Regarding SOB, er, SOV cars (that's single occupancy vehicle) in the HOV lanes, "legalized" by Assembly member Fran Pavleys' AB2628 which "took effect" in California Jan 1,2005. (The presumed intent of this bill was to spur the purchase of gazzillions of hybrid cars, by allowing single occupant hybrid cars into the HOV lane). It turns out it's still not really legal and the CHP is still presumably enforcing against it, because freeways are under federal jurisdiction, and the feds have "not yet agreed" to this idea. I hope they never do and realize that allowing the very cars that do not pollute much in gridlock to become the only single occupancy ones allowed to escape gridlock, is absurd and pathetic. We are all in this together, caring and sharing a car is on the same level as caring about and sharing this planet with its many creatures. If there is anything I understand about the Environment, it's that we are all in this together! Allowing the I, me, mine single occupant cars into the HOV lane is wrong, wrong, wrong. It is UNFAIR TO THE POLICE too to have them pulling over cars that have only one occupant only to have that occupant announce that THIS car qualifies due to its "won't pollute in gridlock" drive train! It is too great a burden on the CHP. They have it hard enough sorting out the teddy bears and German Shepherds wearing shawls. The net result will be making the HOV lane unenforceable, or at best, unenforced. Fran Pavely represents a district called HONDA or TOYOTA it seems. Curious what sort of campaign contributions might be tracked around this. Could be Fran, whose assembly district includes much of Santa Monica, was just "well intentioned" with this. This bill may have originated prior to the disclosure that the EPA fuel economy estimates on these vehicles are about 40% too optimistic. Maybe Honda and Toyota contributed to EPA folks too!! It all smells, and it's important to note that Hybrid car tailpipes STILL need a warning label that reads: Caution: This vehicle emits carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, benzene, methane, aldehydes and volatile organic compounds (VOC's). Causes noise, increased traffic congestion, respiratory disease, cancer, death and ecocide. Especially Harmful to Other Species and Children. After writing the above, on January 24 an item on TV from Oakland, California's KTVU's broadcast confirms my fears and disgusts with the obscene proposal to allow SOV's in the HOV lane. The state of Virginia somehow managed to allow HYBRID SOV's in the HOV lane much earlier last year, and the feds agreed to try the idea out there. The net result is that Virginia's HOV lanes are now as jammed and gridlocked as the rest of the freeway lanes. The feds are not impressed and it looks very much like California's AB2628 I was blogging against is dead in the water as far as the feds are concerned.
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By James DMake-it-home-safe MANTRA: When dealing with traffic, it's better to be patient than to become a patient; AND - A Sailboat is to a Polluting Cruise Ship what a bicycle is to a smokin' Hummer. I know bikes are beautiful but I’M not backing off until bikes are bountiful and bikers have greater strength in numbers. CategoriesArchives
February 2016
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