California HOV Sticker Photos.....Show your placement

[Ferdinand P.]

We only wanted to put on 1 smaller sticker and this is the placement. Haven't been pulled over in over a year of use. If we have to put another one on in the future I'm definitely putting on paint protection film under the sticker prior to placement. When I tried to take off my Prius HOV stickers it looked like a complete hack-job!

Also, the 5:1 H20 to alcohol spray to position correctly is a great tip, thanks Hakushu.

 

[focher]

We only wanted to put on 1 smaller sticker and this is the placement. Haven't been pulled over in over a year of use. If we have to put another one on in the future I'm definitely putting on paint protection film under the sticker prior to placement. When I tried to take off my Prius HOV stickers it looked like a complete hack-job!

Also, the 5:1 H20 to alcohol spray to position correctly is a great tip, thanks Hakushu.

Joe / OC Detailing (the OCD abbreviation is probably intentional to how they approach their work) did my full wrap and - while not cheap - did both a terrific job and is committed to customer satisfaction beyond belief. They did put my decal license plate on PPF film before attaching, but as I use the magnetic material to attach my HOV stickers and they said that's pretty cool.

 

[MikeR55]

So if you do magnets you can still place all 4 on front and back, close enough to where they should be?

I see the posts here where people put it on the back- but what about the front?

 

[Kevy Baby]

I've placed my stickers in the center console. Been driving the carpool lane for almost a year and nary a glance.

Yes, I know I am risking a ticket.

 

[danarcha]

Excuse my ignorance please, but I live a couple thousand miles away from California and we don't have HOV lanes are here. But why the heck does the state require you to put four big ugly stickers all around your car in order to drive in the HOV lane? Why wouldn't one sticker on the license plate or rear window be sufficient? If I'm driving my tesla from out of state and don't have stickers on my car, am I not able to use the HOV lane? All of this makes no sense. Have the citizens complained about these rules or does everyone just happily plaster these stickers around their cars?

 

[The_Observer]

Excuse my ignorance please, but I live a couple thousand miles away from California and we don't have HOV lanes are here. But why the heck does the state require you to put four big ugly stickers all around your car in order to drive in the HOV lane? Why wouldn't one sticker on the license plate or rear window be sufficient? If I'm driving my tesla from out of state and don't have stickers on my car, am I not able to use the HOV lane? All of this makes no sense. Have the citizens complained about these rules or does everyone just happily plaster these stickers around their cars?

Legally in California, you cannot drive in the HOV lane as a solo driver without the stickers if you have a qualified EV/PHEV/other clean air vehicles. But I have seen people drive without it and usually they don't have a problem.

But it's also depending where you are in California, the highway patrol might be enforcing it more in some areas.

As of why the stickers? Who knows, that was created well over 20 years ago when the first stickers are created, so I am not sure the history about that.

 

[Kevy Baby]

Excuse my ignorance please, but I live a couple thousand miles away from California and we don't have HOV lanes are here. But why the heck does the state require you to put four big ugly stickers all around your car in order to drive in the HOV lane? Why wouldn't one sticker on the license plate or rear window be sufficient? If I'm driving my tesla from out of state and don't have stickers on my car, am I not able to use the HOV lane? All of this makes no sense. Have the citizens complained about these rules or does everyone just happily plaster these stickers around their cars?

I agree that putting FOUR stickers is excessive and ridiculous. Hence why I have not put any on my car. Although I believe Northern California may have some automated reading system(s) in place on certain roads.

The HOV lane concept originated a while back as a way to encourage using carpools and buses, ostensibly so that we would reduce traffic and decrease pollution.

The rules vary depending on which highway you are on and they vary significantly between Northern and Southern California. You can read all the rules here. The sticker came about when low or no emission vehicles started showing up. Since they help with the pollution part of the reason behind the lanes, the state wanted to further incentivize people to get these cars. In California, HOV lanes can be VERY helpful - in pre-Covid times, it would reduce my 22 mile commute from 45-60 minutes to 25-35 minutes. YMMV

Technically speaking, you cannot drive in the HOV lanes as a solo driver without a sticker. Enforcement varies and is of course a crap-shoot. I have 17,000+ miles and would say easily half have been in the HOV lane and have not had an issue. But I also know I am gambling here.

On most Southern California HOV lanes, it only takes two (driver and passenger) to qualify as a carpool. Other places, it is three.

To further make driving confusing in the Golden State, there are also many toll roads where you need a Fastrack account. This is completely separate from the HOV lanes.

Finally, HOV lanes are also called Carpool lanes and Diamond lanes (the symbol used to designate the lane is a diamond).

 

[MarcG]

I believe the location of the stickers is designed to allow a law enforcement officer to be able to quickly qualify HOV lane use from any angle they may find themselves relative to the vehicle.

 

[robski]

I'd personally hold off on applying in 2020 and wait till 2021 since the freeways are still light.

 

[MikeR55]

I'd personally hold off on applying in 2020 and wait till 2021 since the freeways are still light.

Light? I wish. Seems worse than ever in the LA area. I guess because of no school morning commute won't quite be as bad?

 

[robski]

Light? I wish. Seems worse than ever in the LA area. I guess because of no school morning commute won't quite be as bad?

You're right. I continue the mistake of thinking my experience is like everyone else's, and honestly, I haven't commuted since March. I can only really speak from my occasional errands here and there. Ignore my comment lol.

 

[Spacep0d]

don't have my carpool stickers yet but the video of this shows it better

I cringed a bit when he just flopped the sticker down before burnishing. Burnish as you lay it down! Former sticker maker here. I liked his alignment, though I think that panel bevel is as good a place to align as any. He aligned the end with the imaginary end of the bevel which I think is a good choice. Great idea to place this on paint protection foam!

 

[Kevy Baby]

I'd personally hold off on applying in 2020 and wait till 2021 since the freeways are still light.

Light? I wish. Seems worse than ever in the LA area. I guess because of no school morning commute won't quite be as bad?

Here in Orange County, the traffic hasn't been that bad. Using the carpool lane is only slightly better for my drive. I would still hold off on getting the sticker until 2021 if it were my call.

 

[Eno Deb]

I believe the location of the stickers is designed to allow a law enforcement officer to be able to quickly qualify HOV lane use from any angle they may find themselves relative to the vehicle.

Yep. Interestingly, in my case the sticker on the front bumper is probably the most important one. My commute includes a freeway onramp that has an HOV lane with direct access to the HOV lane (which often saved me 10 minutes or more of stop and go before the pandemic). Quite often they have a motorcycle cop sitting on the shoulder of the onramp pulling out approaching solo drivers without the sticker.

Personally I don't think the stickers are that big of a deal. Just put them on paint protection film as discussed earlier, and they will come off easily when they expire in a few years.

 

[Kevy Baby]

Personally I don't think the stickers are that big of a deal. Just put them on paint protection film as discussed earlier, and they will come off easily when they expire in a few years.

I have the PPF base (which I have never put on). Will the PPF come off easily when it is time?

 

[needp3d-]

I have the PPF base (which I have never put on). Will the PPF come off easily when it is time?

Depends on the material and how you put it on

 

[P3dStealth]

I use cling film. I only put my HOV stickers on when I need and remove them put them back on the cling film sheet when done.

Leaves no marks and they don't fall off. I've driven in storms on the highway for 120miles with them on.

 

[SoCalGuy]

Magnetic down low..

It looks like there’s an outline on your bumper where you put the magnet? Is that just due to dust and dirt or did the magnet affect the paint?

 

[SoCalGuy]

I use cling film. I only put my HOV stickers on when I need and remove them put them back on the cling film sheet when done.

Leaves no marks and they don't fall off. I've driven in storms on the highway for 120miles with them on.

What’s this cling film you speak of?

 

[MoreAgain]

What’s this cling film you speak of?

California Clean Air Vehicle Clean-Cling