(Moved) California Carpool lanes and lollygagging drivers

I can't speak to the HOV lane, but from What's the deal with Prius Hate | Page 4 | PriusChat

As for WA and their law, well, WA state at one point had HOV lanes that would switch sides, on the same highway (on the left one stretch and on the right for another). ​

There are still some parts where the HOV lanes in WA are on the right side of highways (
WSDOT - HOV Common Questions
).​

 

The way it's defined in California, going faster than the speed limit is defined by law to be an unsafe speed. Depending on road conditions, the maximum safe speed may be lower than the speed limit.

There are routine arguments in our local newspaper road column about whether it is OK to go the speed limit in the #1 lane even if the prevailing speed is higher. The answer is always "get to the right". (I am not sure what you are supposed to do if traffic is light and the prevailing speed in the right lane is over the speed limit.) But that doesn't help with the HOV lane, which as pointed out, is generally not considered a passing lane. And there there is the case of restricted access with double-white lines, where you can't get over to the right even if you want to (and these are being phased in in Northern California).

It can really be nerve-wracking in the HOV lane when you can go the speed limit, but the #1 lane is crawling along at 5MPH. Do you go slower and get rear-ended (accidentally or on purpose) by someone going 75, or do you rear-end someone who shoots out into the HOV lane from the #1 lane right in front of you?

 

If you get stuck behind someone moving relatively slow in the HOV lane, you're stuck. I'd rather have the option of two or three lanes to choose from. Here in NY, the LIE is the only road with an HOV lane, and, being NY, you're not going anywhere fast anyway.

 

I believe that's how the law is. You don't have the right to impede. In a sense this meshes with state laws that make all drivers responsible for avoiding accidents.

"21654. (a) Notwithstanding the prima facie speed limits, any vehicle proceeding upon a highway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time shall be driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

(b) If a vehicle is being driven at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at such time, and is not being driven in the right-hand lane for traffic or as close as practicable to the right-hand edge or curb, it shall constitute prima facie evidence that the driver is operating the vehicle in violation of subdivision (a) of this section."

From that it makes sense that you can only drive in the HOV lane if you are driving at or faster than the normal speed of traffic. However, I would read that "normal" as an "normal average" so you wouldn't have to move over if you know that the passing lanes are varying speed due to congestion and that over a reasonable distance you'd be passing them.

Note, however, that the law never forces a driver to travel faster than the speed limit.

 

It's called a speed limit. It's not a speed "gray area", not a "just go whatever you feel like depending on how rushed you are in the morning." A five-year old know how to the match the numbers on the speedometer to the posted signs.

Drivers have no right to force another to break the law. If you wanna speed, go around or suck it up.

 

If they are driving the posted limit then they should be fine. Try an remember it's the "carpool lane" not the "fast lane"

 

Dianne....I feel your pain. The worst offenders are the ones that can clearly travel 50-65MPH in all the other lanes, but choose to do so in the HOV. I see this everyday. Most of the time the cars behind the slow drivers just end up getting cut off pretty bad.

 

I'm not interested in HOV lanes except to reduce traffic.

I'm a hypermilier and a hybrid driver (2000 Honda Insight)

The HOV controversy is a social engineering fail - use it simply to expedite traffic and that's a very green thing.

Anyone thought about the wasted gas and emissions thousands of cars gridlocked in urban areas cause? For a given route, gridlock could easily double or even triple my consumption crawling way below optimum cruise speed. Ironically, some gridlock is caused by entitled drivers exiting/entering HOV lane other than the designated areas. A lot of other gridlock is silly rubbernecking over nothing or a speeder that crashed.


______________________________

Freeway access lanes are my HOV lanes. I drive slower than typical freeway traffic, so I take the freeway access lanes - make a quick entrance/exit just to avoid intersections.

 

install and use some FIAAM freeway blaster horns

 

This is absolutely correct. If, for example, you're driving in the snow, and the posted speed limit is 55 mph, and you are driving 45 mph, you can be cited for unsafe speed because 45 mph may be too fast for the snowy conditions. I think that if traffic is very slow in all but the HOV lane, and someone whizzes along at 65, 70, or 75 mph, they could get a cite for both unsafe speed (at 65) and/or exceeding the limit. Someone could easily decide to jump into the HOV lane, whether or not they're 'allowed' to, so HOV drivers still need to drive defensively.

I don't think there is any obligation to move over just to allow someone to break the law by speeding, but since ya never really know why someone is going so fast, isn't it just always a good idea to move to the right and let them get by if you can safely manage that?

 

I started this thread a while ago

Move over lane hoggers | PriusChat

Indeed it is very frustrating here in Los Angeles where there are many different ethnicitys who were not educated to drive and have no manners or common sense. If you're driving the speed limit in any lane that's okay, but if you want to go slower, please move over and let those of us who want to go faster get by.

 

Speeders that are behind me are of no concern.

Most often I am traveling AT maximum posted speed... the law does NOT say I have to move to the right if lawbreakers get behind me.

 

Why are there people like you.....self centered.....

 

Jack, I disagree. I think Andy is following the law. Have you ever noticed how Californians always get pulled over in other states? It's because they actually ticket in other states for speeding. I was in Texas/Oklahoma over Memorial weekend and was shocked to see the highway patrol actually ticketing people. You never see that here in Los Angeles.

The problem with Los Angeles and SoCal in general is that people here are spoiled children that drive like they are entitled and they have no fk'n manners. It's time we grow the f up and act like responsible adults and not entitled little children.

 

I'd love a YouTube of you justifying your speeding as being unselfish to a CHiPs officer.

 

THANK YOU.

 

Haha, I'm how this would go down in front of a judge? I usually go 5mph over the limit in the HOV lane and I do get very angry people riding my tail all the time. I do tend to go slower when the lane to the right of the HOV is near a deadstop. It's very dangerous to have one lane going 70 and the other 7 with no physical barrier.

 

THANK YOU TOO