|
Kokua Line June Watanabe |
Electric cars no
longer get a free passQuestion: If you have an electric car, like the GEM car, are they allowed to park free at parking meters in the parking lots and on the streets? I was told it was free.
Q: The electric cars that I have seen operating on city streets around town have no doors to protect passengers from falling out or from being impacted by a sideways accident. Why is this allowed?
Answer: Owners of what are officially known as "neighborhood electric vehicles" -- like the vehicles cited -- no longer enjoy the perk of parking for free at metered stalls.
To encourage use of electric vehicles in general, in 1997 the state Legislature passed Act 290, which provided incentives such as special license plates, free metered parking, free vehicle registration and, for those allowed on freeways, use of high-occupancy vehicle lanes (otherwise requiring two or more occupants).
The free parking, free vehicle registration and free license plates expired after five years, on June 30, 2002.
Owners may apply for special electric vehicle license plates at registration, but they are now charged the normal $5 plate fee, according to Dennis Kamimura, the city Motor Vehicle and Licensing administrator.
Also, neighborhood electric vehicles must display a "slow-moving vehicle" emblem, as required by state law (Chapter 291C-130, Hawaii Revised Statutes), he said.
The GEM (Global Electric Motors) vehicles are not required to have doors, either by federal or state laws, because they are low-speed vehicles meant more for tooling around neighborhoods.
Under Chapter 286-2 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, a "neighborhood electric vehicle" is defined as a self-propelled, electrically powered motor vehicle which is emission-free; designed to carry four or fewer people; designed to be operated at 25 mph or less; has at least four wheels in contact with the ground; has an unladen weight of less than 1,800 pounds; and conforms to minimum safety equipment requirements set by Federal Vehicle Safety Standard No. 500, which deals with low-speed vehicles.
That federal standard does not specify a requirement for doors.
Neighborhood electric vehicles are not allowed on any highway with a posted speed limit of more than 35 mph, except that they are allowed to cross such a highway at an intersection.
Q: Is there a service station that provides full service in the Kailua or Kaneohe area?
A: We called the Hawaii Automotive Repair & Retail Gasoline Dealers Association and were given one name: Tenn's Enchanted Lake Union Service at 1010 Keolu Drive.
Mahalo
When I vacation in Hawaii, I like to pick up a paper in the morning and have some Kona coffee. I enjoy reading the local news and reading how cold it is back home. I'm from Winnipeg, Canada, and not many newspapers here tell us snowbirds what the temperature is in Winnipeg. Thanks for including Winnipeg in your weather page. -- Dave LyonsP.S. Our summers are as nice as yours. But in winter we call our city "Winter-peg."
|
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Got a question or complaint?
Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered.
E-mail to kokualine@starbulletin.com