I saw this last night, and still don’t quite understand it — three “prime” parking spaces reserved for hybrid vehicles in the garage at Tysons Corner Center.

First of all i’m offended, because it’s discrimination, pure and simple. Second, why should hybrids get special privileges? I’m not sure if the message is that hybrid drivers are somehow VIPs, or perhaps that they’re handicapped. They’re already “doing their part” by driving a hybrid. It’s a decision they made — they don’t deserve more.

And if you think about it, eliminating these spots for the rest of us causes more emissions and spent fuel as non-hybrid drivers have to drive even farther and wait even longer to find an available spot. If Tysons Corner Center truly wanted to be green, they would only allow hybrids to park in the most distant spots on the top level of the garage and leave the closer spaces for fuel-only cars since hybrids are running off batteries in parking lots anyway. Or better yet, have HOV reserved spots for vehicles with three or more passengers regardless of power plant (assuming the idea is to encourage reducing emissions). There are gasoline and diesel cars that get better fuel economy than “hybrids” — it’s a pointless classification.

It’s also a joke to enforce since anyone with a Civic could put a Hybrid badge on their car and park in those spots.