Generally, referring to somebody as a 'slug' isn't likely to be a good way to make new friends. In Virginia, though, being a slug might just be a great way to meet new people while saving some cash. How so? Apparently, 'slugging' refers to catching rides with people you don't know. The goal, of course, is to cut down on fuel consumption and travel time by using the carpool lanes. Drivers and riders meet up at specific parking lots early in the morning and discuss where everybody is headed. Once a slug finds a driver who is going to same place that they are, the trip is on.

It seems that the practice of slugging began in Virginia over thirty years ago. According to Virginia Department of Transportation estimates, 6,500 commuters a day slug or pick up slugs. Authorities in Virginia have nothing to do with the practice and say that the lines form all by themselves. Slugging works near the Nation's Capitol because most jobs are concentrated in a small area and most people live outside the actual city. What's more, many slugs are government workers, and there is a sense of trust between them.

[Source: Hampton Roads]

click photo to enlarge

So, how can PETA use high gas prices and a concern over global warming to advance a meat-free diet for all? How about through the Lettuce Ladies? As you can probably tell from the picture above and the gallery photos below, Lettuce Ladies are, well, ladies who wear not much other than lettuce to attract attention to a messsage. In this case, the message is that eating a pound of meat creates the same wear and tear on the environment as driving a Hummer 40 miles.

This week, the idea was to have two Lettuce Ladies stand at a Lynchburg, Virginia BP gas station during lunch and tell drivers that by switching to a vegetarian diet, drivers could do more for the environment than they could if they switched from a standard car to a Prius. (It's dependent on a person's annual driving details to see if that statement is true or false, but there's no question that limiting our intake of modern megafarm meat is a move in favor of the environment). The two Ladies handed out Tofurky sandwiches and gift cards for free gas.

We don't have any pictures from the Lynchburg event, but we do have a gallery of images from other Lettuce Ladies protests from around the country. Check 'em out by clicking the images below.


[Source: PETA via Green Daily]

Hybrids have lots of perks. Many states allow hybrids to use the HOV lane when a single person is driving, park at parking meters without paying and not get ticketed, etc. I support state and local government trying to encourage the use of clean cars. Except the state of Virgina which has a very stupid hybrid perk: Code of Virginia (§46.2-1178.B.1.) states hybrid vehicles that get over 50 MPG are "exempted from the vehicle emissions inspection requirement." One hybrid driver even complained in a letter to his local paper of the loss of the right. Now that the new EPA mpg ratings have pushed hybrids below 50 MPG, hybrids no longer qualify for this "perk."

I don't understand the logic of exempting hybrids from emissions tests at all. Can someone explain it to me, please? Does the electric engine in the hybrid vehicle give the gas engine in the same vehicle magical powers so it cannot possibly fail an emissions test? Or maybe it's okay if the hybrid's gas engine does pollute more because the electric engine balances everything out? Why stop at emissions test exemptions Virginia? Let hybrid cars break traffic laws and drive on sidewalks! The magical electric engine will stop accidents.

[Source: Potomac News]

Hampton Roads Transit provides mass transit services in the region of Virginia that includes Norfolk, Virginia Beach and several other communities. The company has decided to replace an existing fleet of trolleys in Virginia Beach and battery-powered shuttle buses that run in a loop around downtown Norfolk with hybrid buses.

The shuttle buses have a limited range and can only run for four hours at a time before returning to the garage for charging. They have also had problems with shorting out in the rain. The trolleys are getting old and are in need of major overhaul. HRT is buying 40 of the new 29ft diesel hybrid buses at $505,000 each. The first ten should enter service next spring.

[Source: PilotOnline.com]