Fresh Loaf

Hybrid vehicle.

I’m in the early stages of a mini-crusade to get a traffic light, or at least an electronic crossing signal, installed at a busy intersection near my house. 

As part of my effort, I decided this morning to start tallying how many cars fail to stop for me after I’m already standing in the crosswalk.

During my two crossings this morning, 14 cars illegally whizzed by while I was standing in the crosswalk with my dogs.

Only two cars stopped for me. Much to my amusement, both were hybrids.

Maybe drivers of hybrid vehicles really are better people than the rest of us.

(Centaur courtesy of edupics.com)

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The chair of the state Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee says he plans to introduce a bill that would give Georgians a financial incentive to buy fuel-efficient automobiles.

Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, made the announcement today during an “energy independence” rally at the state Capitol. (I’ll write more about the event later today.) No specifics to report at the moment, but Tolleson says the incentive could possibly come in the form of a tax credit when consumers purchase a hybrid automobile.

“What makes this a wise move for metro Atlanta is that it’ll lower the demand for fuel but also improve air quality,” Tolleson says, referring to Atlanta’s notorious smog issues.

But in a slowing economy such as Georgia’s and the nation’s — the state recently announced it’s expecting a $1.6 billion budget deficit — an incentive program could be a difficult sell to fellow lawmakers in January.

Things could get better between now and the start of the General Assembly. But they could also get worse. Regardless, good move by Tolleson.

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