What is considered a "Fuel Efficient Car"?
Yesterday, my roommate and I were shopping. We had just parked my car and we were walking into the store when we noticed that in the first three parking spots (the one’s normally reserved for handicapped parking) were signs reading: Fuel Efficient Vehicle Parking Only.
What exactly is considered fuel efficient? Is this referring to Hybrid vehicles? If you parked in this space and got a ticket, couldn’t you make an argument that your vehicle is in fact fuel efficient and that the sign isn’t specific enough?
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5 Answers
I should think that you have a case. I find it hard to believe that “Fuel Efficient” is defined in any great detail in any law or whatever might be applicable here. Hybrid, as you say, would be definitive either/or but fuel efficiency could be argued for almost anything. The largest monster truck could be fuel efficient compared to the same truck with less than perfect tire pressure… maybe not the best analogy. At least any car that is not a monster could be, in some context, considered fuel efficient.
Stupid sign really.
“Fuel Efficient Car”
I see it based on what you can afford.
I agree with the mentality of the sign, but it is definitely on sketchy ground. I drive a compact car that gets 40 mpg, definitely efficient. Is a hybrid SUV with far worse mileage fuel efficient because it is a hybrid? Is it better or worse than my 40 mpg compact? Do I need a 50 mpg Prius to qualify as efficient? It should be more specific. Then again, compact car parking makes more sense, but I have seen minivans and large SUVs parked in “compact only” spaces on a regular basis. I wish we could reward people with better parking for driving more efficient vehicles, but posting that sign isn’t going to accomplish it.
There is a Federal standard and a state standard in California. See this site
A true fuel efficient automobile is not powered by gasoline or diesel fuel, it’s powered by a big rubber band.
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