Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[California HOV access could be extended 10 years for green cars]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/15/california-hov-access-could-be-extended-10-years-for-green-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/15/california-hov-access-could-be-extended-10-years-for-green-cars/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/02/15/california-hov-access-could-be-extended-10-years-for-green-cars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Chevrolet Volt

A few years ago it was not uncommon to hear a Toyota Prius buyer say, "I got it for the sticker." The yellow sticker they were referring to allowed the driver to use the High Occupancy Vehicle (carpool) lane even when alone in the car which, as every other LA driver knows, led to the frequent sight of a Prius with a sole occupant zooming by at 94 miles per hour along the center barrier.

That dispensation for traditional hybrids ended in 2011, but there are both white and green stickers that remain good for sole-occupant HOV use until 2015. The white stickers can be used for battery electric, natural gas and hydrogen fuel-cell cars, green stickers are for plug-in hybrids and those with range-extending internal combustion engines. A California assemblyman has introduced a bill that would push the expiration date for those kinds of cars back ten years, to January 1, 2025.

The allotment of white stickers isn't capped, but the legislation dictates that no more than 40,000 green stickers can be distributed and so far 9,000 of that tally has been used. It was said that when it came to reselling a used Prius that had a yellow sticker, it was worth $1,500 more than one without - not bad for an investment that cost nothing on the front end.

California HOV access could be extended 10 years for green cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>californiaelectric vehiclehigh occupancy vehiclehovNatural Gasplug-in hybridFri, 15 Feb 2013 07:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20461555/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/02/15/california-hov-access-could-be-extended-10-years-for-green-cars/20461555/article-detail.xml 20461555 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/2011-chevrolet-volt-review-front-628-1345240285_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/08/2011-chevrolet-volt-review-front-628-1345240285.jpg <![CDATA[Update: Corporations are not people in carpool lanes]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/12/update-corporations-are-not-people-in-carpool-lanes/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/12/update-corporations-are-not-people-in-carpool-lanes/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/12/update-corporations-are-not-people-in-carpool-lanes/#commentsFiled under:

traffic jam

Jonathon Friedman had his day in a San Francisco court, then Jurist Frank Drago had his say, declaring Friedman guilty. The case centered on a sheaf of corporation papers that Friedman used to make a statement about corporate 'personhood.' Driving in a carpool lane in the Bay Area, Friedman was pulled over for not having at least two people in the car. His response was to show the officer his business papers and, citing US Supreme Court decisions that have affirmed that corporations are people, said he indeed did have two people in the car and so was, in fact, carpooling.

The case went before the traffic referee, and the officer who issued the ticket even showed up to defend it. Friedman's attorney, Ford Greene, pointed to the "constitutionally vague" correlation between the California vehicle code that defines a person as "natural persons and corporations" and the carpool lane signs that demands cars in the High Occupancy Vehicle lane be occupied by "two or more persons."

The jurist wasn't interested in all that "novel" malarkey. Drago said, "Common sense says carrying a sheath of papers in the front seat does not relieve traffic congestion," then declared Friedman guilty. Now, we're not constitutional law scholars, but it's been a while since we heard "common sense" used as the sole litmus test for extracting the intention of a law and assigning guilt - and we wonder if that's the same common sense that was used to declare corporations people in the first place.

No matter, Friedman said he expected to lose, and that he'll be appealing the ruling within 30 days.

Update: Corporations are not people in carpool lanes originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 12 Jan 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>californiacarpoolcarpool lanecitizens unitedcorporate personhoodfrank dragofriemanhigh occupancy vehiclehovhov lanejonathan friemansupreme courtSat, 12 Jan 2013 16:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20425253/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/12/update-corporations-are-not-people-in-carpool-lanes/20425253/article-detail.xml 20425253 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/california-traffic-sunset_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/california-traffic-sunset.jpg <![CDATA[California man using "corporations are people" argument to challenge HOV lane ticket]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/07/california-man-using-corporations-are-people-argument-to-chall/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/07/california-man-using-corporations-are-people-argument-to-chall/http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/07/california-man-using-corporations-are-people-argument-to-chall/#commentsFiled under:

HOV Lane CARB stickers on hybrids

A driver in San Rafael, California is attempting to appeal a traffic citation for driving alone in a High Occupancy Vehicle lane. Jonathan Frieman and his attorney, Ford Greene, argue that since Frieman had corporate incorporation papers in his car when he was stopped by an officer, he was actually carpooling at the time. Technically, the state of California's definition of personhood includes both "natural persons and corporations." But Frieman's out to do more than just skirt a $478 traffic ticket with a little fancy legal footwork.

He's sworn to chase the case all the way to the Supreme Court should the first trial not go his way in an attempt to "expose the impracticality of corporate personhood." If Frieman eventually wins his case, the victory could have serious implications on the US Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.

While the US legal system has weighed the benefits and drawbacks of corporate personhood for years, the issue became more clear in 2010 when the Supreme Court ruled that restricting corporate political spending violated the First Amendment. Granting corporations constitutional rights implies the entities themselves have personhood.

California man using "corporations are people" argument to challenge HOV lane ticket originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carpoolcarpool lanecitizens unitedcorporate personhoodfriemanhigh occupancy vehiclehovhov lanejonathan friemansupreme courtMon, 07 Jan 2013 13:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20418391/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2013/01/07/california-man-using-corporations-are-people-argument-to-chall/20418391/article-detail.xml 20418391 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/hov-lane-stickers-on-california-hybrids_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2013/01/hov-lane-stickers-on-california-hybrids.jpg <![CDATA[Ford Focus Electric qualifies for California HOV lane access, extra $2,500 off]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/12/ford-focus-electric-qualifies-for-hov-lane-access-extra-2-500/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/12/ford-focus-electric-qualifies-for-hov-lane-access-extra-2-500/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/12/ford-focus-electric-qualifies-for-hov-lane-access-extra-2-500/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2012 Ford Focus Electric in motion

Following in the footsteps of the Chevrolet Volt and the Honda Civic Natural Gas, the 105-MPGe 2012 Ford Focus Electric has been granted HOV lane access in California by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). CARB not only gave the upcoming all-electric vehicle the ability to let people drive alone in the High Occupancy Vehicle lane but also qualified it for an incentive that affords buyers an extra $2,500 off through the state's Clean Vehicle Rebate Program (CVRP).

With an official range of 76 miles, the Focus EV is what Ford calls the "most fuel-efficient five-passenger car" in the States. As it has in other marketing material, today's press release announcing the HOV designation, Ford is touting ways its car beats the Nissan Leaf (hey, it "only" gets 73 official miles, remember?), as you can read after the jump. For more on the controversial HOV lane situation in California, check out this article from AutoblogGreen contributor Chelsea Sexton.

Continue reading Ford Focus Electric qualifies for California HOV lane access, extra $2,500 off

Ford Focus Electric qualifies for California HOV lane access, extra $2,500 off originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 ford focus electriccalifornia air resources boardcarbfocusfocus electricfocus evfordford focus electrichigh occupancy vehiclehovhov laneMon, 12 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20191426/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/03/12/ford-focus-electric-qualifies-for-hov-lane-access-extra-2-500/20191426/article-detail.xml 20191426 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/ford-focus-electric-in-motion_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2012/03/ford-focus-electric-in-motion.jpg -1 2