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California teslas and HOV lane free?

Leland

Member
Jan 7, 2013
84
173
Riverside, CA
But the question is... is it still a fine? I mean it's illegal for me to drive w/o insurance however if I get a ticket for not having my proof of insurance be with me (and I am insured) I can simply show proof to the court and have the ticket dismissed. Is this not the case here?
Unfortunatey it isn't a correctable violation. So you can't put the stickers on after you're cited and get the ticket signed off, paying just the $25 dismissal fee.
 

jeffro01

Active Member
Jan 30, 2013
2,676
1,926
Teller County CO
To this day I don't see what peoples issues are with the stickers... Under CA law, you must have all of them affixed to the correct locations or you could be cited. I know people who have been cited for keeping them in their glove box and such. Just put them on your car and be done with it, it's the price you pay for getting in the HOV lane, and reduced bridge tools, when you otherwise legally couldn't.

Jeff
 

omarsultan

Active Member
Jun 22, 2013
2,195
4,446
Northern California
They are supposed to be changing the transponder strategy to crack down on cheating. For example, on the I680 ExpressLane, the stickers are enough for now, but on the new I580 ExpressLane, you need to use the new Flex transponder and set it to 3+. I would assume they will start doing that on I680 too. In the last month or so, I see them really cracking down on HOV cheaters.
 

skilly

Member
Dec 8, 2014
748
216
Livermore CA
But the question is... is it still a fine? I mean it's illegal for me to drive w/o insurance however if I get a ticket for not having my proof of insurance be with me (and I am insured) I can simply show proof to the court and have the ticket dismissed. Is this not the case here?

Whats the point in having the sticker if you're too vain to put it on your car and expect to be pulled over. What was a convenience factor immediately becomes a liability and what was a faster commute gets protracted to a regular one while you try and explain yourself...which by the way will work once if you're lucky - then you will be tagged in the system as pulled over for that reason.

The earlier post about keeping your tags in your car...that sometimes works; however, California does have a hefty fine for those they decide to charge with improper display of plates or lack there of...its >$500.00 and a friend of mine was recently issued that because he didn't feel the need to put his permanent plate on when it arrived 3 months earlier - its a judgement call by the CHP....they give breaks out about as much as I win the lottery.
 

marty2112

Member
Apr 6, 2015
286
203
Petaluma, CA
They are supposed to be changing the transponder strategy to crack down on cheating. For example, on the I680 ExpressLane, the stickers are enough for now, but on the new I580 ExpressLane, you need to use the new Flex transponder and set it to 3+. I would assume they will start doing that on I680 too. In the last month or so, I see them really cracking down on HOV cheaters.

I also keep my stickers in the glove box... Don't use the HOV lanes everyday, so my chances are a little better. I would love to see if the stickers can be moved to the license plates. Maybe there is an obvious reason that hasn't happened.

Interesting comment on the transponders. Maybe one day, the stickers go away completely.....
 

mspohr

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2014
8,978
10,392
California
I live in a rural area in California and only go to the land of HOV lanes, tolls, etc. about once a month.
I hate the look of the stickers are worry about damage to the car paint.
Someone in another thread proposed a removable sticker solution which I use. I can put the stickers on when needed and remove them cleanly when not needed. I use this material:
Amazon.com - Crafty-Fab by Vinyl Oasis - Self-Adhesive Craft -

I attach the sticker to this fabric which has an adhesive back and is "Removable, Repositionable, & Reusable. Restickable up to 100 times! "
So far, it's worked well. It sticks well and removes easily. I always apply it to a clean surface and water doesn't seem to bother it.
This probably won't be a good solution if you need to use the HOV lanes frequently but for me, it's great.

(Note: This may violate some rule about applying the stickers "permanently" but I don't want a permanent sticker and nobody can tell the difference.)
 

liuping

Active Member
Jul 23, 2013
2,241
895
San Diego
I also keep my stickers in the glove box... Don't use the HOV lanes everyday, so my chances are a little better. I would love to see if the stickers can be moved to the license plates. Maybe there is an obvious reason that hasn't happened.
The main reason is probably so the CHP can to see the sticker from the side, not just from the back where a license plate would be visible.

I would love an EV license plate offered. they have all sorts of custom plates, from "Pet Lovers" to "Supporting Lake Tahoe". Is seems like adding a EV plate would not be that hard.
 

yo mama

Supporting Member
Jul 22, 2015
462
164
san jose, CA
My wife's idea is to affix the stickers to flexible, thin sheets of magnetic material. Then cut the material out in the shapes of the stickers. Then put that on the car on days when you'll be using HOV. Store them in the glove box when you aren't. I like this idea because I don't use HOV very often.
 

mspohr

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2014
8,978
10,392
California
My wife's idea is to affix the stickers to flexible, thin sheets of magnetic material. Then cut the material out in the shapes of the stickers. Then put that on the car on days when you'll be using HOV. Store them in the glove box when you aren't. I like this idea because I don't use HOV very often.
I don't think magnetic material would stick to the aluminum body or plastic bumper cover.
 

Caligula

Member
Oct 14, 2015
596
149
San Diego

AEdennis

Active Member
Jul 23, 2013
2,712
937
Actually no. That front plate isn't going anywhere near my car, nor is the drill that is required to make holes in my front bumper to attach it. Between 5 cars and 13 years in CA, I've had 1 cop tell me to put it on. I like those odds.

There are several less destructive ways to comply with those rules... Some guys have the magnets that have stayed on the car for up to 80MPH on their drives.
 

JenniferQ

Supporting Member
Sep 13, 2015
1,260
513
San Diego, CA
I don't think magnetic material would stick to the aluminum body or plastic bumper cover.
There's not very much magnetic on the car. Only the T in a few places and the rear quarter window trim. I already tried for a political magnet to avoid a sticker. Just avoiding politics now...:crying:
 

Brett

Member
Jul 10, 2013
240
47
Los Angeles
I caved. 11 months after delivery of my 2nd Model S, I put the stickers on. I didn't want to feel nervous anymore driving in the HOV with the stickers in the glove box. Now - I drive guilt free. And they really are a badge of honor. I don't know why I waited....
 

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