So our brilliant fearless Hawaii leaders have come up with another money grabbing scheme to affect those least able to afford it.  Charging you for driving during peak times on the main highways.  HNN this morning said it takes a little over $83,000 for a family of 4 to meet basic needs on Oahu.  I can see further exodus of locals out of Hawaii.

Most people can't schedule their travel to avoid rush hour.  What if you have an emergency?  Can you request a waiver?  What if you're dropping your kids at school?  Student waiver? 

What if you're carpooling?  Waiver for those who already help reduce traffic and use the carpool lanes?

This scheme is wrong on many levels.  The news story on this topic mentioned The Rail will be operating in October, and the state wants to spend even more money to study how to reduce traffic.  Wasn't that the problem the rail was intended to solve?

Paying more to drive the same road at a different time doesn't solve anything.  It won't significantly reduce traffic, but it will increase expenses for almost everyone who works and drives at those times.

I've seen employees dropping off their spouses at one military base before 6:30am and then sleeping in the parking lot outside where they have to be at work themselves at 8:00am.  I can imagine lots more doing the same, even those who don't drop off a spouse, student or carpool partner, just to avoid the rush hour tax.

Most people can't schedule their travel to avoid rush hour.  What if you have an emergency?  Can you request a waiver?  What if you're dropping your kids at school?  Student waiver? 

What if you're carpooling?  Waiver for those who already help reduce traffic and use the carpool lanes?

This scheme is wrong on many levels.  The news story on this topic mentioned The Rail will be operating in October, and the state wants to spend even more money to study how to reduce traffic.  Wasn't that the problem the rail was intended to solve?

Paying more to drive the same road at a different time doesn't solve anything.  It won't significantly reduce traffic, but it will increase expenses for almost everyone who works and drives at those times.

I've seen employees dropping off their spouses at one military base before 6:30am and then sleeping in the parking lot outside where they have to be at work themselves at 8:00am.  I can imagine lots more doing the same, even those who don't drop off a spouse, student or carpool partner, just to avoid the rush hour tax.

I leave for work by 5:00am in order to miss traffic. Sometimes 4:30am. Start times for me are usually 7am or 8am. I take a lot of naps. It’s less stressful that spending 1.5-2 hours in traffic.

I’m tired of getting up so early every morning just to miss traffic. I’m ready to retire.

I leave for work by 5:00am in order to miss traffic. Sometimes 4:30am. Start times for me are usually 7am or 8am. I take a lot of naps. It’s less stressful that spending 1.5-2 hours in traffic.

I’m tired of getting up so early every morning just to miss traffic. I’m ready to retire.

Isn’t past your bed time? 🤣

Isn’t past your bed time? 🤣

9pm is the new 11pm

9pm is the new 11pm

You’ll be warming up your milk soon then. 

You’ll be warming up your milk soon then. 

Trying to get me back for the comment this morning? 

Trying to get me back for the comment this morning? 

What comments. I forget already. 😳

Haha. No reason needed for some ribbing. 

What comments. I forget already. 😳

Sign of old age. 

Haha. No reason needed for some ribbing. 

True dat. 

From Andrew...

https://www.facebook.com/cnchonolulu/posts/2360830050830871

From Andrew...

https://www.facebook.com/cnchonolulu/posts/2360830050830871

So hilarious, it's dark side humor almost appears real for this state !          

If traffic fees pass, I can see a lot politicians up for re-election losing their seats.  But knowing their sleazy ways, they will pass this after the election.

I'm working on a design for a TV Toll system.
It is a device similar to a dog shock collar.
You attach it to a person (eg. Politician or TMT protest leader).
Whenever a TV or internet viewer sees that person say something stupid in public, the viewer can call a phone number that delivers a 10kv pulse to the person with the collar. The toll per call will be 78 cents....same as the road use tax.

The biggest obstacle to my design is battery life. For example when Mazie Hirono speaks on TV, the current lithium-polymer battery system can only deliver about 100 pulses before it needs to be recharged. I would require a battery technology that can deliver about 10 or 20 times the amp-hour capacity.

Proceeds from the toll calls will pay for my new car and also support my new non-profit group called "Citizens for Smarter Politicians".

I'm working on a design for a TV Toll system.
It is a device similar to a dog shock collar.
You attach it to a person (eg. Politician or TMT protest leader).
Whenever a TV or internet viewer sees that person say something stupid in public, the viewer can call a phone number that delivers a 10kv pulse to the person with the collar. The toll per call will be 78 cents....same as the road use tax.

The biggest obstacle to my design is battery life. For example when Mazie Hirono speaks on TV, the current lithium-polymer battery system can only deliver about 100 pulses before it needs to be recharged. I would require a battery technology that can deliver about 10 or 20 times the amp-hour capacity.

Proceeds from the toll calls will pay for my new car and also support my new non-profit group called "Citizens for Smarter Politicians".

For Mazie, there should be alternative forms of energy integrated into the produce:   solar, kinetic and especially WIND!  The collar would have unlimited power for as long as she's talking.

I am not for or against a traffic fee at this moment but I do realize a few things:

Traffic is a problem that isn't going away and it will cost lots of money to improve even by a small amount.
The cost has to be paid by some means. (Gas tax, tolls, blanket taxes, other specific fees)
The fairest thing is to charge those who are contributing to it (people who are on the road.)

It is easy to complain about the cost involved and I notice everyone complains about a price increase regardless of whether it is warranted or not.

I do suspect that this idea is part of the plan to incentivize the future rail travel. The more being on the road costs, the more people will look for ways to avoid traffic (bus, rail, bicycle, etc)

I think there may be a few ways that the city could lighten traffic marginally without significant cost. One of them I want to get behind is to have government workers on a 4 day, 10 hour, schedule. This would spread congestion to a wider time frame and would see government employees spend 20% less time in traffic. It would also save them gas money.