was too obnoxious and deleted it. Many people (especially many that contribute to this site) do what they can. You can always tell someone what other things they should be doing on top of what they are already doing, but at some point it becomes unrealistic.

 

New Jersey's Turnpike Authority just announced that hybrid cars can travel in the HOV lanes with only a single occupant.

I live in NJ, but haven't been on the turnpike since September '05, and that was on a Saturday. I don't anticipate I'll take advantage of my new 'privilege'.

My 'local' interstate used to have HOV lanes but they discontnued them.

Would I take advantage of my new 'privilege'? Probably not, since I try to AVOID the NJ Turnpike, and I try to travel at times that there's less traffic, anyway. And if I changed jobs to somewhere where I needed to take the turnpike on a daily basis, I'd probably try to get in a carpool, anyway, since I live at least 20 miles from the turnpike.

Bluntguy, I admire you for driving your Civic, getting 30 mph. But if you HAD to get a new car, wouldn't you even consider a hybrid? I've seen some notes that say the FIT is also going to be a hybrid - would you go out of your way NOT to buy it if it was hybrid?

 

Well, I did not purchase the HOV stickers, for one I don't have any lanes on my commute, second I think the stickers are very unnatractive!
When I am in a larger city, I am usually with more people in the car with me, so it doesn't benefit me at all... and yes I have driven alone in the lane w/o stickers haha I just don't understand why we need those stupid ugly sticker's when most people that don't like hybrid's, can recognize them anyways- they will say "yuck there's another ugly hybrid" So I opted out of paying extra to deface my car. And I didn't have to pay to be smug, we ARE better than an SUV driver, they can deal with it LOL :lol:

 

While I will agree 100% that HOV lanes do not improve traffic at all, and infact make it worse. The idea behind them is more to the point of rewarding those who are more "conscientious" in their choices, original the plan was more people into a single car, its now expanded to fuel efficiency (although SUVs hybrids really bend that rule). I think the overwhelming mindset is do you make traffic 10% faster for everyone and punish those who carpool by making their trip 200%+ longer, or do you leave it the way it is and reward people for making decisions. Same can be said with fuel efficiency, yeah ok you do better in stop & go traffic but you're overall driving is more efficient so we'll reward you with time. At the same time motocycles are allowed to use carpool lanes with a single passenger, where's the hate towards them? Here where there's a 3 person minimum ANY 2 seater can use the carpool lane, where's the hate on the sports car drivers?

Rick: Unsure if it's the ENTIRE Bay area, I know in SF there are no carpool lanes, infact the first ones you start to see on the pennisula start at around Redwood City, and I think those are 3 person or more (unsure exactly), but over in the East bay its all 3 person or less, and that is some of the worst traffic congestion in the entire US, San Jose as a result isn't anything. Unsure if in San Jose if its 2 or 3 minimum, and I don't know Marin county (although I'm almost certain its 3 people minimum because of the GG Bridge) further north towards Sacramento I know it drops off to 2 people though. I really don't know what the rational for a 3 person carpool is.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(remaxmanager @ May 22 2006, 02:44 PM) [snapback]259393[/snapback]</div>

The reason for those is 1) It's a pilot program, so having a limit on the "test bed" is definately needed. 2) It's easier for CHP to notice those stickers than trying to figure out if a car is an eligible hybrid car just from it's rear profile, especially in the case of the honda hybrids which is really hard to tell sure they have that block lettering HYBRID on the back, but then it'll becomes a matter of anyone sticks that on the back of their car and zoom free roads.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Marlin @ May 22 2006, 03:11 PM) [snapback]259321[/snapback]</div>

This is going to floor you (apparently), but utilization of broad legislation to obtain at best tangential, and often outright contradictory goals is standard procedure among politicians. HOV construction was pork, and the emissions provision was inserted to make it nice and kosher. Remember the bridge to nowhere ? Think about what broader legislation it was put under and apply your same arguments for a good laugh.

Now your time to consider: The federal gov has been resisting pollution and CO2 controls for ages, but one day they wake up and smell the roses, and determine HOV is the answer ?!?? If you believe that, I have a bridge (to be built *any day now*) to sell you.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MikeSF @ May 22 2006, 06:49 PM) [snapback]259396[/snapback]</div>

Well, I know what the legal purpose is, I just don't agree with the "labeling". Do they make people with vision problem's put a sticker on their car? Or make someone deaf put a sticker? ETC ETC ETC Yes they have a special handicapp plate, but come on now, do they really need that sticker? How about a sticker that says "hey I am driving illegally because I:
Don't have a current license; Don't have insurance; Am not a legal citizen; I stole this car; I have had DUI's in the past"

I just don't understand the logic... and especially that they have to be so large, and ALL OVER the car- really is ugly- no offense to all those with them, I am sure it help's in your commute.
And as mentioned, how hard would it be for someone to steal the sticker for their civic or whatever else? or get a friend with a Prius to get one for them? It just doesn't seem like a well thought out idea.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(remaxmanager @ May 22 2006, 03:07 PM) [snapback]259404[/snapback]</div>

Actually they make you put a little "sticker" on your drivers license so if you do get pulled over a police officer can make sure you're wearing your "prescription eye wear". Comparing that to something like "hey I only see one person sitting in that car" is really stretching things a bit, I'm sure if you really wanted we can all have RFID tags that any cop car can press a button and see everything against us "vision, hearing, licenses etc" although I suspect people will care more about that than a sticker on their car.

Isn't this one being pushed through?

 

I might be a little smug. Because I am now "part of the solution and not the problem"

"Thanks!!!!!" "Good fer you!!!!"

[attachmentid=3575]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 22 2006, 11:25 AM) [snapback]259292[/snapback]</div>

It's not cheating if the law says you can do it.

What should piss you off is those people in the carpool lane who drive 55 mph and creating a huge train behind them, causing a bottleneck in the lane.

And as for smug, you're totally biased if you think that only hybrid drivers suffer from it (and incidentally fwiw, I have never met one single person in real life who drove a hybrid and acted smug about it...not one). You think SUV drivers aren't smug? C'mon, puh-leeze. Those 'tards that think somehow they own the road because they drive a big car??? In fact, the only smug I've ever heard from someone came from a friend who drives one of those super-SUV's--you know, the Avalanche, or Tsunami, or Armageddon or something like that. He told me he changes lanes whenever the hell he wants to because everyone around him is afraid of him. THAT'S smug. I told him he should think twice about it because people like me (I drive a crappy old Ford Tempo...at least until I get my Prius soon) who drive crappy cars don't give a crap if their car gets hit or dinged or scratched. If someone wants to sideswipe me, I say go for it--it'll hurt their car a helluva lot more than mine.

Anyway, Enjoy your Fit. It's not a hybrid, but good for you for not buying a S.tupid U.seless V.ehicle

 

I forget, is "Armageddon" the name of a new GM SUV, or is it the companies future :lol:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bluntguy @ May 22 2006, 01:24 PM) [snapback]259262[/snapback]</div>

First of all, the money and real estate consumed in establishing all these HOV lanes should have been devoted to high-speed light rail mass transit systems, and as far as I'm concerned, they can start laying the tracks right over the HOV lanes immediately and get the conversion underway.

Your argument has nothing to do with "hybrids" really. It has a lot to do with jealousy though because you you clearly state that you refuse to either buy a hybrid or carpool which means you are unable to take advantage of a perk offered to others who are actually stepping up to the plate and doing something about gas consumption and pollution, both of which are clear goals of the HOV lanes, along with reducing congestion.