Class A motorhomes in the HOV lane.

Zeke · 10-13-2023, 01:45 PM

Is that right? IDT so. IOW, I don't like it.

Another one that gets me is a box van with a passenger in the HOV lane. Some states restrict >10K gross weight. As long as it's 2 axles. CA allows 26,000 lbs. I'm not buyin' it. 2 jokers in a delivery truck.

So the motorhomes go by weight as long as they are 2 axles.

stevej37 · 10-13-2023, 02:01 PM

No HOV lanes in MI...although I've heard they might be coming.

Cdnone1 · 10-13-2023, 02:44 PM

As long as they are doing the speed limit why do you care?

Zeke · 10-13-2023, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdnone1

As long as they are doing the speed limit why do you care?

Can't see ahead. I don't drive behind trucks. Do you?

Speed, limtit. A truck might be doing the speed limit in the HOV, but in reality the speed in a HOV lane that is moving OK, not at rush hour, for all practical purposes, is 80. Now I for sure don't want a box van doing 80 or even 70 in front of me or next to me.

That's why I care.

Cdnone1 · 10-13-2023, 04:45 PM

No and I don't want to get into a pissing match with you, but a HOV lane is not the number 1 lane and is not there for speeding in. My wife frequently drives in the car pool lane with my kids in the car or if I'm tired and she is driving. I hate and I mean hate when people tailgate her as if the HOV lane is the fast lane. It is not. That is not why it is there.
Want to speed? Get in the number one lane and have at it.

Jeff Higgins · 10-13-2023, 04:58 PM

I'm old enough to remember when these were called "carpool lanes". That was the original intent, to encourage commuters to carpool to save gas and free up the freeways. I would really like to see a return to that intent, with enforcement to keep the rest of the riff raff out.

It didn't take long for folks to figure out that grabbing one of their toddlers to ride along qualified them to drive in the carpool lane. I'm sorry, but that is not taking a licensed commuter off the road who would otherwise be driving their own vehicle. Add to that the box van, work van, work truck, or whatever, crammed with coworkers on their way to a job - they have no more right to the carpool lane than the mom with her infant child.

Add to that the motorhome, the camper, the fifth wheel, the pickup towing a boat - they are obviously not commuting, not taking another licensed driver off of the road, and certainly not saving gas. They are recreating. They have no right to the carpool lane.

And, yes, speed in the carpool lane is important. If one desires to drive in that lane, one has an obligation to others with whom he is sharing that lane. If the pace of traffic in the other lanes suits you, please stay there. If you are unwilling or unable to keep up with everyone else in the carpool lane (who are ostensibly on their way to or from work), then stay the hell out of it. Courtesy is key.

There should be nothing larger than a multi passenger van (full of van poolers) allowed in the carpool lane. Certainly no RVs of any size or description, nor anyone towing a trailer of any kind. Carpool lanes need to return to the original purpose of easing rush hour congestion and saving gas. And, in that light, they need to be open to all traffic during non-peak hours. No reason to be incentivizing commuters at noon.

Cdnone1 · 10-13-2023, 05:37 PM

I agree with you Jeff on the original intent, but that is not what they are used for now. Every person that bought an EV regardless of having a HVO sticker is in them in LA.
While they may have been originally great for getting other commuting drivers out of there vehicles that day is long gone. Until that returns as long as they have 2 or more on the vehicle they can use it.
That being said the speed limit is the speed limit. Want to drive fast get in the number 1 lane.

Jeff Higgins · 10-13-2023, 05:49 PM

You couldn't be more wrong.

My own state (Washington) has a very simple law regarding traffic on multi lane highways and freeways - "stay right except to pass", also stated as "slower traffic keep right". This law applies to all multi lane roadways, even those with carpool lanes. I suspect most states have similar laws. Couldn't be simpler.

Passing on the right is likely one of the most dangerous things that motorists do while on multi lane roadways. Doing so is illegal here in Washington, and, similar to the above, I suspect it is illegal in most other states as well. For good reason.

So, again, if one is unwilling or unable to keep up with the pace of traffic in the carpool lane, common courtesy and basic safety demands one get out of that lane.

Cdnone1 · 10-13-2023, 07:19 PM

Oh I probably could be, and probably have been more wrong

john70t · 10-13-2023, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevej37

No HOV lanes in MI...

There is on US-23 N of Ann Arbor.
It is messed up. Looks like a video game.
They must be doing some social experiment...
On a weekend day, with little traffic and no construction, they randomly close the HOV lane and drop the speed limit to 55mph.
Everyone still does 80mph.

Jeff Higgins · 10-13-2023, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdnone1

Oh I probably could be, and probably have been more wrong

Good. Now do everyone else in L.A. a favor and tell your wife how the carpool lanes are supposed to work. Report back when you're done...

KFC911 · 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

....
...

Passing on the right is likely one of the most dangerous things that motorists do while on multi lane roadways. Doing so is illegal here in Washington, and, similar to the above, I suspect it is illegal in most other states as well. For good reason.
....

Methinks you are talking about single lane roads .... at least in every state I've ever driven in... there is NOTHING unsafe or illegal about passing on the right on multi-lane roads if done correctly. But if the other drivers weren't stoopid ya wouldn't need to

....and you are wrong about Washington State too .... I just checked

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC911

Methinks you are talking about single lane roads .... at least in every state I've ever driven in... there is NOTHING unsafe or illegal about passing on the right on multi-lane roads if done correctly. But if the other drivers weren't stoopid ya wouldn't need to

....and you are wrong about Washington State too .... I just checked

What state do you drive in? Not Ohio, or Colorado, or Texas, or Washington.

I wish I could post a link to the whole article, but I looked it up in Safari, which doesn't allow me to copy and paste the URL. I hate Safari for that reason.

"In 29 states, any car traveling slower than surrounding traffic must be in the right lane. In 11 states, the laws are even stricter—reserving the left lane only for turning or passing. In a growing number of states—especially Texas, Washington, and Ohio—police are engaging in an aggressive program to ticket violators. In Germany, the autobahn has a lower accident rate than American highways, despite there being no speed limit. The reason for this is that German drivers stay to the right unless they are passing."

KFC911 · 10-14-2023, 03:25 AM

^^^^ and there is absolutely no mention whatsoever about passing on the right if there is an open lane and done safely.

Read what you posted

On a multi-lane road, if the right lane is moving faster than the left and passing them.... are they violating traffic "laws"?

Of course not.... many times on I-95, or I-40, the left lane is not the "fast lane" .... traffic just flows around them on the lanes to their right.

wdfifteen · wdfifteen's Garage

The laws say it is only legal when "it can be done in a safe manner." I've never considered passing on the right to be safe, but I'm no lawyer.

KFC911 · 10-14-2023, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

The laws say it is only legal when "it can be done in a safe manner." I've never considered passing on the right to be safe, but I'm no lawyer.

I pass on the right legally

ALL the time .... I'm rarely on interstates these days, but on multi-lane city streets ... whichever lane is faster.

I agree that slower traffic should be in the right lane(s)... but I break no laws when I pass them safely

.

Two lanes stopped at a traffic light.... if the right lane takes off when the light changes to green....

I often breeze by the slowpokes clogging the left lane.

It's probably my mom

Zeke · 10-14-2023, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Good. Now do everyone else in L.A. a favor and tell your wife how the carpool lanes are supposed to work. Report back when you're done...

Speaking of HOV lanes and passing on the right, the above situation occurs frequently enough. So when the dashed line portion of the HOV appears indicating the zone to enter or leave the HOV, you see cars dart out to the "number 1" (sorry about that, jeez), punch it to get around Ms. Speed Police, and re-enter so they can go the average speed at the particular time.

Anyone doing 65 in the HOV lane in CA is nothing but an obstacle. None of this is of particular concern to me as I drive 2,3 and 4 lanes with no 3 my usual. When I do take a passenger I will get over to the HOV if it is actually moving faster. Often it isn't.

One more thing about the HOV lane and trucks. We are slowing building better freeways, but for the longest time HOV lanes were made from what was the center shoulder. They can be pretty rough and I hardly ever drive the Boxster in the HOV because of the bumps. A truck doing 70 in a rough lane is asking for trouble.

As I mentioned, CA freeways are canted to the center and the HOV in many cases causes a truck to lean.

DonDavis · DonDavis's Garage

Yum, more Driving methods talk from Advanced drivers with zero measurable training...except Drivers Ed in HS.

"you're doing it wrong!"

"Oh yeah? Well...you're doing it wronger! Take that!"

Yeah, that'll fix everything.

Jeff Higgins · 10-14-2023, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC911

I pass on the right legally

ALL the time .... I'm rarely on interstates these days, but on multi-lane city streets ... whichever lane is faster.

I agree that slower traffic should be in the right lane(s)... but I break no laws when I pass them safely

.

Two lanes stopped at a traffic light.... if the right lane takes off when the light changes to green....

I often breeze by the slowpokes clogging the left lane.

It's probably my mom

Since we were discussing carpool lanes, I thought maybe it was inferred that we were referring to freeways and the like, possibly including real highways out of town. We were not discussing in town surface streets nor stop light ridden, in town, "highways" (which functionally are not, be remain so named to help secure federal funding). Those are a whole different ballgame, where passing on the right is the norm, and expected, due to traffic flow. Apples and oranges. Not a part of this discussion.

KFC911 · 10-14-2023, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonDavis

Yum, more Driving methods talk from Advanced drivers with zero measurable training...except Drivers Ed in HS.

"you're doing it wrong!"

"Oh yeah? Well...you're doing it wronger! Take that!"

Yeah, that'll fix everything.

I've found that beotching about stoopid posters (me

) always fixes them

Sooooo.... can ya pass on the right .... or on the wrong

?