Wash. considers annual flat fee for electric cars

[john.emde]

Here it comes     Grrrr...

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-04-23-washington-electric-cars-fee_n.htm

[ken.simmermon]

most likely there will be a federal and local tax! you could always leave the regular plate on a conversion!  I didn't just say that! I'm sure the power companies will get in there somehow too.

[geoffrey.pullinger]

Yes - those tax dollars are really going to be rolling in from a few thousand electric vehicle owners versus the owners of over 300 million gas powered vehicles!  I'm sure that it will more than pay for all the damage done by those electric vehicles.  What about people with CNG vehicles?  Do they pay anything?

[lawrence.miller]

All roads should be some type of toll road for fairness. Those who use the road directly pay for their use. It should be based on road wear, which might include vehicle weight and number of tires.

Robbing and looting others via taxes to pay for roads leads to waste.

[james.zukowski]

All this WA stuff doesn't account for those driving in from out-of-state, and vice versa.

[glenn.hunter]

I just became aware of a $ 200.00 spotting Fee for cars at McCormick Place.  I just wanted you to be aware of it in your planning. Enjoy, Glenn

[rich.carroll]

I believe that applies if you have a vehicle delivered to the show, and use their employees to drive or bring it into the show and put it in it's spot.   

We plan to spot the car ourselves.

-----------------

I've been known to ask in the past, when they got pushy over such regulations to say:

"You're not insured to drive an electric, and certainly not without training certificate."

"Show me your certificate, to present to first responders, just in case . . ."

"You do know that if you damage it, and you have never driven an electric car before, your union will not stand behind you.  I need your name and driver's license number."

[todd.dore]

Rich -

Are we pretty certain that we will be able to spot the car ourselves without any hassle?  The last thing any of us want is to be flatly refused in getting the Porsche into it's proper place in the booth -

[rich.carroll]

I re-asked Rick Morrow, my show contact.  He works as a carpenter, putting shows together at McCormick.  He does get hired by several different show managers, so he knows the ins and outs pretty well    He admitted he had never seen the show spotting entry before, but one of the shows had a problem when the porters were hired to bring in and spot several cars.  Unfortunately, they were NASCAR racers, with extremely low ground effects, and the porters revved the motors and then drove over the aisle carpet.  Fortunately, no carpet caught fire, but there was lots of concern for fires after that problem.   Rick volunteered to recheck with his buddy about the ruling.  I can check with Triumph

[rich.carroll]

I rechecked with Mark Sherman from Triumph Expo and events.  He maintains that we will HAVE to drive or push the vehicle into place, and we are in charge of all movement from the dock area to the floor space.  The 'spotting fee' is to have two certified, union people accompany the car to make sure people and exhibits are out of the way, and that the car does not roll into any people of exhibits. 

I added it to the addendum and paid the spotter's fee.

[todd.dore]

Rich -

So do I need to write you another $200 check for the spotter's fee?

Todd D

[john.emde]

How did this topic get corrupted ?

 You want    FVEAA Committees - Outreach - Chicago Green Festival

[rich.carroll]

Yes, please.  Are you bringing the checkbook on Sunday?

[todd.dore]

Yup will do.

John - a question was started in this thread.  You are correct - it belongs in the Outreach stuff!

[howard.hansen]

EV drivers are living with pollution, war and all of the other side effects of petroleum use.  But I'll be damned if we'll let the less than 0.0001% of wear and tear on the highways from EVs go unpunished.