CARPOOL ACCESS FOR $341 While buyers of used Toyota Priuses are paying upwards of $4,000 extra for a car with California single-occupancy carpool access stickers (see March 28th Back Seat Driving), a number of daring motorists are taking their chances in the high-occupancy vehicle lane with neither carpool nor carpool sticker. The math is on their side. $341 is the price of being in the California carpool lane illegally. And that's assuming you get caught. One will have to get caught many times before accruing enough fines to match $4,000. "I do my violating in the early morning," says Robert Castro. "With daylight savings time kicking in early, you'd have to have infrared vision in order to tell who has a carpool and who doesn't." Castro is a single-occupant carpool lane driver, but doesn't have a car that qualifies for single-occupant access. "By staying out of congested lanes, I figure I'm doing my duty to lessen the congestion," says Castro "Not only that, my car is polluting less when I'm not sitting in congested traffic. Yeah, that's right, I'm doing it for the environment." "Diamond-lane cheaters are the bane of law-abiding motorists, who often fume at the sight of solo drivers illegally zipping past freeway congestion. But turning drivers into rolling tattlers is the wrong approach," says the Press-Enterprise in a recent editorial. It's evidently the sentiment of the law-abiding drivers that is driving California Senate Bill 889, by Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria. The bill awaits consideration by the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee, and would set up a hot line and e-mail address for motorists to report solo drivers who travel in the carpool lanes. "Maldonado says he's tired of fielding constituent complaints about carpool cheaters, reports the Press-Enterprise. "And he notes that Washington state has used a similar program to cut its number of carpool cheaters in half." Whether such a law will deter violators such as Castro remains to be seen. "Getting a warning before getting a citation? That might just encourage me to do it in the afternoon as well," says Castro. Back Seat Driving - April 3, 2007
He needs to re-do his math. After a couple car-pool vio's ~ (moving violation) his insurance may go up a couple thousand, for 2 or 3 years. :lol: Additionally, Mr. Genious fails to figure in that if/when he's caught on the way to work, he'll loose maybe another pile of $$ clocking in late. He could more easily / legally stop at the local corner where the bums hang out (with 'will work for food' signs) and buy his bum off each day with a $2 bottle of port.
A friend of ours was soloing in the HOV, and didn't get ticketed until she crossed the double yellow to exit. Most cops can't tell if you are solo, or have small kids, dead bodies, or whatever, but crossing the dubbleyellow is a sure giveaway that you're an idiot. The cost is the same, $341. Take your chances, and pay the money. We all have choices. BTW, the lane she got ticketd in was on the 14 to Lancaster/Palmdale, CA. It is only HOV during rush hours, other times normal access. She was OK with that, but the double yellow applies 24/7.
<_< *SIGH* What a sad commentary and concept. Seems to say "I'm only guilty if I get caught." Would that mean "Don't report a crime... you'd be a tattletale?" Does this attitude remind you of children on a grade school playground?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Apr 3 2007, 04:01 PM) [snapback]417240[/snapback]</div> Ahhh, yes, the "it's not a crime if there's not a Cop around" mentality. Also known as the "I have no self-respect" mentality, since the only thing concerning these people is whether they'll be penalized, or not.
Please add to the above that the moron gives his full name and where and when he violates the law. What do you want to bet a few officers reading this run his plates and wait for him? I would so like to read a follow up interview after he pays his first ticket.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Apr 3 2007, 04:01 PM) [snapback]417240[/snapback]</div> Speeding on the Turnpike is illegal. Doesn't seem to stop (or slow down) many people.
Maybe they should just give up the whole HOV lane thing entirely, since it's obviously too much of a hairball for society to handle out there. How would that go over? . _H*
I am SO tempted to sell my '06 package 3 with stickers and get a loaded '07, given the discounts and 0% financing now being offered...but it was so traumatic to get my SiriusPrius installed and working right, I just do not know...
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Arroyo @ Apr 3 2007, 01:48 PM) [snapback]417144[/snapback]</div> A few years ago when the fine was 279.00 for violating the sacred carpool lane I got caught in it. The first violation was 279.00 hawever the second violation was double that!!!! Yikes. The Judge said that it doubles every time you get caugh thus..... 341.00 1st time, 682.00 second time...1364 the 3rd time..... now do the math, Safer to go slow and wait or do what I did. Get a prius with carpool stickers!!!!! Either way, GOOD LUCK!!!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Apr 3 2007, 04:37 PM) [snapback]417329[/snapback]</div> I'm still waiting for someone to do an Erlang C (or is it "B"?) calculation to see if we'd be better off without the carpool lanes and more general traffic lanes. They obviously have NOT changed the behavior of car drivers. People are not car-pooling more. So we are creating more traffic congestion and producing more pollutants per mile of commute than if we opened up the additional 2 lanes that would replace most of the single lane car pool lanes.
That's sorta of what I'm saying. Flatten the playing field. With the right marketing spin, you could have Arnold encouraging everyone to become better drivers, leave space to make traffic flow better, and eventually wonder why they thought they needed HOV lanes at all. . _H*
In the SF Bay Area, Carpool lanes do not help too much. The carpool lanes come and go every 10-15 miles. As a result, the carpool lanes are usually as crowded around traffic jammed area. I could use lane 2 of 4 on the freeway and get there faster than using carpool lane and try to exit when I get to my exit.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Apr 3 2007, 01:30 PM) [snapback]417171[/snapback]</div> Unfortunately, carpool violations are not considered "moving violations" in California. The fines double with each subsequent offense, but your insurance will be unaffected (no "points" are reported to DMV). Carpool violations are not considered "moving violations" because they do not create a public safety hazard (like speeding, running a stop sign, etc.) Some legislators want to make carpool violations a "moving violation" based on the argument that a public safety hazard occurs when carpool cheaters dart between the lanes (especially when they see CHP up ahead).
