After getting my HOV permit, I was wondering how much the Maryland police knew about electric cars and their right to use the HOV lanes. Today I found out. It was during the trip home this afternoon. He had a marked car and was stuck in among the great unwashed, and I felt perfectly justified sliding past him doing exactly the speed limit. He lit me up.
I tried to pull over onto the HOV shoulder but he wouldn't have it, and waved me across the four lanes to the opposite side. When he came up to the window he told me that we were being recorded and that I was driving in a High Occupancy Vehicle lane all alone. I said, "This must be your first electric car, huh?"
He said, "License and Registration?"
I handed them to him and said, "There's a permit on the back of my car that lets me use the HOV lane."
He said, "We'll see about THAT!!!" I think he was pissed.
After about 30 seconds of standing behind Lil' Sparky, no doubt getting THE WORD from his dispatcher, he came back around and said, "It looks like you're right, Mr. Dusty. Your permit is good until September 2017. You're free to go."
I said very good naturedly, "Come on. This is your first electric car, isn't it?"
He admitted that it was and I asked him to spread the word among his fellow police officers. He replied, "You have a nice day."
And that was it, except getting back into traffic from a stand-still wasn't going to be easy. Everyone was packed in pretty tight and moving about 50mph. Then came a little opening and Lil' Sparky just sort of squirted into it, further educating Mr. Policeman about the acceleration capability of electric cars. Usually I depart such encounters feeling stupid and ashamed. Not this time!
Dusty
I tried to pull over onto the HOV shoulder but he wouldn't have it, and waved me across the four lanes to the opposite side. When he came up to the window he told me that we were being recorded and that I was driving in a High Occupancy Vehicle lane all alone. I said, "This must be your first electric car, huh?"
He said, "License and Registration?"
I handed them to him and said, "There's a permit on the back of my car that lets me use the HOV lane."
He said, "We'll see about THAT!!!" I think he was pissed.
After about 30 seconds of standing behind Lil' Sparky, no doubt getting THE WORD from his dispatcher, he came back around and said, "It looks like you're right, Mr. Dusty. Your permit is good until September 2017. You're free to go."
I said very good naturedly, "Come on. This is your first electric car, isn't it?"
He admitted that it was and I asked him to spread the word among his fellow police officers. He replied, "You have a nice day."
And that was it, except getting back into traffic from a stand-still wasn't going to be easy. Everyone was packed in pretty tight and moving about 50mph. Then came a little opening and Lil' Sparky just sort of squirted into it, further educating Mr. Policeman about the acceleration capability of electric cars. Usually I depart such encounters feeling stupid and ashamed. Not this time!
Dusty