Quote:
Originally Posted by jd10013
High
Occupancy
Vehicles
they're lanes designated for vehicle with more than one or two (depending on how it's set up) passengers to encourage people to car pool, or take buses. the idea being that the lanes will generally have less traffic in them and move faster. the overall goal is to take as many cars as possible off the road.
IMO, it's for the most part infective as the HOV lanes only go so far and eventually have to merge into the regular traffic lanes. where this happens traffic typically backs up for a mile or two.
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not only that, California gives special permission for single drivers, in the form of stickers to put on your vehicle, for Hybrid and CNG low emissions vehicles, which is completely pointless.
I understand the concept for an electric only vehicle, because in stop and go traffic it is possible for the electric only (Leaf for example) to run out of power.
But Hybrids by their very design are more efficient when under 40 mph and in stop and go situations, by allowing them to zip past all the stop traffic @ 65-80 mph they are no more efficient or low emission than any other gas vehicle on the road.
So the fact that the state gives permission to these vehicles to be a single person in the HOV lanes is simply idiotic.
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Motorcycles are allowed and the reason is because back in the 50s/60s/70s when HOV lanes were thought up, motorcycles were for the most part air cooled, and sitting in traffic would cause them to overheat, but with todays technology and being most are water cooled, allowing them in the HOV lanes today, to me is also idoitic.
And yes I am a motorcycle rider, and a hybrid owner (wifes car) and I find these HOV laws and regualtions to be pure stupidity brought about because some higher up idiot politician 10-15 years ago bought a prius and though he should be special.. (yes that is why the law came to be, go research it).