Hybrids in the Carpool Lane

If not subjected to outright road rage, solo hybrid drivers on California's commuter lanes have at least had to deal with bad manners. That's partly in response to the state's freeway commuter lane-use having been expanded beyond the original multi-passenger vehicles to now include single-occupant hybrids, in order to encourage fuel economy.


At first glance, this change would seem like a no-brainer. Californians are paying $3 a gallon or more; the law allows hybrids that get 45 mpg or better the privilege of the diamond lane, or High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, regardless of vehicle occupant count. Currently only a limited number of vehicles, the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic and Insight, qualify.

Strange, But True
As hybrid drivers keep a watchful eye on the trip-o-meter with its gas mileage gauge, they maintain that non-hybrid drivers display a definite prejudice, tailgating and flashing headlights to indicate their displeasure, even when the hybrid is tooling along at the legal speed limit, and even with passengers riding with them.


On the other side of the argument, non-hybrid commuters claim the fuel-efficient imports are clogging a lane whose primary purpose is to ease congestion. The dispute appears to be deeper than a few cranky drivers and not one that will be resolved no matter how fast the little hybrids scoot along.


Hybrid drivers are, obviously, more fuel conscious and realizing that they're getting nearly 60 mpg at 55 mph impacts their driving habits. Multi-passenger diamond lane vehicles are used to ruling sparsely populated diamond lanes and flying past solo commuters creeping along bumper-to-bumper. Now, these two worlds are, figuratively, colliding.