Hybrids: a greener form of congestion

Some people are very critical of hybrid vehicles pointing out that they are still as polluting as a normal petrol vehicle on long distance journeys, while in cities they may be more fuel efficient, but they still create congestion, parking problems and can endanger pedestrians and cyclists, while slowing down buses. That is they are more environmentally smug than environmentally friendly.

We say: look at this Prius blocking the yellow hatched lines between Ashley Road and Stokes Croft. Yes, it is stopping cars from Ashley Road turning North on Cheltenham Road on their green light. Yes, the driver is sitting in their trying to look all innocent, as if the idea to drive into the "do not enter unless you can exit" junction was not actually his idea. But the braking he had to do to stop going into the other traffic was regenerated and charged up the batteries, and now the engine is quiescent.

He may be blocking the junction, but is not causing any noise, CO2 or NO2 pollution in the process. And given that bicycles never get into the situation of having to block a junction this way, this is probably the most environmentally friendly form of junction-blocking-by-a-vehicle you can achieve.

When Bristol rolls over to congestion charging, the driver of this car will be able to block the same junction without paying six pounds a day for the privilege.