Darth_Lukecash: OgreMagi: Darth_Lukecash: OgreMagi: Somewhat related. Here in California they encouraged hybrid ownership by giving them HOV lane access without regard to the number of vehicle occupants. It worked (along with high gas prices). The number of hybrid owners shot up. Then the politicians started biatching because they weren't making as much money off of taxes (too piss away) because of reduced fuel consumption. So now they're talking about putting transponders in all vehicles and charging by the mile.

Basically,

1. Encourage a different behavior.
2. People go along and change their behavior.
3. Punish everyone for changing their behavior.
4. Profit.

At least they've since took away the HOV lane privileges.

The high gass prices are what's driving down consumption. On the bright spot, due to unemployment and gass prices, the highways are less crowded

I assume the high gas prices in California are part of their plan to encourage fuel economy. We have some the highest gas prices in the country. What I said still applies. They encouraged fuel economy, people went along, now the politicians are discussing how to punish us for that.

I'm not sure having less crowded highways is worth having such a high unemployment rate.

No, the taxes where never passed for that, the taxes were passed for road maintenance, education, and other things. Problem is that the money has been legislatively redistributed from the original reason.

The other reason is of couse is supply and demand. Southern Califiniornia is an automobile designed society. That and many cities and counties add a tax to gas as well. Most states don't do that.

I agree that the high fuel taxes are mostly because of the need for road maintenance, but I do remember our politicians discussing how they want to encourage the use of mass transit and more fuel efficient cars. BTW, I've been biatching about the government stealing our highway funds for other things for years. Our roads are shiat because they need to spend that money on a shelter for unwed lesbian pregnant whales of color.

Vangor: I do not see how preferable parking spaces will promote the use of those vehicles. I never thought to injure myself to get disabled parking, and I would have an easier time doing so than buying an entirely new vehicle to avoid walking twenty more feet. But, this seems something to manufacture outrage for people who froth at the mouth when hearing about steps to reduce waste, emissions, etc..

Or irritation from those of us who actually give a damn about both the disabled and the environment, and want to go find the genius who did this parking lot and smack them upside the head.

/Seriously, you REALLY need to do this?
//And then you can't just say 'oops, sorry, we'll fix it!'
///Dumbasses.

cowgirl toffee: [img832.imageshack.us image 197x256]

My son wants to get me one like that. It looks like fun!

So how does someone manage to push a shopping cart up and down every isle of a Wal-Mart Super Center but having to walk an extra 50 feet to the store entrance is impossible.

Handicap tags are being given out like candy in this country..

ice009: So how does someone manage to push a shopping cart up and down every isle of a Wal-Mart Super Center but having to walk an extra 50 feet to the store entrance is impossible.

Handicap tags are being given out like candy in this country..

I do agree about the tags. There are way to many people who think it is ok to use moms, dads, grandmas, or the cats tag. Yes, I said the cats. Please remember though, that many of us are legit. We have to eat, so we have to go to stores. I get worn out easily. By mid-afternoon I am In bed. It is not an easy life.
Not all of us can afford rocket chairs. When we go to get the stores electric carts, many have signs that say broken. Anyone that uses a tag that they don't need, should be beaten until they earn one!

Mollica said the placement of the parking slots was intentional. He explained that the spots for LEV and hybrid vehicles are close to the store to assist with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification requirements, a federal designation of energy efficiency and environmental design.

By that line of thinking, they should make them park way off in a corner so a less-efficient vehicle doesn't have to expend more gas to drive that far.

cowgirl toffee: daffy: cowgirl toffee: [img832.imageshack.us image 197x256]

My son wants to get me one like that. It looks like fun!

Doesn't it?!

How about a custom job?

[img850.imageshack.us image 217x233]

My grandma has a motorized wheelchair. I got her to call it her "Camaro".

I have to show my son! I can't wait to drive it.

Why not get rid of the state liquor stores and allow some free-market price and product offering competition? In California, most of the liquor, wine and beer is sold in supermarkets, so I'll shop at Ralph's if my Captain Morgan Rum is cheaper there than at Von's or Albertson's.

Mr. Right: While hybrids may be nice if you just have you and a friend, has anyone else ever noticed that modern cars, hybrids or not, are incapable of hauling anything other than a driver and a couple passengers? When I was a kid (admittedly a long time ago), every family sedan on the market could pull a travel trailer on the family vacation or pull the boat up to the cottage or pull the horse trailer up to the daughter's horse show on weekends.

Every family sedan was built like a truck and got horrible gas mileage like a truck, too.

And even now, cars are capable of more, but are just not rated for it, probably because manufacturers want no liability. It's easier just to say, "sorry, we told you you're not allowed to tow with it." But check the towing specs on any US car, and then check their UK site, and you'll find that the same model has a much larger capacity.

Now, anyone engaging in such activities needs either a large SUV with the trailer towing package (extra) or a 1/2T or larger truck.

It's amazing that 90% of the driving populace seems to have a horse trailer they need to haul somewhere. Yet I almost never see a trailer attached, and certainly not during commute hours.

Even a 1/2T pickup won't do what a 60s or 70s model would.

The 1973 F250 had a GVWR of 6,200 pounds. The very lowest capacity 2011 F-150 has a GVWR of 6,450 pounds, and fully optioned, has a GVWR of 8,200 pounds, a GVWR of 17,100 pounds and can haul a trailer weighing 11,300 pounds. The older F250 isn't as capable, and the F100 isn't even in the ballpark. Hell, even a Ranger can tow a 6,000 pound trailer.

So, while fuel efficiency may be nice, anyone who has a lifestyle that requires any hauling around of "stuff" either drives one of those evil SUVs all the time or needs to have more than one vehicle. How much of a carbon footprint do we leave by building several vehicles instead of one all-purpose car?

Probably less than wearing out your truck by commuting in it, PLUS wasting all that extra fuel, PLUS the extra wear and tear on the roads.

Via looking at the picture, those poor poor handicapped drunks will only have to walk/roll
about 15 feet farther to the door. Whoop de farking do.

Orange Guy: Why not get rid of the state liquor stores and allow some free-market price and product offering competition? In California, most of the liquor, wine and beer is sold in supermarkets, so I'll shop at Ralph's if my Captain Morgan Rum is cheaper there than at Von's or Albertson's.

I don't understand them either. In Michigan, you can get beer/liquor anywhere that's licensed to sell it. The good liquor stores have the best prices on liquor, usually grocery stores have the best prices on beer. Where my sister lives in NC you have to go to the state liquor stores that have a shiatty selection. It's like they don't even care.

it might have been brought up earlier, but from the article:
"the new $3.3 million state liquor store"

is it wishful thinking that I somehow think that New Hampshire has a program to supply the public with liquor and this would be where you go to get your crown royal?

Of course if it was a state run program like that, due to lack of funds, instead of crown royal, you would have to get the alternative, krown royale.

Are they going to do anything about the sneering that goes along with the smugness?

skinink Sometimes I park in handicapped spaces while handicapped people make handicapped faces.

What song is that from? It's now driving me crazy not being able to remember...

Pretty Pit Bull Puppies: skinink Sometimes I park in handicapped spaces while handicapped people make handicapped faces.

What song is that from? It's now driving me crazy not being able to remember...

Dennis Leary "Asshole"

Scruffinator: Orange Guy: Why not get rid of the state liquor stores and allow some free-market price and product offering competition? In California, most of the liquor, wine and beer is sold in supermarkets, so I'll shop at Ralph's if my Captain Morgan Rum is cheaper there than at Von's or Albertson's.

I don't understand them either. In Michigan, you can get beer/liquor anywhere that's licensed to sell it. The good liquor stores have the best prices on liquor, usually grocery stores have the best prices on beer. Where my sister lives in NC you have to go to the state liquor stores that have a shiatty selection. It's like they don't even care.

In NH the state makes every cent of the mark-up on liqour. When you border states like Vermont and Masschusetts and put the stores on the border those stores make a fortune for the state. The store at the Portsmouth Traffic Circle used to be the busiest liqour store in the country. In a state with as anti-tax and small government as NH the state liqour stores are one of the only things keeping it afloat.

Plus I guess you can sorta control smuggling and underage purchases? Definitely a secondary concern.

Vangor: "I do not see how preferable parking spaces will promote the use of those vehicles."

Agree; Personally, being in AZ, I'm looking for the spot where a tree or the building gives a bit of shade. Proximity to the entrance is never a consideration. The assumption that everyone is driven to be the closest to the door is in error. The close spots for the disabled is logical and desired. Those that assume that the tragically hip with special cars are also those that need to be close to the door are transparently stupid.

If I was disabled, I'd certainly prioritise access to the bathroom over access to booze. But then again, maybe if I was disabled I'd understand why drinking is so important...

SpikeStrip: Poppa Boner: jaylectricity: Handicapped and old people shouldn't be drinking anyway. It's bad for you and is bad for your balance.



*fingersnapheadwaggle*


okay, how many people read that then did that?

I'll admit it.

rosonowski: Vangor: I do not see how preferable parking spaces will promote the use of those vehicles.

If enough places had these spots, the thinking might go something like this: "Well, I could get this normal car, but if I get the hybrid, I also buy a reserved parking space at a number of places!"

This is why I think about breaking my legs every day. Getting into stores would be so easy!

Inchoate: more important

More important? Really? Why, what did they do for society that's so awesome, that makes them more important?

That's a stupid statement dude. They are defective, so we change things around a little bit so that they can move around despite their deficiencies. That's all. Considering them more important is against what's better for our society.

The best deal they should get should be:

-> If they are born defective, or have an IQ of -> If they get the condition later in life, it's in no way genetic, and they have an IQ over 120, they get to keep their right to procreate, plus the handicap tag and some welfare.

I'm not saying we should force this on anyway, you can opt out of the tag and welfare, and have more defective kids. But we won't help you do that.

This stupidly religious society is committing genetic suicide by going against evolution.

I park in any of those family spots . And I don't care. If it isn't enforced by law, it's free parking as far as I'm concerned.

Legally speaking, the handicapped parking trumps the hybrid parking. And the hybrid parking sign actually have no legal standing. Ignore the sign and park there anyway. I've seen them here in my state. I will park in a "reserved for hybrid only" spaces anyway. The exception is if it is a bonified charging station for the fully electric vehicles. If am transporting a disabled person, then I will use the best spot possible, usually a handicapped space. Sometimes there are better spaces.

/I have permit which permits me to park in any (handicapped) space provided I am transporting a disabled person.
//Part of my job to know that sort of thing.
///I do think that they give out handicapped permits to people who aren't disabled.

Comsamvimes: I've only seen hybrid spaces near the Whole Foods by me (go figure). The same lot also has spaces for "expecting mothers". It's getting a little ridiculous.

The HEB near me also has spaces for "people with kids" Farking breeders.

skinink: Sometimes I park in handicapped spaces while handicapped people make handicapped faces.

You know, you really are an arsehole.

In that case, you don't have to be human to be disabled.

skinink: Sometimes I park in handicapped spaces while handicapped people make handicapped faces.

I guess that makes two assholes. I'm still chuckling over this.

AbbeySomeone: dosboot: Comsamvimes: I've only seen hybrid spaces near the Whole Foods by me (go figure). The same lot also has spaces for "expecting mothers". It's getting a little ridiculous.

Whole Foods is both for the environment and against it. Having children AKA "Little Carbon Footprints" is probably one of the most injurious things that the average person does to the environment.

Anyone that can afford to shop at WF can afford kids. WF caters to the high maintenance crowd.

/love that place!

Personally I hate the huge amounts of smug that emanate from Whole Foods, but on the other hand it is hard to find chicory coffee outside of Louisiana/the internet, except at Whole Foods.

Look if I was physically disabled and say unable to hold a job steadily and my only joy in my empty, sad, life was drinking myself senseless. I'd be angry about the handicapped space issue at the liquor store as well. I mean my hey doesn't the liquor store owner want that chunk out of disability check?

Read headline in *wheeze* Stevie's *gasp* voice

Inchoate: I appreciate the promotion of greener vehicles, but handicapped folks are more important and physically need closer spaces. The "but they're closer to the restrooms!" explanation sounds like it was made up after the fact. -_-

The article fails to mention that these buildings (by usage) are 75% rest stop, 25% liquor store, so placement of the handicap spaces close to the bathrooms makes total sense. To my knowledge, NH only has one rest stop that is not a liquor/lottery retailer. Yay capitalism.

So they didn't have a problem with the location of these handicapped spots before the hybrid spots were added?