HOV lanes were to save time, too.

Published Tuesday, March 7, 2006, in the San Jose Mercury News

Hybrids: Cruisin' for a bruisin'?

DRIVERS, SLOWING DOWN TO SAVE ENERGY, ARE ACCUSED OF CLOGGING
CARPOOL LANES

By Gary Richards
Mercury News

Giant-size sport-utility vehicles have enraged motorists for nearly
two decades because of their size, gas consumption and sometimes
bully drivers.

Now there's another class of vehicles drawing anger on the freeway:
sleek, fuel-efficient hybrids.

Call it Prius envy.

It's not just about the carpool perk, which allows drivers in
hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic to go solo in the
diamond lane. It's not just about getting 50 miles a gallon or the
possible $3,000 tax break. Or about the trendiness of owning the
hottest seller on the sales lot.

It's about speed -- the lack of it.

"These idiot hybrids are clogging up the carpool lane," huffed Bob
De Marco of Gilroy, blaming drivers for cruising in the fast lane
at less than 65 mph when others want to zoom along at 75-plus.

The speed at which hybrids cruise "is infuriating," said Andy
Francke of Morgan Hill.

There's a good reason Prius owners may be tempted to ease off the
pedal. They see the impact their speed has on the gas tank. When Jim
Feichtl sped along at 75 mph to 80 mph in his hybrid, the trip-o-
meter on the dash that gauges his gas mileage up to the second told
him he was getting between 35 and 39 miles a gallon. When he dropped
to under 65 mph, he got 46 mpg.

When Paul Burnett of Alameda went 55 mph in his Prius on his
Interstate 880 commute, he got better than 56 miles a gallon.

The proof was right on the dashboard, right in front of their eyes.

With $3 a gallon gas a not-too-distant memory -- and eco-
friendliness a shared goal -- better mileage means significant
savings every month.

"Many hybrid owners realize how sharply fuel efficiency goes down
over 55 mph because they get instant mileage feedback," Felix
Kramer, a hybrid advocate, said.

Bob Whitehair of San Mateo owns both a 2004 Prius and a 1999 VW
Passat turbo. Different cars, far different reaction from drivers.

"I drive both cars in the same method, following the speed limit and
generally staying in the right lanes to let faster drivers go
around," said Whitehair, 59. "When I drive the hybrid, SUVs tend to
ride my bumper and flash headlights, regardless of the lane I am in.

"When I drive the non-hybrid in the same manner, they merely dart in
and out of lanes to go around me."

Jim Thomas of the National Motorists Association has noticed the bad
vibes not only in the carpool lanes but also in the regular lanes.

"Many motorists perceive drivers of hybrids as arrogant, trendy,
greener-than-thou types who tend to flout their environmental
consciousness as they proudly display the stickers on their cars,"
said Thomas, the Bay Area representative of the motorists advocacy
group. "It's not surprising that the hybrid drivers are generating
animosity because they are slowing" other drivers down.

To be fair, drivers who clog up the fast lane in any car or SUV have
long been the subject of a raging road debate. The Highway Patrol
recommends that even at the 65 mph speed limit, drivers should move
over a lane if they safely can when faster traffic approaches from
behind.

And, of course, the 65 mph speed limit is flouted regularly on every
highway in the region. Some joke that Highway 85 is named for the
actual speed limit on that freeway.

The speed that is appropriate in the carpool lane can vary, Highway
Patrol officers said. If traffic in the solo lanes is creeping along
at 30 mph, going 55 may be way too fast. But some carpool drivers
will tailgate slower traffic driving prudently, pushing them to go
faster or move over.

If Neil Newman of Saratoga is leading the fast-lane pack at 65 mph
in his Honda Civic hybrid and there "are annoyed SUVs behind me,
then too bad," he said.

"Ironically, many times it is from someone who is a single driver,
going way over the speed limit, and more often than not, driving a
truck or an SUV," said hybrid driver Lynn Ragghianti of Union
City. "It is as if they resent the fact that I am not out there
guzzling gas and polluting, or they take it as a personal affront,
though who knows what their real reasons are."

The CHP says it has not recorded any hybrid road rage incidents. But
the debate may not cool. Although Consumer Reports magazine said
hybrids will end up costing owners from $3,700 to $13,300 more over
five years compared with similar models using just gasoline, Toyota
representatives predict that its hybrid sales will increase 50
percent this year. In a couple of months, the company will introduce
its hybrid Camry.

It takes 18 to 22 weeks to acquire a Prius, up from eight weeks at
Christmas.

The debate may spread as more hybrids move into the far left lane.
California could allow another 25,000 hybrids into the carpool lane
by this summer.

Virginia is poised to extend its carpool perk, and three other
states allow solo drivers in hybrids to use their diamond lanes.
Several others may copy them.

Gas prices remain high, up nearly 37 cents a gallon over the prices
of a year ago. The $3 a gallon mark may be reached again, which
probably will spur more hybrid sales.

What is a law-abiding hybrid driver to do? How can you make that
tailgater who thinks 65 is far too slow during commute hours to back
off?

"Slower traffic should move to the right, carpool lane or no carpool
lane," said motorist Paul Smith of Los Gatos. "Plugging up the fast
lane tempts people to be ruder than they normally are."

HYBRIDS GO SOLO IN DIAMOND LANE

Owners of certain hybrids can drive solo in California carpool lanes
on state highways once they receive special yellow carpool lane
stickers.

More than 51,000 carpool stickers have been distributed. The state
will cap the program at 75,000 unless carpool lanes fill up sooner.

Bay Area drivers must first get a FasTrak transponder before filling
out a carpool application. Click on http://www.mtc.ca.gov and search
for "hybrid."

Hybrid owners outside the Bay Area do not need to get a FasTrak
transponder. This includes motorists living in Santa Cruz, San
Benito and San Joaquin counties.

You cannot get carpool stickers in person at a Department of Motor
Vehicles office. Owners must mail in their applications.

Hybrids must get 45 mpg or better for solo drivers to qualify for
the diamond lane. That's the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic and older
Honda Insights.

No hybrids with just solo drivers inside are allowed to use carpool
lanes on Santa Clara County expressways.

Source: Department of Motor Vehicles


Mercury News Staff Writer Matt Nauman contributed to this report.
Contact Gary Richards at mrroadshow@... or 408-920-5335.