cheaters vs. hybrids

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   I really don't think that Hybrids are to blame for all of the congestion,  but they do seem to get blamed.  I always thought it had something to do with the population growth.

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pplmvrs Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 24 Jun 2004 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote pplmvrs Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2004 at 12:56pm
	I really don't think that Hybrids are to blame for all of the congestion, but they do seem to get blamed. I always thought it had something to do with the population growth.

MDC Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MDC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 Oct 2004 at 9:55am
	Yesterday morning I ended up driving myself for some reason. While in traffice I counted the cars that passed me in the HOV lanes for a few minutes between Lorton and Springfield (0815-0830)... 39 Hybrids, 84 HOV-compliant vehicles, 4 unmarked police going to DC or wherever, and about 7 motorcycles. Didn't see a single obvious cheater, though some of the 84 may have been cheaters. I just did a little spreadsheet based on these numbers. I assigned 3 people to each "HOV compliant"(a little conservative), 1.2 to the hybrids(being generous), and 1 to the others. Hybrids take 29% of the road, moving 15% of the people. HOV take up 47% of the road, moving 81% of the people. Police and motorcycles were 8% and 3.5% There were only a few busses, but if I had accounted for them it would have signifigantly lowered the % of people moved by hybrids.

adjguy Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 12 Sep 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote adjguy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Oct 2004 at 9:37pm
	Its called the Northern Virginian Complex disorder. Symptoms of this include, but are not limited to: rubber necking, driving in the left lane below the speed limit, not using turn signals signals, taking up two parking spots with bohemeth vehicles, too many john kerry/george bush bumper stickers, trying to make a left hand turn to from one side of route one to the other while crossing the distinct double yellow line during rush hour without a traffic signal, tailgating, finger flipping, horn honking, playing music sooo loud that you can hear it in Orange County, racing the rice rocket souped up honda civics that make more noise than speed, going to the WaWa gas station and filling up your car and leaving your car at the pump while you go and get coffee and other items creating a line 6 cars deep, and not caring one bit, using your credit card to make a purchase of $0.89 to find out your credit card bounces higher than the highest point of the Sears Tower in Chicago.... just to name a few. Any questions?[:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)][:)]

610toCrystalCity Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote 610toCrystalCity Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 Oct 2004 at 1:46pm
	Cheater....definately cheaters. Because they slow us all down. Then when they get stopped they slow us down even more because people see flashing blue lights and decide to go 25 mph not the normal 65 (I can see slowing to maybe 55 when you are passing them, but there is no need to go 25). While I am on the subject why is it that when there is a cop sitting just past rt 1 in woodbridge on the left hand side of the road we have to slow down to 25mph! AHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

adjguy Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 12 Sep 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote adjguy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Oct 2004 at 10:53am
	NEITHER! I am against Whiners more than either of them. Only in Northern Virginia do we get this nonsense. We are sounding more and more like the West Coast everyday. Give up on the Hybrid debate, its GETTING OLD, and isnt very constructive. Lets focus on things that we can actually do something about. 2006 will be here soon, so just call a whaaaaaaaaaahmbulance until then when all of your panties are in a knot....Goodness. I will mention though, that it is great to see the state patrol out there enforceing the law. Makes me feel good to be a slugger, and CONTRIBUTING to the cause.

mirangus Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 28 Aug 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote mirangus Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 Oct 2004 at 1:10pm
	Uhhhhh, cheaters most definitely. They're just blatant scofflaw jerks. I've learned to deal with the hybrids and am comforted by the fact that the exemption cut-off date is rapidly approaching. BTW-Vick, thanks...you are doing a great thing...

vick Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote vick Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 Oct 2004 at 2:52pm
	I have been driving a hybrid for about 3 months now and have picked up slugs every day. I do this for two reasons: 1) according to VA DMV website you need the clean fuel tags on hybrids in order to be in the HOV lanes (I haven't bothered getting CF tags because I don't need them) and 2) I'm a firm believer in HOV-3 enforcement. I would have loved to see the hybrid pulled over. Hopefully they got a ticket and won't be able to get out of it once they go to court.

Wagonman Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Wagonman Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Oct 2004 at 4:54pm
	quote: Originally posted by MDC [br]Hybrids are a far greater risk to the slugging system, and carpooling in general. They also have to cheat the law to get the clean fuel plates, since they do not meet the requirment as the law is written. It's just how it's been adopted after enough hybrid drivers complained about getting tickets after buying their supposedly clean car. I tried to get DMV to explain how hybrids qualify under the state law. They conveniently stop responding to me. It would be nice to get them to follow the law, state and federal. I suppose someone would need to sue but who has the time for that? Any lawyer here looking to do some pro bono for an environmental cause? It is very sad when we give clean fuel plates to cars that aren't cleaner than a lot of other cars. Honda should be exposed and publicly ridiculed for selling a dirty version of their hybrids here. DMV should be ridiculed for ignoring the law and the actual emissions of the hybrids and giving Honda a bonus for selling the dirtier version of their hybrids here. A regular Honda accord or Toyota Camry is much cleaner than the hybrid civic sold here. But once again, government and common sense don't mix. We should all write our reps. and tell them to write the law to reward actual emissions and not technology fads. They should also make the law perfectly clear so the DMV can't get creative with interpretations.

MDC Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MDC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 09 Oct 2004 at 12:20am
	Hybrids are a far greater risk to the slugging system, and carpooling in general. They also have to cheat the law to get the clean fuel plates, since they do not meet the requirment as the law is written. It's just how it's been adopted after enough hybrid drivers complained about getting tickets after buying their supposedly clean car.

manalangd Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 07 Oct 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote manalangd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Oct 2004 at 3:28pm
	That's it. My next car is a hybrid. David