Jeff Frederick on Hypbrid Exemption

Well, Jeff Frederick may be for the Hybrids, but Hilda Barg is for Over-development.

Thanks Hilda Barg for approving all of the new homes along route one in the 52nd district and receiving campaign contributions from those developers.

[br]Well, Jeff Frederick may be for the Hybrids, but Hilda Barg is for Over-development.

Thanks Hilda Barg for approving all of the new homes along route one in the 52nd district and receiving campaign contributions from those developers. You guys think traffics bad now? Wait till all those new $500,000 townhomes are built....

From an email exchange with Jeff F.:

Email #1:
"I have filed legislation for this session to more strictly define what a "clean-fuel" vehicle is (similar to the way California does it), requiring a minimum mpg on these cars and certain clear-air standards."

Email #2:
"My bill does not provide for any grandfathering, rather, it establishes sticker requirements for the clean-fuel plate. So, when people renew their tags each year, they'll have to demonstrate they meet the requirements, otherwise, they'll be told they need to get new plates because their current ones won't be renewed."

Sounds like a fair compromise. It lets ultra-hybrids stay but clears out most of the ones clogging our precious lanes.

I have to disagree with anonjedi's comment of "sounds like a fair compromise" comment if that also means acceptance of the "grandfathering." I know I am repeating myself on this site when I state I am disappointed that there is no plan or clause addressing existing plate holders in this proposed legislation. There is nothing to prevent acquiring CF plates up until the date the law would go into effect (usually what, July 1st???) which would then "grandfather" these non-qualify vehicles allowing owners to keep the plates for almost 2 years.

That means it will take almost 2 years before the intent of the legislation would be realized......

quote:

---

Originally posted by James-G
[br]I am outraged that this would pass the Senate when it is so clear that hyprids are choking the HOV lanes. I have writen to my House Delegate strongly encouraging her to oppose this bill. I don't think it is too late for us to stop this. There are many more Sluggers, Carpoolers, and Bus riders than hyprid owners. James

---

Great to hear that reasonable heads are prevailing in the VA Assembly...A compromise solution has always been the correct path for hybrids using the HOV lanes in VA....Ending an exemption because it's been too successful??? that's bassackwards...also, too much congestion in the regular lanes....where would you put the additional cars??

I commute daily using a Civic Hybrid on the HOV lanes (after 7:30 in the am and before 5:00 in the pm, hov-2 and alone ) and continue to be struck by the assertion of sluggers, vanpoolers, etc.that the HOV lanes are overcrowded (some commuters on pro-slugging websites even claim, ridiculously so, that there's often more congestion in HOV vs. non-HOV...). If these people were being honest, they would tell you that with the exception of bottlenecks at two points in the HOV corridor (beginning at Edsell Rd. through the Springfield Interchange where ALL vehicles are allowed to enter HOV and the Eads St. exit at the Pentagon) traffic moves at a steady pace of 65+ miles an hour. If anything, I would contend that the HOV lanes along the I-95 corridor are underutilized given the extreme congestion problems experienced in non-HOV lanes.

An article by "Dr. Gridlock" (Ron Shaffer) of the Washington Post echo's my sentiment and it seems the majority of users in HOV lanes; In the
article he asked readers for their counts and opinions of hybrid vehicles in the HOV-3 lanes. The consensus among readers was that there is not a
congestion problem outside of the bottlenecks mentioned above and that hybrids should continue to be allowed for this use...The following were
some of the conclusions drawn and a link to the article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A46042-2005Feb23.html

Given the above, not to mention the fuel crisis we're in here in America, the move toward HOT lanes along I-95 and overall support of the hybrid exemption (see below), extending the exemption in one form or another is the only logical course of action.....

Other Facts
The Washington Post conducted a scientific survey of attitudes toward hybrids and the use of HOV lanes in VA. "In a recent Washington Post poll, 56 percent
of Northern Virginians said single-person hybrid vehicles should be allowed to use carpool lanes, and 43 percent said they should not. Across the
region, 53 percent said they should be allowed and 45 percent said they should not. To measure attitudes toward commuting, The Post interviewed 1,003 randomly selected adults in the Washington area Jan. 27 to 31." 2005

In addition, national polling favors hybrid use in HOV-lanes; MSNBC poll did poll similar to the Washington Post....70% support the hybrid exemption in
HOV....1682 people were polled...(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54561-2005Jan6.html
)...