To the editor: Carpool lanes were created several decades ago in the interest of increasing ride-sharing to reduce congestion. Electric vehicles were invented, in part, to reduce air pollution (or at least shift the pollution to nominally efficient generating plants).
About 20 years ago, authorities decided to promote EV use by giving them free rein in high-occupancy vehicle, or HOV, lanes, even without passengers (“California EV drivers could lose their carpool lane privileges in September,” Aug. 8). This has filled carpool lanes with cars with solo drivers. These folks have no incentive to share their cars with other riders; that is, carpooling is again ignored.
I agree with the Coalition for Clean Air’s Bill Magavern: It’s time to again make room for carpools and reduce the total number of cars on our freeways. Let the EV special interest permits expire.
Greg Golden, Van Nuys
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To the editor: I’ve carpooled from Long Beach to Irvine for most of 20 years, either in a multiperson carpool or a hybrid/EV. It is frustrating and sad to say that due to scarce enforcement by the California Highway Patrol, about half of the vehicles I see in Southern California HOV lanes are cheaters. A camera-based system of enforcement needs to be in place, as well as a change of the rules to require that a second passenger (one who is of driving age) be in the front seat so that the cameras can perform their function.
Joseph DeMello, Long Beach