Del Plum to extend hybrid exemption

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   Will surfing the Wash Post I found this  article. Please contact Del Plum and your State representatives.. We can not let this happen.  Please feel free to contact me at SaveHOV@direcway.com.  Please pass this on!!

	Delegate Wants Hybrids to Keep HOV Exemption

	By Ron Shaffer

	Thursday, December 29, 2005; Page VA11

	Dear Dr. Gridlock:

	I will be introducing a bill in the 2006 session of the Virginia 

	General Assembly to extend the exemption for hybrid vehicles using the HOV lanes.

	A bill I introduced several years ago put the current exemption in place.

	Please encourage your readers to write to their delegates and senators asking them to vote for my bill.

	I hope the legislature follows your advice that we extend the exemption and crack down on the cheaters.

	Del. Kenneth R. Plum (D-Reston)[:(!]

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duckduffer Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Location: Va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote duckduffer Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Del Plum to extend hybrid exemption Posted: 26 Jan 2006 at 3:44am
	Will surfing the Wash Post I found this article. Please contact Del Plum and your State representatives.. We can not let this happen. Please feel free to contact me at SaveHOV@direcway.com. Please pass this on!! Delegate Wants Hybrids to Keep HOV Exemption By Ron Shaffer Thursday, December 29, 2005; Page VA11 Dear Dr. Gridlock: I will be introducing a bill in the 2006 session of the Virginia General Assembly to extend the exemption for hybrid vehicles using the HOV lanes. A bill I introduced several years ago put the current exemption in place. Please encourage your readers to write to their delegates and senators asking them to vote for my bill. I hope the legislature follows your advice that we extend the exemption and crack down on the cheaters. Del. Kenneth R. Plum (D-Reston)[:(!]

Luddite Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Luddite Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Jan 2006 at 10:15am
	Hello? There are 10 bills in the General Assembly related to HOV. HB 494, 717, 843, 876 and SB14 provide for the exemption to expire in July, 06. All of the others propose to extend the exemption. Call your legislator. They're all in Richmond now. If the extension is passed HOV on 395 is all but finished. Pretty darn bad now with 20% hybrids. Remember, hybrids won't be prevented from using HOV, they'll just have to have 3 people. Very simple.

NoSUV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote NoSUV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Jan 2006 at 4:16pm
	There are no legislators willing to allow the exemption to expire. At least, none that I have found. My delegate has specifically endorsed extending the exemption, as has Gov Kaine. Key remains that express lanes move at or above speed limit during peak commuting hours - and that's with cheaters and hybrids. Regular lanes routinely average 35 mph less. Most likely is a year by year extention until the express lanes are converted to HOT. If then. With the huge momentum for extending the exemption, your best bet is to support 309 for the only 1 year extention. Otherwise, the vote might go for 604 (2 years) or 1248 (forever). Going for expiration now is like voting for the Socialist Party during the next Presidential election - you're wasting your vote instead of making an impact.

Luddite Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Luddite Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jan 2006 at 9:41am
	NoSUV, Your probably correct. Its been since the holidays that we have made an unimpeded trip on HOV in a.m. or p.m. But...do you suppose the VDOT study that suggested the hybrid extension be allowed to expire in July 06 will have any impact on the committee meetings?

Bob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jan 2006 at 12:14pm
	He is trying to create the impression that slugs are the only ones that think the exemption should end. The VDOT task force in 2004 and again in 2005 stated strongly that the exemption should end on 95 this year as scheduled. State law enforcement agencies and the Feds also stated strongly in that report that they were concerned about clogging by hybrids and that the exemption should end. The politics are one thing, but let's not pretend that there is no problem or that VDOT and others aren't concerned.

dickboyd Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 13 Nov 2004 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote dickboyd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jan 2006 at 1:09pm
	quote: Originally posted by NoSUV [br]There are no legislators willing to allow the exemption to expire. At least, none that I have found. My delegate has specifically endorsed extending the exemption, as has Gov Kaine. Key remains that express lanes move at or above speed limit during peak commuting hours - and that's with cheaters and hybrids. Regular lanes routinely average 35 mph less. Most likely is a year by year extention until the express lanes are converted to HOT. If then. With the huge momentum for extending the exemption, your best bet is to support 309 for the only 1 year extention. Otherwise, the vote might go for 604 (2 years) or 1248 (forever). Going for expiration now is like voting for the Socialist Party during the next Presidential election - you're wasting your vote instead of making an impact. Stick to your guns. Wrong is wrong. Allow one more year exemption for drive alones hybrids? That's the same as a resounding endorsement for operating the reversible lanes at "capacity". Capacity is unstable, wastes time and will kill slugging. Ask for an effort from the politcians to recruit more passengers. MORE PASSENGERS. dickboyd@aol.com

N_or_S_bound Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2005 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote N_or_S_bound Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jan 2006 at 1:56pm
	I wonder how many who post on this exemption issue have written to their elected politico to request an end to the exemption? Just curious? NoSb SOV because you can, HOV because you care!

NoSUV Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Jan 2005 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote NoSUV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jan 2006 at 3:53pm
	I can tell you that I've written to not only my delegate (Bulova), but others (like McQuigg) and all have endorsed extending the exemption. They agree that the express lanes are unclogged, traveling at or above the speed limit most of the time. compared to regular lanes, which are on the average 35 mph below the speed limit. They agree with Dick Boyd that wrong is wrong - and wrong is NOT extending the exemption. BTW, most folks seem to think the VDOT study was flawed. Clearly, those in Richmond do!

duckduffer Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 19 Nov 2003 Location: Va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote duckduffer Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jan 2006 at 10:41am
	Well Folks.. we need to post signs at the slug lots.. We need to pass out this info to our fellow slugs... When stading in line or in the cars.. take a minute to tell people... Even have the email addresses ready You can find their address here: Delegates - http://dela.state.va.us/dela/MemBios.nsf/MWebsiteTL?OpenView Senators -http://sov.state.va.us/SenatorDB.nsf/$$Viewtemplate+for+WMembershipHome?OpenForm Not sure who (and this is a shame if you do not know who you are voting for!) - http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

Jerry Seinfeld Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 Jan 2006 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jerry Seinfeld Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 Jan 2006 at 11:45am
	What's a Duck Duffer?