Delegegates Betray Us - Extend Hybrids

Folks.. the people who we trusted in Richmond have betrayed us. I wrote to Del Mark Cole before the election with my concerns of the Hybrids on the HOV. He wrote me back saying that I would just go away. I wrote him again after the election to remind him of this issue. Again he told me that is would just go away!

I wrote him again and he replied back to me last night.. "I am not sure what will happen. The House Transportation Committee has the bills and I talked to the Chairman (I am not on that committee) and he was not sure what was going to happen. I would support phasing out the use of hybrids, but I think it would not be right to immediately cut it off. The government told people if they purchased hybrids, they could use HOV lanes. I think it would be wrong after these people spent thousands of dollars extra to purchase a hybrid to immediately turnaround and tell them sorry we changed our minds. Also I don't think the regular lanes could handle a sudden increase in cars. But I am not sure what is going to happen with it."

People.. write, call what ever.. well you can not send a telegram because Western Union has stopped that.. But we need to get the word out..

Want more infor.. send email to SAVHOV@direcway.com

from www.fredericksburg.com

Some good hybrid bashing at the end.


Senate approves bill extending HOV exemption for hybrids, increasing fines for violators

Date published: 2/3/2006

By KELLY HANNON

The Virginia Senate has voted to allow hybrid vehicles to use high-occupancy vehicle lanes until July 2007, extending the exemption for the pollution-cutting cars for another year.

But the same Senate bill would raise fines for motorists who violate the three-passenger minimum for HOV. The fine for first-time HOV violators would increase from $50 to $125.

Violators would pay $250 on the second offense, $500 on the third and $1,000 on the fourth. Virginia last increased fines in 2004, and began adding negative points to a motorist's driving record for third and later offenses.

Senate Bill 454 passed in a 35-3 vote Wednesday. It has been sent to the House, where two similar bills have already been introduced.

Local Sens. John Chichester, R-Northumberland, Edd Houck, D-Spotsylvania, and Ryan McDougle, R-Mechanicsville, supported the extension.

Houck said it wasn't a "clear-cut" vote for him because he didn't want to harm the slug-line method of carpooling. He voted for the bill because of its environmental benefit and to keep a promise to hybrid owners.

"I believe we need to be encouraging the use of clean-burning automobiles. The air quality is becoming more and more of an issue in our particular area," Houck said.

Also, owners "made an investment to buy the hybrid vehicle and one of the reasons they did it was access to HOV," he said.

"It seems a bit disingenuous that people make an investment and have done what we've promoted them to do, and then we change the rules on them."

McDougle also said he wanted to support motorists who purchased hybrids with the intent of driving them in HOV lanes. "We need to make sure they have the ability to do that for one more year," McDougle said.

Unless both houses approve the bill, the exemption will expire July 1.

Chichester could not be reached for comment yesterday.

There are 11,366 vehicles with Clean Special Fuel license plates registered in Virginia, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Most--10,478--are in Northern Virginia localities and the Fredericksburg area. In October 2004, there were 5,281 Clean Special Fuel vehicles registered in Virginia.

The Virginia General Assembly has the authority to regulate HOV lanes, including allowing hybrid vehicles to use them during peak traffic times, until Sept. 30, 2009.

A federal transportation bill recently gave states greater authority in this area. But there are still federal regulations to follow, such as ensuring that hybrids do not create congestion in HOV lanes, said Nancy Singer, public affairs specialist at the Federal Highway Administration in Washington.

The Senate bill got a mixed reception from local commuters.

Hybrid owner Ted Hontz, a defense contractor, was cheered by its passage. He commutes once a week to Washington or Northern Virginia from southern Stafford County in his Toyota Prius.

Hontz said HOV violators, not hybrids, are causing increased congestion. On a recent trip, he counted passing cars: 11 of the 23 were violators, he said.

"There are so many the police just can't control it," Hontz said. "They pull people over, and more people who are violating the law pass the police alongside the road."

Katie Holihan opposes any hybrid extension. Her car pool uses HOV lanes on its daily trip from Spotsylvania County to Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. Over the past four years, what used to be an hour-long one-way commute has grown to an hour and a half. She blames hybrids in HOV lanes.

"I feel it's a detriment to all of the lanes of traffic. It's created an environment I feel encourages selfishness," Holihan said.

She acknowledged that violators also clog HOV lanes, but said she spots more hybrid cars than individuals flouting the law.

"When you're in the HOV lanes and you look to your side, in front of you, it's hybrid, hybrid, hybrid, single person, single person, single person. I really do believe high occupancy should mean high occupancy," Holihan said.

Two bills have been submitted in the House of Delegates that would extend hybrid use of HOV lanes for two years--until July 1, 2008. Neither includes any increase in fines.

Both have been referred to a House subcommittee on transportation.

To reach KELLY HANNON:540/374-5436
Email: khannon@freelancestar.com

Date published: 2/3/2006

Folks.. this is all good. but is anyone contacting their reps and the Gov in Richmond???? Let's some posting here and send emails to all our reps in Richmond.. Let them know how we feel![B)]

"It seems a bit disingenuous that people make an investment and have done what we've promoted them to do, and then we change the rules on them."

It seems that the rules were already set, and they all knew the exemption would expire in 2004, and later in 2006.

dickboyd,
When people bought their hybrids (which the article was about), they knew there was a sunset date on the exemption. That's what I'm talking about.