CA carpool lane question

[Spede]

I'm on the 57 southbound carpool lane and it has a solid white line with reflectors/dots on the right.

What does that mean legally?

• Can I exit the carpool lane legally?
• Can someone enter it legally?
• Should it be treated like double solid yellow lines?

[Sooner or later]

No crossie


. The double yellow lane stripes between the high occupancy vehicle/carpool lanes and general purpose lanes are no longer the standard stripes, according to Terri Kasinga, Caltrans District 8 chief for public and legislative affairs.

“Yellow stripes are used to delineate opposite direction of travel, for example the median (on a freeway),” Kasinga wrote in an e-mail. “Legislation was passed to eliminate the yellow stripes used between HOV/carpool lanes and general purpose lanes. For new projects, a solid white stripe (for which a lane change is prohibited or discouraged) or broken white stripes (a lane change is permitted) are now implemented.”

[Spede]

Thanks for the knowledge! I love the official reference.

[wildthing]

Well... discourage is different from prohibit. I can discourage you from smoking but it’s still up to you. You are prohibited from murdering your wife.

[Sooner or later]

Here is the article.

https://www.pe.com/2014/11/16/on-the-road-dotted-solid-white-lines-now-standard-for-carpool-lanes/

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, in the photo above an exit is coming up. Are you stuck in the left lane and have to miss your exit?

In the states that have the HOV lane I use that solid while line as one you are encouraged to stay in, but I am sure not going to drive in the left lane for miles before I can get off.

I have never seen an official ruling on it.

[pmax]

Discouraged not prohibited.

[RNajarian]

THANKS for the knowledge. I’ve been wondering about those double yellow/white lines for some time.

[Alan A]

Originally Posted by wildthing

You are prohibited from murdering your wife.

Not really. You just face a penalty if caught...

[bleucamaro]

Thought this was a simple question that it was illegal to cross a solid white line. In your case, cannot exit HOV lane, but may enter HOV lane. . . But Google shows very conflicted results. Probably best not to unless you really need to.

[Sooner or later]

The article basically says the single solid line is replacing the double yellow. What was the law on double yellow?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

The article basically says the single solid line is replacing the double yellow. What was the law on double yellow?

Well, and even if the article says that the solid white is replacing the double yellow, if the line is solid white and the law for solid white doesn't say "see double yellow" then you would follow the law for the single white.

I would assume (and laws are different everywhere, so who knows) that the dotted line would indicate that traffic could enter the HOV, but that the folks already in the HOV had to stay put.

It seems to me that the times that I've been in Cali, that there were specific spots where the lines changed to indicate "enter/exit HOV lane here" kind of thing. Anyplace that isn't one of those official entrance/exit spots, I think you're not supposed to enter/exit.

[Sooner or later]

A little more info.

https://www.jmoreyins.com/2013/03/15/carpool_lane_yellow_white_lines_meaning/

This only partially answered my question. It states that crossing the solid yellows are not allowed, but it still did not tell me why the white line was there. It took some more research but I found that according to the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Section 3B.04, a solid white line means that crossing it is discouraged, but not illegal. Some examples of this would be seen on one-way streets or just before an intersection. If the conditions are right and you can change lanes safely, go ahead. However, the carpool lane is an exception. The white line in this case, is there as a lane barrier and should not be crossed until there is a designated entry/exit place marked by broken lines.

[Arizona_928]

white carpool lane... make it confusing for everyone that's not from there.
AZ has them, but it's not illegal to cross. There's also no entrance/exit sections either.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

A little more info.

https://www.jmoreyins.com/2013/03/15/carpool_lane_yellow_white_lines_meaning/

This only partially answered my question. It states that crossing the solid yellows are not allowed, but it still did not tell me why the white line was there. It took some more research but I found that according to the California Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) Section 3B.04, a solid white line means that crossing it is discouraged, but not illegal. Some examples of this would be seen on one-way streets or just before an intersection. If the conditions are right and you can change lanes safely, go ahead. However, the carpool lane is an exception. The white line in this case, is there as a lane barrier and should not be crossed until there is a designated entry/exit place marked by broken lines.

I found the information regarding the solid white line that you cited, in 3B-04 paragraph 20, which clearly states crossing is discouraged but not prohibited. I could not find any statement of exception to car pool lanes which you put in bold. Is that exception found in some other document or a particular location in the MUTCD that I missed?

Further, if lane line crossing is to be prohibited, a double white line is used according to paragraph 30 of the section.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by Sooner or later

. For new projects, a solid white stripe (for which a lane change is prohibited or discouraged) or .”

What does that mean? Is it prohibited sometimes but only discouraged under other circumstances? How do you know the difference?

[RNajarian]

If you are traveling in the HOV lane and your exit is 1 mile away, you may not have a broken yellow/white line to exit before your exit. Happens to me all the time.

Consequently, I cross over the double yellow/white line to exit the freeway. Perhaps this is the circumstance in which it is discouraged but permitted.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

If you are traveling in the HOV lane and your exit is 1 mile away, you may not have a broken yellow/white line to exit before your exit. Happens to me all the time.

Consequently, I cross over the double yellow/white line to exit the freeway. Perhaps this is the circumstance in which it is discouraged but permitted.

I understand the situation you describe and have found myself in the same circumstances a few times as well. However, crossing a solid double line, be it yellow or white, is absolutely prohibited and is a violation. Never permissible.

The photo posted in the OP is especially confusing as it shows the solid white stripe but also a broken white line to the right of it. I would interpret that as one would a double yellow or white, with one of the lines broken, which means, if you have the broken side of the line marking the edge of your lane, you may cross the line when necessary.

In the photo then, the car-poolers are prohibited from crossing the line (because it is a double white line with one line broken), but the traffic lanes may cross to enter the car pool lane. I could be wrong in that, but it certainly is confusing. And that quote by the traffic "expert" really muddies the waters as wdfifteen points out. I will go by the written code I mentioned, above. Solid single white means crossing is discouraged but not prohibited. Double line of any color, crossing is prohibited save if the broken side marks your lane edge.

[pmax]

Sign is unnecessary if prohibited.

[Tobra]

That sign is not unnecessary.

The traffic laws are nebulous because, revenue generation.

Crossing solid white line is prohibited. In the photo shown in the OP, you can enter the car pool lane but are prohibited from exiting the car pool lane.

Just look around for a CHP officer before you do anything