Lightnings are like EV Ninjas, especially in HOV lanes

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

Since the Lightning doesn't look like an EV, we're starting to sneak up on people who have no idea we're driving a fully electric vehicle.

I was at a mall the other day where they offer free EV charging spaces right in the front of the lot. As I was pulling into the spot, a guy in a Tesla came down the row and put on his blinker like he was going to take my spot even though he could clearly see I was backing INTO the spot.

He had a look of "What's this idiot doing trying to use one of the EV spots with that truck.", so he sat there and even inched closer and rolled down the window.

I think he was waiting to break the news to me that I didn't belong in that spot.

That's when I popped the charging port, waved at him with the charging cable and... plugged in my Lightning.

Clearly, it will take a while before people re-think what an EV or hybrid EV looks like.

With that in mind, somebody in the Gen14 forum who has a PowerBoost Hybrid was actually given a ticket for using a Hybrid parking spot by a traffic cop who clearly thinks all Hybrids are supposed to look like a Prius.

Which got me thinking about the other places where the Lightning's Ninja skills are likely to catch people, especially law enforcement, by surprise, such as driving in an HOV lane in states that also allow EVs or PEVs.

Here's a list I found of HOV lanes where people can drive their trucks in an HOV lane.

https://www.chargepoint.com/blog/qu...Florida,,the car is eligible for the HOV lane.

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[LightningLover]

Since the Lightning doesn't look like an EV, we're starting to sneak up on people who have no idea we're driving a fully electric vehicle.

I was at a mall the other day where they offer free EV charging spaces right in the front of the lot. As I was pulling into the spot, a guy in a Tesla came down the row and put on his blinker like he was going to take my spot even though he could clearly see I was backing INTO the spot.

He had a look of "What's this idiot doing trying to use one of the EV spots with that truck.", so he sat there and even inched closer and rolled down the window.

I think he was waiting to break the news to me that I didn't belong in that spot.

That's when I popped the charging port, waved at him with the charging cable and... plugged in my Lightning.

Clearly, it will take a while before people re-think what an EV or hybrid EV looks like.

With that in mind, somebody in the Gen14 forum who has a PowerBoost Hybrid was actually given a ticket for using a Hybrid parking spot by a traffic cop who clearly thinks all Hybrids are supposed to look like a Prius.

Which got me thinking about the other places where the Lightning's Ninja skills are likely to catch people, especially law enforcement, by surprise, such as driving in an HOV lane in states that also allow EVs or PEVs.

Here's a list I found of HOV lanes where people can drive their trucks in an HOV lane.

https://www.chargepoint.com/blog/quick-guide-ev-hov-lane-access-and-toll-reductions#:~:text=Many states and provinces, including California, Colorado, Florida,,the car is eligible for the HOV lane.

You can strike Maryland from that list on October 1. The program sunsets at the end of this month.

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

You can strike Maryland from that list on October 1. The program sunsets at the end of this month.

As the number of EVs and Hybrids grows, I think every state will eventually drop or there won't be any incentive to carpool.

 

[teaguem32]

I live in AZ. I made sure to get he special "blue" plate so people would see I'm allowed in the carpool lane without another passenger. I'm still waiting for that one Highway patrol that doesn't know.

 

[hturnerfamily]

yep, in Georgia you can drive the HOV with a Lightning, by yourself, as long as you ALSO have the expensive 'green ev' tag plate... your regular 'prestige ev' plate won't do.....oh well.....

 

[ChrisCon]

Since the Lightning doesn't look like an EV, we're starting to sneak up on people who have no idea we're driving a fully electric vehicle.

I was at a mall the other day where they offer free EV charging spaces right in the front of the lot. As I was pulling into the spot, a guy in a Tesla came down the row and put on his blinker like he was going to take my spot even though he could clearly see I was backing INTO the spot.

He had a look of "What's this idiot doing trying to use one of the EV spots with that truck.", so he sat there and even inched closer and rolled down the window.

I think he was waiting to break the news to me that I didn't belong in that spot.

That's when I popped the charging port, waved at him with the charging cable and... plugged in my Lightning.

Clearly, it will take a while before people re-think what an EV or hybrid EV looks like.

With that in mind, somebody in the Gen14 forum who has a PowerBoost Hybrid was actually given a ticket for using a Hybrid parking spot by a traffic cop who clearly thinks all Hybrids are supposed to look like a Prius.

Which got me thinking about the other places where the Lightning's Ninja skills are likely to catch people, especially law enforcement, by surprise, such as driving in an HOV lane in states that also allow EVs or PEVs.

Here's a list I found of HOV lanes where people can drive their trucks in an HOV lane.

https://www.chargepoint.com/blog/qu...Florida,,the car is eligible for the HOV lane.

Two questions - do you have a clean pass sticker for your truck ? Because you do need one to drive in the HOV lane.

Why were you backing into a charging spot ? At the electrify America stations on Long Island the cable isn’t long enough.

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

Two questions - do you have a clean pass sticker for your truck ? Because you do need one to drive in the HOV lane.

Why were you backing into a charging spot ? At the electrify America stations on Long Island the cable isn’t long enough.

1. I don't have a clean pass sticker yet. I never even knew about the ability to use HOV lanes until recently, but I may not bother because in NYC the limit still is 3+, regardless of the vehicle type.

2. This wasn't an Electrify America station. It was just a free charging station at the Woodbridge mall. The only way to reach it with a Lightning is by backing in.

I've noticed that about half of the free chargers around me are in the front of the spot, and the rest are on the side, so I need to back in whenever it's on the side.

Here's a picture of that particular charger... nicely placed near the mall entrance.

The only way to use that one is to back in.

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

Two questions - do you have a clean pass sticker for your truck ? Because you do need one to drive in the HOV lane.

Why were you backing into a charging spot ? At the electrify America stations on Long Island the cable isn’t long enough.

By the way, it's a mixed bag there... some you not only need to back up, but pull the wire all the way around the front.

 

[ChrisCon]

1. I don't have a clean pass sticker yet. I never even knew about the ability to use HOV lanes until recently, but I may not bother because in NYC the limit still is 3+, regardless of the vehicle type

You learn something new everyday . I’ve driven the Staten Island expressway 4 times in the HOV lane by myself including just last week as I assumed the clean pass stickers ( which off topic are ugly as hell and I understand why lots of Tesla drivers just don’t put them on ) had me covered .. makes sense with mall charger…..

 

[IdeaOfTheDayCom]

You learn something new everyday . I’ve driven the Staten Island expressway 4 times in the HOV lane by myself including just last week as I assumed the clean pass stickers ( which off topic are ugly as hell and I understand why lots of Tesla drivers just don’t put them on ) had me covered .. makes sense with mall charger…..

It's a bit crazy to require 3+, but that's New York City.

Here's the official NYC.Gov page about it:
https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02801

This is the Staten Island rule (3+)

Staten Island Expressway (HOV-3)

The Staten Island Expressway's HOV lane is open in both directions 24 hours per day, seven days per week. It is restricted at all times to passenger vehicles with three or more people, buses, motorcycles, and emergency vehicles.

This expressway is under the jurisdiction of the New York State Department of Transportation. Visit the NYS Department of Transportation website.

 

[Calvin H-C]

I have a Focus Electric and it also doesn't look like an EV, aside from the charge port door being in front of the driver's door instead of the gas filler door at the back.

Heck, the FFE was built on the same assembly line as its ICE siblings were.

Here in Ontario, one can use an HOV lane alone with a green plate (on provincial highways only). My route to the office has an HOV lane with a duck-under tunnel at an interchange that I use. This is a good place for cops to sit and catch HOV-abusers like shooting fish in a barrel since there's no escape by the time you see them.

I saved my dashcam video one day when the officer there saw me alone in my car and raised his hand to indicate "stop" and just as his hand was in position, he could see my front plate and turned his "stop" gesture into a "keep on going" wave.

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