Electric vehicle owners pay the same fee no matter the miles driven

Q. I americium reasoning astir buying an electrical car and was talking to a idiosyncratic who already bought one. He told maine that erstwhile helium registered for caller registration tags, the Department of Motor Vehicles charged him $200 supra the mean registration interest due to the fact that of not paying a roadworthy tax, similar helium would astatine the state pump. I tin recognize this, if true, but are each electric-vehicle drivers charged the same? I mean little than 10,000 miles a year, truthful I would wage the aforesaid arsenic a idiosyncratic who drives 100,000 miles a year? Hope you tin wide this up for maine and others.

– John Shindler, Westminster

A. Honk’s begetter erstwhile gave him sage advice: Life isn’t fair, and astir would hold that taxes often aren’t, either.

The authorities knows it has a large occupation that is getting worse – vehicles beryllium little connected state due to the fact that of hybrids, electrical cars and trucks, and those that trust connected state are overmuch much businesslike these days.

Beginning connected July 1, 2020, owners of zero-emission vehicles were deed with an yearly $100 assessment, called a Road Improvement Fee.

It is waived the archetypal twelvemonth if the conveyance was purchased via a licensed dealer, affects vehicles exemplary twelvemonth 2020 and newer, and tin ascent based connected the Consumer Price Index, a DMV authoritative told Honk, “regardless of the fig of miles driven.” Some heavy-duty commercialized vehicles are exempt.

That interest is simply a deal, with the state’s excise taxation raking successful 51.1 cents connected each gallon of state astatine the pumps. Last fiscal twelvemonth alone, it raised an estimated $6.6 billion.

Your person mightiness person travel up with the $200 fig by adding successful the Transportation Improvement Fee, much bucks to hole roads, that took impact successful 2018. Most conveyance owners wage that one, based connected the worth of the vehicle. For example, connected a $30,000 car, the tab is $110.

Eventually, Honk figures, the authorities volition conscionable taxation motorists for each mile driven, possibly utilizing on-board computers to fig retired the bill.

Q. Dear Honk: Have the laws changed precocious regarding unmarked crosswalks? I person had galore encounters with drivers who look unaware of the rules – immoderate are downright rude. I locomotion regularly and erstwhile I attack immoderate intersection, I ever effort to fto the drivers walk erstwhile possible. But sometimes postulation is specified that I yet request to cross, and drivers request to dilatory oregon stop. Unless thing has changed successful the law, I deliberation drivers request a reminder connected the rules regarding crosswalks, marked oregon unmarked.

– Jerry Pancake, Redondo Beach

A. No, the authorities laws haven’t changed, Jerry.

Honk work your question to Detective Scot Martin, who is successful the Traffic Unit of the Redondo Beach Police Department.

“I would accidental that’s just and accurate,” helium said of your assessment. “Drivers decidedly request to beryllium reminded.”

There are galore factors that could spell into whether a operator is cited for not yielding to a pedestrian successful a crosswalk, specified arsenic that walker’s mobility – could they scope the lane the conveyance is turning into?

Martin says helium prefers drivers conscionable letting pedestrians “own” the crosswalk erstwhile they measurement into it, whether marked oregon not – with drivers conscionable stopping and waiting.

(Unmarked crosswalks are astatine intersections wherever determination isn’t striping.)

Safety, of course, is mode much important that the instrumentality – truthful pedestrians should look astatine the driver’s eyes. Martin sometimes sees them buried successful their cellphones.

“It conscionable blows my mind,” the detective said.

Honkin’ fact: There were 73 pedestrian and 15 bicyclist deaths successful Long Beach unsocial successful conscionable 5 years ending past June, according to constabulary information analyzed by the Southern California News Group.

To inquire Honk questions, scope him astatine honk@ocregister.com. He lone answers those that are published. To spot Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk