Ever heard of an HOV lane on the RIGHT?

Heel n Toe · 01-20-2009, 01:15 PM

I'm only familiar with HOV lanes on the far left. Check out this experiment that Detroit is trying out:

Q: How will the Detroit HOV lanes work?

A: On downtown-bound traffic on Michigan Avenue, the right lane adjacent to the parking lane -- marked with white-lined diamonds in the HOV lane -- will be reserved for vehicles with more than one person between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. weekdays. The HOV lane is in effect on westbound Michigan from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays.

Q: "Since the HOV lane on Michigan Avenue is also the right-turn lane, do you know ... the rule for getting into the lane to make a right turn?" asks reader Jo Vizzaccaro of Livonia.

A: Sgt. Lance Cook of the State Police said the law allows drivers who need to make a right turn or other quick use of the HOV lane to do so for only a "reasonable distance."

"That term throws the door open for interpretation," Cook said.

Ultimately, the interpretation is up to police and judges for drivers who get a ticket. Driving in the lane for a mile definitely wouldn't be considered reasonable or advisable. What might be? A half mile? A quarter mile? It's not clear under the law.

Cook's advice: "Stay out of the lane until you're ready to make a turn."

http://www.freep.com/article/20081222/COL12/812220322/0/BLOG13
_________________________________

Sounds like a recipe for some very creative exit-diving if you ask me. Not to mention how hard it could be to get over to take an exit if that lane is moving significantly faster than the others.

mudman · 01-20-2009, 01:22 PM

Hey, nobody here will care. If you know the rules you've got to break them to not get killed or stuck in traffic. And if you live in the city or close to down town you are probably oblivious to the existence of any rules that apply to you.

My car got broken into while in downtown Det, when I called to make a report the deputy laughed and said "sheet boy naw yu dun lernd yu can't park on da street here". I guess I didn't know the rules either.

red-beard · red-beard's Garage

Inside the downtown area of Houston, the right lane is HOV/bus during rush hour.

mikester · 01-20-2009, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red-beard

Inside the downtown area of Houston, the right lane is HOV/bus during rush hour.

Same with Los Angeles, never had a problem with it myself.

911boost · 911boost's Garage

Same with whatever the road is that goes through Redmond, Washington. When I was out there working with MS, it confused me at first, as the HOV lane went right through people merging, etc.

Bill

svandamme · svandamme's Garage

just get a blow up doll, you know you want to

Dantilla · 01-20-2009, 03:25 PM

There are a few local places like this.

Solid white line means HOV only. Near the exit, the solid line changes to normal stripes. That's where it's okay to enter the HOV lane.

It's not defined in the law, it's defined on the pavement.

Jeff Higgins · 01-20-2009, 04:22 PM

Our Hwy 99 through Lynnwood has this, but it is bus and right turning traffic only - no carpools. Problem is, traffic backs up in the inside lanes to virtual gridlock. There is a "suicide turn lane" running down the center. Some good samaritans stop short of a business entrance, driveway, parking lot, or whatever, and flag an oncoming car to turn in front of them from that center lane to access whatever it is accross the street. The buses and other cars in the bus only lane are still rippin' along at 50 mph, and have no chance of seeing the car turning in fron of them. I have personally witnessed this twice in the three or four years we have had this lane. It never ends well for either...

We used to have a right hand carpool lane along Hwy 520, going from Redmond, through Bellevue, and over to Seattle. In rush hour traffic, merging traffic would have to cross carpoolers and buses going at the speed limit into traffic in the other two lanes that was essentialy stopped. Traffic exiting the freeway would have to try to time it to where they could shoot accross this high speed lane from the next lane over, which was virtually stopped. Lots and lots of accidents. Just amazing what risks seem acceptable in the name of saving a bit of gas, or enforcing certain behaviors (car pooling and bus riding).