Just as I had predicted on August 28th and 30th, the handing out of special stickers to hybrid drivers, which allow them to drive alone (and mostly on the phone) in the car pool lane, is turning out badly: LA CURBED reports via the Daily Democrat.
Over 200 stickers a day are handed out, and 1400 hybrid cars a week are entering the car pool lane. The purpose of the diamond lane was to reduce traffic congestion. As more low polluting cars, driven by one person, enter the once restricted lane, the rest of the non-hybrids will sit in traffic and emit more pollution. Once the number of stickers reaches 50,000, CALTRANS bureaucrats will “study” (under the hot breath of the Gubernator) if the car pool lanes can handle even more hybrids. Will politics or statistics determine the outcome?
The auto biased, pandering bill “was authored by Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, D-Woodland Hills, and drew bipartisan support when it was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in September 2004. It needed federal approval, and took effect in August,” the Daily Democrat reports.
The single driver is the greatest cause of congestion on the road. As anyone who has ever crossed Laurel or Coldwater Canyon between 6am-9am can attest. If the Diamond Lane is OK for hybrids, then we should also open up the new Busway to anyone who drives a hybrid car.
Here in Van Nuys 
I guess most don’t see the irony – give or take the hybrids – many cars are sitting there burining fuel and unless your time is near worthless, more importantly, your time and productivity, by not being allowed into the carpool lane. The Republican in Sacramento who proposed eliminated all carpool lanes statewide had the right idea. Closing down one lane to most traffic does not improve traffic flow any more than the hardening/narrowing of your arteries improves blood flow.
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nice post, and it’s so true….this is half the reason why I wrote my I’m a good person I drive a prius post last week (check it out if you haven’t). It’s notable that people are switching to hybrids but let’s be real, it’s america they’re doing it mostly to save money or if they’re super super rich then they’re doing it to make themselves feel better. the monetary savings alone should be enough of a reason to encourage someone to buy a hybrid..especially with gas continuing to rocket out of control
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