Damnfool HOV Lanes And Their Enforcers

[roo_ster]

I am fortunate(1) in that I travel against the prevailing flow of traffic during morning and afternoon rush.

DART (Dumb *expletive deleted*ss Road Tyrants Dallas Area Rapid Transit), in its wisdom, actually enforces the HOV lane rules once in a while by:
1. Parking DART cop cars, lights a-flashing in the HOV lane.
2. Stopping EVERY auto in the HOV lane to make sure 2+ humans are in it.
3. Ticketing those who don't have 2+ folks.

What is the effect of this?  To bring the already very heavy (in this case, southbound) rush traffic from, say, a "trot" to a crawl.

HOV lanes are an idiot's idea in the first place.  It takes a special kind of idiot to actually enforce them. 




(1) Our designs and the thumb of the Good Lord were on our side, however, as we actively sought housing that would minimize our commute(s).

[CNYCacher]

WTF?  Isn't the point of HOV lanes to offer a carpooling incentive?  That incentive is faster average speed over your commute.  Stopping everyone in the HOV lane completely negates the purpose!

If DART keeps this up, then even thecars with 2+ souls won't even use the HOV lane.

Their solution to that will of course be to stop every vehicle in all the other lanes and ticket the HOVs for not using the HOV lane.

[AJ Dual]

We have none of that crud in the Milwaukee metro. We used to have HOV lanes in the on-ramps and the metering lights would give that lane priority, but they've taken all but two or three of them down.

Funny thing is some people are so used to one lane of the ramp being HOV, a few years later they STILL all pile up in the right lane, leaving the left empty, while people who know it's been done away with zip on through.

When we did have the HOV on ramps, it was always fun to drive the van with my four daughters in it, and get the dirty looks from people piled up in the other lane. I finally taught them to all put their arms up and wave so they could be seen after letting the people stew for a few moments. 

[brimic]

We have none of that crud in the Milwaukee metro. We used to have HOV lanes in the on-ramps and the metering lights would give that lane priority, but they've taken all but two or three of them down.

The still have them for the on ramps to 43 on Locust St and North Avenue- from what I've seen, the HOV rule is pretty much ignored.

[Regolith]

When I was a senior in high school, my physics class took a field trip to San Francisco to visit some of the science museums there.  I remember that we were able to take the HOV lane, since there were about 6 or 7 of us in a large van (the class was small, and not everyone went), and there was absolutely no one else in that lane. It was a little surreal zooming past near stand-still traffic at 60 mph...

[cosine]

We have none of that crud in the Milwaukee metro. We used to have HOV lanes in the on-ramps and the metering lights would give that lane priority, but they've taken all but two or three of them down.

Funny thing is some people are so used to one lane of the ramp being HOV, a few years later they STILL all pile up in the right lane, leaving the left empty, while people who know it's been done away with zip on through.

When we did have the HOV on ramps, it was always fun to drive the van with my four daughters in it, and get the dirty looks from people piled up in the other lane. I finally taught them to all put their arms up and wave so they could be seen after letting the people stew for a few moments. 

Hey, I'm glad there's still one on the on-ramp to 894 off of National Ave! Sometimes there's 7-8 cars in the non-HOV lane when my carpool (3 people) is heading to work in the morning.  I much appreciate being able to bypass everyone in the other lane. 

[roo_ster]

WTF?  Isn't the point of HOV lanes to offer a carpooling incentive?  That incentive is faster average speed over your commute.  Stopping everyone in the HOV lane completely negates the purpose!

Perhaps your reading of their(1) purpose is faulty?



(1) DART bureaucrats' purpose, that is.  Maybe DART's whole purpose is to employ DART bureaucritters, rather than make transit around the Dallas area more, uh, rapid?

[seeker_two]

Perhaps your reading of their(1) purpose is faulty?



(1) DART bureaucrats' purpose, that is.  Maybe DART's whole purpose is to employ DART bureaucritters, rather than make transit around the Dallas area more, uh, rapid?

QFT.....

[Rick Finsta]

The still have them for the on ramps to 43 on Locust St and North Avenue- from what I've seen, the HOV rule is pretty much ignored.

Especially by the ghetto trash that just use those lanes to blow the red light and pass all the folks waiting in the left lanes.

[Tuco]

Anybody recall the story of the kalifornian who drove to work with two mannequins?

[CNYCacher]

Anybody recall the story of the kalifornian who drove to work with two mannequins?

When I was looking for a job, I came across a delivery company in Jersey that was offering $12.50/hr to be a warm body in the passenger seat of their trucks.

[MillCreek]

When I was a senior in high school, my physics class took a field trip to San Francisco to visit some of the science museums there.  I remember that we were able to take the HOV lane, since there were about 6 or 7 of us in a large van (the class was small, and not everyone went), and there was absolutely no one else in that lane. It was a little surreal zooming past near stand-still traffic at 60 mph...

It gives me a pucker factor to be doing this on the motorcycle.  More times than I care to think about, someone suddenly pulls out from the stopped traffic into the HOV lane right in front of me.  And never with a lane change signal.  I have had to do some fancy swerving and/or braking at times to keep from being turned into strawberry jam.

[gunsmith]

yeah, ic CA motorcycles were allowed to use hov lanes, when I was in FL they were not allowed.

Don't  see why DART needs to enforce it that way, CA bayarea doesn't & they catch loads of folks.

[roo_ster]

yeah, ic CA motorcycles were allowed to use hov lanes, when I was in FL they were not allowed.

Don't  see why DART needs to enforce it that way, CA bayarea doesn't & they catch loads of folks.

Just one of many wasteful DART practices.

[Azrael256]

After I got the second one of their drivers fired, I pretty much wrote off DART.

I live 100 yards from one DART station and work 1/4 mile from another, and it's a four hour trip with DART.  I used to work 5 miles from work, and it was a 3 hour ride.

They also have a habit of stopping traffic in the HOV lane for half an hour and then ticketing drivers who bail from the lane.

[roo_ster]

Just think of a retarded sociopath given huge gobs of revenue, transportation, and law enforcement authority and you'll understand DART.

[230RN]

CNYCacher: "Their solution to that will of course be to stop every vehicle in all the other lanes and ticket the HOVs for not using the HOV lane."

Quoted for hilarity.

[MechAg94]

After I got the second one of their drivers fired, I pretty much wrote off DART.

I live 100 yards from one DART station and work 1/4 mile from another, and it's a four hour trip with DART.  I used to work 5 miles from work, and it was a 3 hour ride.

They also have a habit of stopping traffic in the HOV lane for half an hour and then ticketing drivers who bail from the lane.

As for the first, Metro in Houston isn't any better.  They do little to improve the buses and instead spend boat loads on BS train systems.  The cars that end up in accidents with the trains probably have more passengers than the trains.

On the last, couldn't that be considered some sort of entrapment?  

[Scout26]

Just think of a retarded sociopath given huge gobs of revenue, transportation, and law enforcement authority and you'll understand DART all government.

[coppertales]

You have to remember, Dallas is run by the same type of liberal that Austin is.  The question I have always had is why are there so many wrecks in the HOV lane?  You have the lane to yourself, there is a barrier between you and the rest of the traffic,  I can't figure this out.....chris3

[slugcatcher]

Metro is the same thing here in Houston. However, they don't stop anyone unless there is only 1 person in the car.  They do a visual check as you exit to the park and ride lot.  The only time the HOV comes to a stop is due to an accident.  I also agree the system is a HUGE waste of taxpayer money and I ride the HOV everyday. 

[BryanP]

HOV lanes are federally funded.  If the state doesn't show that it's doing at least a minimum of enforcement of the HOV policy they will lose that funding.  In my area (Nashville) the HOV lane enforcement is as minimal as they can get away with as far as I can tell.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

third hov violation here is 1000 bucks