Q: I’m sure other readers have heard all about this and are panicking. On the DMV website is a page announcing a new rule that the courts will no longer be allowed to dismiss infractions after a driver attends traffic violator school. Does this apply to citations received before July 1?

Diana Jewel

Redwood City

A: No. The new law only applies to tickets issued on or after Friday. I like it and here’s why:

Courts will no longer be allowed to dismiss repeated infractions after a driver attends traffic school. AB 2499 requires that all offenses be recorded as convictions, which will create a detailed breakdown of a person’s driving history.

Drivers who attend traffic school will still have their first conviction masked and avoid a mark on their record. But if they get more tickets within the next 18 months, the convictions will appear on the record, points will be assigned and their insurance company will be notified – which means their premiums will likely increase.

Before, when convictions were stamped dismissed, it was equivalent to a not-guilty verdict, so it appeared as though there were no violations. Frequent offenders have been able to use this loophole as a way to repeatedly attend traffic school.

Tully-the-Insurance-Man says “the issue of ticket masking is huge.” In 2005, more than 1.2 million traffic citations were dismissed in California – nearly 307,000 more than in 1995. He adds that “masking tickets prevents insurers from being able to assess a driver’s safety record accurately and price that risk accordingly. As a result, good drivers ultimately help subsidize those drivers who have had their records modified.”

Q: Gary, we can’t all bother Rudy Solorio of B2 Perfection in Sunnyvale, who helped at your Prius Party and removed the yellow carpool stickers and offered to do so free at the body shop where he works. How about the secrets to scar-free surgery to remove the stickers on our Prius?

Peter Levin

Palo Alto

A: First, a reminder that the yellow carpool stickers are no longer good as of Friday. And Rudy-the-latest-Roadshow-consultant says removing them can be easily done without needing to use a hair dryer or heat gun:

“Position the affected area of the vehicle that contains the sticker for at least half an hour into the sun, then gently lift the decal away from the bumper cover. Take a mild thinner/acetone or ‘Goo Gone’-type adhesive remover and thoroughly soak a rag and wipe away. If there is any residue of adhesive remaining, take a mild rubbing compound and polish the area until it’s smudge-free.”

A huge Roadshow thanks to Rudy, who cheerfully spent two hours at our Prius Party removing stickers from dozens of cars. He was a big reason for the large turnout, along with the many drivers who brought their electric vehicles, like the Nissan Leaf, Tesla and Prius plug-in, plus a CNG car to the event. Steve Wozniak stayed for two hours talking to other Prius Party folks. But my big thanks goes to Mrs. Roadshow, who spent hours baking hundreds of her wonderful biscotti, which we intended to hand out for free. But then people started leaving a donation, and we raised $185 that I took to the Second Harvest Food Bank on Monday. Gary Malone, director of major gifts at the food bank, said that will buy 740 meals:

“Normally, each dollar donated to the Food Bank generates two meals. However, thanks to a recent grant from the Sodexo Foundation, every dollar you donated will be matched, up to $20,000, to double the impact of your support. Ninety-five cents of every dollar donated to the Food Bank goes directly toward programs that feed hungry people. In fact, Second Harvest’s efficient use of donated money, food and time has earned it a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for the fifth year in a row, an accomplishment earned by only 5 percent of nonprofits nationwide. Thanks again to you and the other Prius owners that made a contribution. Rest assured, your gifts will be put to good use in helping ease childhood hunger this summer.”

Q: How do all we Prius owners who have lost our carpool lane privileges go about getting our deposits back from FasTrak? We were required to keep a balance (mine’s $40) in an account. Never did understand why. I called FasTrak and was told to call the DMV. Doesn’t sound right to me.

Susan Nielsen

A It’s not. Owners of yellow-stickered hybrids who wish to close their accounts need only call FasTrak at 1-877-229-8655 and request that they be closed. Account balances and deposits, if any, will be refunded.

Contact Gary Richards at mrroadshow@mercurynews.com or 408-920-5335.