2+ Road Lanes are f***ing stupid

[shropshire 0]

[RANT]

Yes, more money making nonsense coming soon from a government near you

The idea (?) is that only vehicles with 2 or more people in a car can use these lanes, but most people can't share cars because they commute to work from different places than their co-workers.


So, the 2+ lane is empty and the rest of the road packed - WTF?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[shermanator 4]

sounds like what we refer here as carpool lanes. they are great when traveling with more people, but when there is a lot of traffic, and the carpool lane is fairly empty, it is frustrating, because that extra lane will help ease the traffic.

CLICK HERE! new blog posted 9/21/08
CSA #720

[shropshire 0]

Yeap that's them.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[DougH 270]

Yup another stupid fucking idea. What is even worse is when they build a special lane that is seperated from the rest of the road... for tons of extra money.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[dannydan 5]

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Yeap that's them.

If I comment about this, it will help it go to SC! So I am not going there till it gets there

[bigway 4]

Car pool lane. I think there are two different sides to them. First, they are fucking stupid cause in the big picture all this money being spent and roadworks causing years of delay is wasted as it the traffic problem just stays blocked up. Look at L.A.
When i went through L.A. from in a weekday morning it was jam packed, However the other side of it.. There was another person in my car so we just cruised past 3 lanes of blocked up traffic.

I did think at the time though it would really suck to be one of the other people on their way to work, stuck in heavy traffic. I think they should open it up to all cars so they can help the traffic problem.

I guess someone will say then people should share rides to work to solve problems... Fuck that, Going to work in the morning you are usually half aslepp and dont want to have to share your space with someone else. Going to work in the morning, every morning to deal with fuckwits at work all day, you should be able to spend that time by yourself. Then coming home you are so relieved for the day to be over and you can do your own thing, why be forced to have to pick someone else and talk about work on the ride home while stuck in shitty traffic? There are plenty of other ways to save the world from it's problems.


I think this generation will be known as the generation that saved/tried to save the world.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[kbordson 8]

I would avoid those carpool lanes. I've heard people go missing.... I suspect macra

[wmw999 2,589]

Sorry, I kind of like them. Even if I'm not in one. They're an attempt to get people to behave in a way that the government would like them to, using a carrot rather than a stick (although traffic could be considered a stick, just consider that we've had traffic all along, and the improvement from turning the 2+ lane into a general lane would be transient).

Yes, they'd like you to change your behavior. The result of doing so would be less traffic for everyeone. The freeway I use most is half again as wide as it was 25 years ago, and more crowded. Turning it into 4, or 6, or 8 lanes each way wouldn't solve the problem, it would just defer it, and create others along the way.

Unfettered freedom has a cost, too.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[bigway 4]

I see that side as well.

At the same time though, only a very small majority of people will change their behavior, so it kind of makes it ineffective. Traffic will never get better, it will only get worse until we find a better alternative to getting around. I don't think any of us will ever see that day.

They were a great idea, but how much longer are they going to keep this in use before they realise it aint changing anything. If they opened this lane in L.A. up, I imagine that lane would be able to keep the flow of around 60,000 cars a day moving. This in turn would stop the traffic problem alot better than they are at the moment.

I reffer here to my limited experience in L.A.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[wmw999 2,589]

My BF rides the bus in to work every day on the transit lane. He used to drive. While he doesn't have quite as much flexibility in some ways, he loves it now. It's comfortable, quiet, he can read the whole way in, and someone else has to deal with the traffic. His car gets a lot fewer miles on it, too.

In Houston, at least, there are van pools that the city sponsors, where people who work close to each other (not necessarily the same company) can get together and share rides. Some people where I work use them; some are early bird van pools, some are late-arriver van pools. Seems to work for them.

I'm not a direct participant; I live about 3 miles from work, and while I ride my bike sometimes, it's not as often as I should. One of my wants for the year is to plan my time a little more carefully so that I can take the 5-10 extra minutes to ride instead of drive without feeling rushed.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Mayberry 0]

Anyone have Slug lines in their area? People here use them like crazy for the HOV lanes.
There's talk of putting in HOT lanes (High Occupancy Toll) in this area as well.

Don

Here's to friends!

[bigway 4]

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My BF rides the bus in to work every day on the transit lane. He used to drive. While he doesn't have quite as much flexibility in some ways, he loves it now. It's comfortable, quiet, he can read the whole way in, and someone else has to deal with the traffic. His car gets a lot fewer miles on it, too.

In Houston, at least, there are van pools that the city sponsors, where people who work close to each other (not necessarily the same company) can get together and share rides. Some people where I work use them; some are early bird van pools, some are late-arriver van pools. Seems to work for them

I am sure there is many people just like you described out there doing the same.
It is just such a small majority and has been for a long time. Has carpooling hit it's peak yet.. Cause if it has it has not really solved the traffic problem and may be better off openning the lane up to all traffic.

I don't claim to know better than what they are doing, I am just asking the question.
It seems to me that it may have peaked already and does not solve as much as the problem that they had anticipated when planning the lane.
Maybe if it is open to all cars it would better the problem more than it currently is.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Gawain 0]

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Sorry, I kind of like them. Even if I'm not in one. They're an attempt to get people to behave in a way that the government would like them to, using a carrot rather than a stick

That would be great if that was the government's role.

This may send to SC, so be it, I'm not afraid.

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Yes, they'd like you to change your behavior. The result of doing so would be less traffic for everyeone.

No, building more infrastructure along with increasing speed limits in less congested areas will do that. Not only will that reduce traffic, it will reduce the density per square mile which would further reduce pollution.

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The freeway I use most is half again as wide as it was 25 years ago, and more crowded. Turning it into 4, or 6, or 8 lanes each way wouldn't solve the problem

Specific to your area, perhaps not. However, for spurs and by-passes built out, along with an expansion of the existing roads will reduce traffic.

This isn't just about cars. The economy has grown ten-fold in the past 30 years. The infrastructure from utilities to roads to railroads has not done so.

The US (specifically) must face a reality that a new industrial renaissance is in order. We literally have a road-map with what's needed to expand everything to attract a new behavior, not force.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[bigway 4]

What the city of Sydney did, Instead of car pool lanes, Was build tunnels under alot of the motorways that run in the same direction. Also more of an express route. They charge a toll for these. Your car gets a tag and everytime you go through the tunnels you get billed.
At the same time they have the usual government motorways that do not charge a toll.

It has not solved the problem, but i believe it has helped alot more than a car pool lane would have.

Maybe someone wants to look more into the sydney tunnels to see what i am talking about. They are corporate owned give you two options, whilst not having to share your ride. I am sure more people than not would rather drive to work on their own rather than share a car with someone every day.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Andrewwhyte 1]

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Anyone have Slug lines in their area? People here use them like crazy for the HOV lanes.

That is absolutely brilliant.
I think HOV lanes do work. People who want the HOV lane returned to regular service just see the sparse line of cars. You need to remember that many if not most of these people will return to SOV behavior if they lose the HOV lane. If it is an HOV3 lane and 1/3 of the people go bac to SOVs then you double the number of vehicles that are currently in that lane. BTW those people all want your parking space.
I do think that in most cases HOV lanes should be HOV2 lanes. The it is so much easier to find (and to live with) one commuting partner than two; this will increase usage in the HOV lane and remove more cars from the other lane.

[skybytch 273]

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I am sure more people than not would rather drive to work on their own rather than share a car with someone every day.

As fuel prices continue to increase, I'm sure that many people would rather share a car with someone every day if it will save them money.

If we want to continue to use fossil fuels, it's up to each of us to stop using them like they are a renewable resource...

[bigway 4]

I can't understand why americans go on about the price of fuel like it is expensive or something. It is the cheapest in the western world over in the USA.

We pay about $5.40usd a gallon in Australia.
The UK pays about $8usd a gallon.

The USA pays about $3.50usd a gallon.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[skybytch 273]

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The UK pays about $8usd a gallon.

Right. And while I don't know for sure, I'd bet that most Brits choose to share rides or use public transportation instead of driving solo.

[Amazon 7]

You just pay more in taxes for the gas

[bigway 4]

Only Londoners, cause it is impossible to drive around London as it is.
Sure some train and bus etc, just the same amount per cepita i imagine as every other country.

We all moan about our gas prices, that is inevitable. I was just letting you know it that it is not that bad for you guys yet. It has always been this bad for us. The cheapest a gallon i remember in my past 14 years of driving it was $3usd a gallon in New Zealand/Australia. That was 14 years ago.

So 14 years ago it was $3usd a gallon for my country.
IN America 14 years later it is $3.50 a gallon.

The United State drivers have never lived with high Gas prices compare to most of the world.

The only argument i can think of is that it is economies. I never remember in my life a period though, where gas prices were not an issue.

I remember filling up in the USA, while driving around.. And thinking to myself that the USA was one of the best places to do a driving trip cause the petrol is so super cheap, compared to any of the other countrys i had been to.
Gas prices in the USA stood out to me as one the most astonishing things about the country. Constantly i hear americans moaning about the gas prices, I was blown away when i went there myself as i could not understand why the american voice on gas prices was such a worry. I had never seen petrol so cheap.

Please, I am not trying to be nasty, I am just commenting from my experiences of journeys through different changing countries for the past constant 10 years.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[bigway 4]

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You just pay more in taxes for the gas

BINGO! SNAP! whatever.

You are 100% correct. I was waiting for someone to come back at me with the logic behind it instead of arguing about it.

The fact is, I worked in a gas station in NZ when i was young. The station was the lagrest in New Zealand with 32 pumps at that time.

This station only made $0.04 cents per littre (quater gallon)
The rest went on taxes.

Another thing that is very highly taxed in most countries is smokes. Shops use to make $0.06cents on a packet of ciggys. The ciggys were about $8.00usd a pack. The rest went on taxes.
Ciggys now cost about $12usd a pack of 25's.

Still, the prices for the consumer has always been the same. Alot worse of than the USA

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Conundrum 1]

I like the carpool lane. Mostly because I always have my son with me so I get to use it.

[Squeak 17]

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The UK pays about $8usd a gallon.

Right. And while I don't know for sure, I'd bet that most Brits choose to share rides or use public transportation instead of driving solo.

Aussies dont.
Here in Perth wec have more registered cars than registered drivers.the city planners built the city out making it sprawling, then they decided to put in an inadequte puclic transport system. so every fugger drives here

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[Squeak 17]

Gary dont forget the cost of living in many parts of the staes is cheaper than OZ too. So they earn less over all, but consequenlty pay less over all too.
I'd be more interested in seeing a %age of wages cost per week. currentlyit cost me 11% of my nett weekly pay to fill my cars fuel tank. If i drove my car to work daily (instead ofriding my Guzzi). i would be paying $85.oo per week in transport costs to get to work.


Public transport would be one bus and 2 trains to get there and about a 2 hours trip

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[bigway 4]

Yeah it costs 11% for my partner as well. You guys must have the same job. She is lucky though, She just uses the hospital taxi chits that the government pays for.

Tell you what Squeak, you would not believe how many people jump off the harbour bridge trying to kill themselves.

My partner was called in three times to the hospital over the weekend for that exact same reason. NExt fucker that wants to jump off the harbour bridge at 4am when my girlfriend is on call better fucking die!

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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