No more solo Diamond Lane in CA [Admin Warning: NO POLITICS]

[Mousetrap]

The 60 transition period is not just CHP policy, it’s in the text of the law:

“If this section becomes inoperative pursuant to subdivision (j) the driver of a vehicle with an otherwise valid decal, label, or other identifier issued pursuant to this section shall not be cited for a violation of Section 21655.9 within 60 days of the date that this section becomes inoperative.”

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=5205.5&lawCode=VEH

HEY, some real information citing the actual source. Thank you!!

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[sfvR1S]

While that is indeed a benefit, that's more a byproduct of having fewer cars on the road than an actual goal of the program in and of itself. The original reason that HOV lanes came into existence were to reduce traffic congestion. HOV lanes are supposed to be significantly faster than regular lanes, thereby incentivizing drivers to carpool when possible. You can't achieve that goal when the lanes are clogged full of solo-driver EVs. It's great that people bought EVs and lowered emissions, but that doesn't help at all with the original stated goal.

I'm old enough to remember a time when there was a brown haze in the sky in Los Angeles. During summers, if you stayed outside for several hours and took a deep breath, your chest would hurt.

Reducing the number of vehicles or increasing the number of EV's have both probably contributed to improved air quality in the area.

 

[Joules Burn]

The last chapter in my career was in government air monitoring. There were 15 million vehicles registered in California in 2018. Over 30 million in 2023. The three major factors in decreasing emissions in the last 50 years were fuel injection, computer controlled ignition, and the catalytic converter.

 

[tjrivian]

The last chapter in my career was in government air monitoring. There were 15 million vehicles registered in California in 2018. Over 30 million in 2023. The three major factors in decreasing emissions in the last 50 years were fuel injection, computer controlled ignition, and the catalytic converter.

The number of registered vehicles doubled over a 5 year timespan? That's hard to believe.

 

[SANZC02]

I'm old enough to remember a time when there was a brown haze in the sky in Los Angeles. During summers, if you stayed outside for several hours and took a deep breath, your chest would hurt.

Reducing the number of vehicles or increasing the number of EV's have both probably contributed to improved air quality in the area.

Do not need to go back that far, I moved to SoCal in the 1980s, we used to get smog alerts all of the time. Even with the number of registered vehicles going up the air quality since 1980 has made a huge positive change. I’m sure all of the improvements to ICE vehicle emissions has helped but the number of Hybred and EVs play a big part as well.

Chart Source: Los Angeles

Year	Good Quality Air Days	Moderate Quality Air Days	Unhealthy Air for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy Air Days	Very Unhealthy or Hazardous Air Days	Total Unhealthy/ Hazardous Air Days
2024*	38	195	78	46	9	133
2023	41	237	52	32	3	87
2022	17	254	65	28	1	94
2021	9	259	70	26	1	97
2020*	35	194	77	43	17	137
2019	34	245	57	28	1	86
2018	7	250	89	18	1	108
2017	9	237	73	38	8	119
2016*	7	255	81	19	4	104
2015	3	230	95	36	1	132
2014	8	250	79	26	2	107
2013	8	257	75	25	0	100
2012*	14	222	93	35	2	130
2011	2	242	82	36	3	121
2010	14	237	99	15	0	114
2009	19	228	71	43	4	118
2008*	12	233	67	46	8	121
2007	24	214	91	30	6	127
2006	32	204	79	39	11	129
2005	36	191	77	48	13	138
2004*	15	193	87	67	4	158
2003	22	173	83	57	30	170
2002	22	164	104	53	22	179
2001	13	166	127	48	11	186
2000*	15	176	114	51	10	175
1999	17	180	140	27	1	168
1998	54	193	72	22	24	118
1997	33	171	116	32	13	161
1996*	42	154	91	47	32	170
1995	44	107	109	45	60	214
1994	22	124	96	41	82	219
1993	29	108	111	45	72	228
1992*	22	104	92	59	89	240
1991	16	118	95	51	85	231
1990	17	119	84	56	89	229
1989	10	69	110	63	113	286
1988*	9	65	84	63	145	292
1987	6	92	86	52	129	267
1986	7	72	92	54	140	286
1985	10	82	91	43	139	273
1984*	5	71	101	52	137	290
1983	11	103	79	37	135	251
1982	8	83	91	54	129	274
1981	4	56	99	46	160	305
1980*	6	73	81	47	159	287

 

[onthebrake]

Do not need to go back that far, I moved to SoCal in the 1980s, we used to get smog alerts all of the time. Even with the number of registered vehicles going up the air quality since 1980 has made a huge positive change. I’m sure all of the improvements to ICE vehicle emissions has helped but the number of Hybred and EVs play a big part as well.

Chart Source: Los Angeles

Year	Good Quality Air Days	Moderate Quality Air Days	Unhealthy Air for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy Air Days	Very Unhealthy or Hazardous Air Days	Total Unhealthy/ Hazardous Air Days
2024*	38	195	78	46	9	133
2023	41	237	52	32	3	87
2022	17	254	65	28	1	94
2021	9	259	70	26	1	97
2020*	35	194	77	43	17	137
2019	34	245	57	28	1	86
2018	7	250	89	18	1	108
2017	9	237	73	38	8	119
2016*	7	255	81	19	4	104
2015	3	230	95	36	1	132
2014	8	250	79	26	2	107
2013	8	257	75	25	0	100
2012*	14	222	93	35	2	130
2011	2	242	82	36	3	121
2010	14	237	99	15	0	114
2009	19	228	71	43	4	118
2008*	12	233	67	46	8	121
2007	24	214	91	30	6	127
2006	32	204	79	39	11	129
2005	36	191	77	48	13	138
2004*	15	193	87	67	4	158
2003	22	173	83	57	30	170
2002	22	164	104	53	22	179
2001	13	166	127	48	11	186
2000*	15	176	114	51	10	175
1999	17	180	140	27	1	168
1998	54	193	72	22	24	118
1997	33	171	116	32	13	161
1996*	42	154	91	47	32	170
1995	44	107	109	45	60	214
1994	22	124	96	41	82	219
1993	29	108	111	45	72	228
1992*	22	104	92	59	89	240
1991	16	118	95	51	85	231
1990	17	119	84	56	89	229
1989	10	69	110	63	113	286
1988*	9	65	84	63	145	292
1987	6	92	86	52	129	267
1986	7	72	92	54	140	286
1985	10	82	91	43	139	273
1984*	5	71	101	52	137	290
1983	11	103	79	37	135	251
1982	8	83	91	54	129	274
1981	4	56	99	46	160	305
1980*	6	73	81	47	159	287

I’m sure the improvements with diesel vehicles played a huge role too with the new DEF burning off emissions.

 

[mkg3]

Do not need to go back that far, I moved to SoCal in the 1980s, we used to get smog alerts all of the time. Even with the number of registered vehicles going up the air quality since 1980 has made a huge positive change. I’m sure all of the improvements to ICE vehicle emissions has helped but the number of Hybred and EVs play a big part as well.

Chart Source: Los Angeles

Year	Good Quality Air Days	Moderate Quality Air Days	Unhealthy Air for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy Air Days	Very Unhealthy or Hazardous Air Days	Total Unhealthy/ Hazardous Air Days
2024*	38	195	78	46	9	133
2023	41	237	52	32	3	87
2022	17	254	65	28	1	94
2021	9	259	70	26	1	97
2020*	35	194	77	43	17	137
2019	34	245	57	28	1	86
2018	7	250	89	18	1	108
2017	9	237	73	38	8	119
2016*	7	255	81	19	4	104
2015	3	230	95	36	1	132
2014	8	250	79	26	2	107
2013	8	257	75	25	0	100
2012*	14	222	93	35	2	130
2011	2	242	82	36	3	121
2010	14	237	99	15	0	114
2009	19	228	71	43	4	118
2008*	12	233	67	46	8	121
2007	24	214	91	30	6	127
2006	32	204	79	39	11	129
2005	36	191	77	48	13	138
2004*	15	193	87	67	4	158
2003	22	173	83	57	30	170
2002	22	164	104	53	22	179
2001	13	166	127	48	11	186
2000*	15	176	114	51	10	175
1999	17	180	140	27	1	168
1998	54	193	72	22	24	118
1997	33	171	116	32	13	161
1996*	42	154	91	47	32	170
1995	44	107	109	45	60	214
1994	22	124	96	41	82	219
1993	29	108	111	45	72	228
1992*	22	104	92	59	89	240
1991	16	118	95	51	85	231
1990	17	119	84	56	89	229
1989	10	69	110	63	113	286
1988*	9	65	84	63	145	292
1987	6	92	86	52	129	267
1986	7	72	92	54	140	286
1985	10	82	91	43	139	273
1984*	5	71	101	52	137	290
1983	11	103	79	37	135	251
1982	8	83	91	54	129	274
1981	4	56	99	46	160	305
1980*	6	73	81	47	159	287

This is great! Thanks @SANZC02

Interesting observation is that each decades from 80~90 and 90~00 brought Very Unhealthy days down by a step function. There must have been some AQMD regs that went into effect then,

The other is that it appears that we simply shifted very unhealthy days to moderate quality days in terms of number of days. Perhaps that is the direct effect of cleaner vehicles on the road. Also the gradual increase in moderate quality days probably has to do with the increased population/vehicle counts over the last 20 years.

Of course there are many non-vehicle reasons too, such as wild fire on any particular year and weather effects like El Niño and La Niña years.

 

[sfvR1S]

Do not need to go back that far, I moved to SoCal in the 1980s, we used to get smog alerts all of the time. Even with the number of registered vehicles going up the air quality since 1980 has made a huge positive change. I’m sure all of the improvements to ICE vehicle emissions has helped but the number of Hybred and EVs play a big part as well.

Chart Source: Los Angeles

Year	Good Quality Air Days	Moderate Quality Air Days	Unhealthy Air for Sensitive Groups	Unhealthy Air Days	Very Unhealthy or Hazardous Air Days	Total Unhealthy/ Hazardous Air Days
2024*	38	195	78	46	9	133
2023	41	237	52	32	3	87
2022	17	254	65	28	1	94
2021	9	259	70	26	1	97
2020*	35	194	77	43	17	137
2019	34	245	57	28	1	86
2018	7	250	89	18	1	108
2017	9	237	73	38	8	119
2016*	7	255	81	19	4	104
2015	3	230	95	36	1	132
2014	8	250	79	26	2	107
2013	8	257	75	25	0	100
2012*	14	222	93	35	2	130
2011	2	242	82	36	3	121
2010	14	237	99	15	0	114
2009	19	228	71	43	4	118
2008*	12	233	67	46	8	121
2007	24	214	91	30	6	127
2006	32	204	79	39	11	129
2005	36	191	77	48	13	138
2004*	15	193	87	67	4	158
2003	22	173	83	57	30	170
2002	22	164	104	53	22	179
2001	13	166	127	48	11	186
2000*	15	176	114	51	10	175
1999	17	180	140	27	1	168
1998	54	193	72	22	24	118
1997	33	171	116	32	13	161
1996*	42	154	91	47	32	170
1995	44	107	109	45	60	214
1994	22	124	96	41	82	219
1993	29	108	111	45	72	228
1992*	22	104	92	59	89	240
1991	16	118	95	51	85	231
1990	17	119	84	56	89	229
1989	10	69	110	63	113	286
1988*	9	65	84	63	145	292
1987	6	92	86	52	129	267
1986	7	72	92	54	140	286
1985	10	82	91	43	139	273
1984*	5	71	101	52	137	290
1983	11	103	79	37	135	251
1982	8	83	91	54	129	274
1981	4	56	99	46	160	305
1980*	6	73	81	47	159	287

I was referring to the 80's, not the 50's.

 

[Kelvn]

Time to take your stickers off!

 

[sfvR1S]

Time to take your stickers off!

Never! You'll never get my stickers!!

 

[waitingonanr1s]

Oh I used the magnets on my gen 1. No way I would stick those on my car.

 

[Kelvn]

Oh I used the magnets on my gen 1. No way I would stick those on my car.

Mine were on clean cling backings so I can remove and reuse.

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