The infection of Express Lanes started in Southern California and
spread northward. Now, you see N-lane freeways with empty left lane(s)
during rush times. Great for the police to zoom along on, not so great
for everyone not wanting to pay five dollar tolls (or for now, having
the money to buy an electric car). They've also bumped up the minimum
for a 'multi-user' vehicle from 2 to 3 people.




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Al Kossow <aek@bitsavers.org> writes:

The infection of Express Lanes started in Southern California and
spread northward. Now, you see N-lane freeways with empty left lane(s)
during rush times. Great for the police to zoom along on, not so great
for everyone not wanting to pay five dollar tolls (or for now, having
the money to buy an electric car). They've also bumped up the minimum
for a 'multi-user' vehicle from 2 to 3 people.

Several years ago the state of Washington made the inner lane(s) of I-405 into HOV/toll lanes: Depending on TOD, 2 or more people in an auto can use them for free, while single occupant (or 2 occupant if the minimum is 3+) pay a toll.

The prices have gone up every legislative session, but the toll lanes are just as congested as ever, because the Microsofties and Amazonians making ridiculous salaries can afford the $20 each way that they're now being charged.

--
Rich Alderson news@alderson.users.panix.com
Audendum est, et veritas investiganda; quam etiamsi non assequamur,
omnino tamen proprius, quam nunc sumus, ad eam perveniemus.
--Galen

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According to Rich Alderson <news@alderson.users.panix.com>:

The prices have gone up every legislative session, but the toll lanes are just >as congested as ever, because the Microsofties and Amazonians making ridiculous
salaries can afford the $20 each way that they're now being charged.

So it's a rich nerd tax that they pay voluntarily. What's not to like?

Here in the mysterious east there are HOV lanes which are free but you
need at least two or three people in the vehicle. If you have an EV
you can get a sticker that lets you drive in the HOV lane on some NJ
and NY roads but that ends in September.

--
Regards,
John Levine, johnl@taugh.com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for Dummies",
Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. https://jl.ly

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Reply-To: slp53@pacbell.net

rbowman <bowman@montana.com> writes:

On Wed, 7 May 2025 11:16:10 -0700, Al Kossow wrote:

The infection of Express Lanes started in Southern California and spread
northward. Now, you see N-lane freeways with empty left lane(s)
during rush times. Great for the police to zoom along on, not so great
for everyone not wanting to pay five dollar tolls (or for now, having
the money to buy an electric car). They've also bumped up the minimum
for a 'multi-user' vehicle from 2 to 3 people.

Leading to increased sales of inflatable dummies... Can bikes use the HOV >lanes?

Bikes don't need a lane in California, sadly.

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According to rbowman <bowman@montana.com>:

On Wed, 7 May 2025 11:16:10 -0700, Al Kossow wrote:

The infection of Express Lanes started in Southern California and spread
northward. Now, you see N-lane freeways with empty left lane(s)
during rush times. Great for the police to zoom along on, not so great
for everyone not wanting to pay five dollar tolls (or for now, having
the money to buy an electric car). They've also bumped up the minimum
for a 'multi-user' vehicle from 2 to 3 people.

Leading to increased sales of inflatable dummies...

I gather that some well publicised expensive tickets that is uncommon.

A more interesting case was in some midwestern state where a pregnant woman said her fetus was a person under state law, so there were two people in the car.
Don't remember how that turned out.

Can bikes use the HOV lanes?

Motorcycles can. Bicycles aren't allowed on freeways except for a few very rural ones that allow them on the shoulder because there is no other road to where they go.
--
Regards,
John Levine, johnl@taugh.com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for Dummies",
Please consider the environment before reading this e-mail. https://jl.ly

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On Thu, 8 May 2025 17:28:09 -0000 (UTC), John Levine wrote:

A more interesting case was in some midwestern state where a
pregnant woman said her fetus was a person under state law, so there
were two people in the car. Don't remember how that turned out.

That would make right-wingers’ heads explode, wouldn’t it? “Life begins at
conception” for the purpose of denying women healthcare, but not for the purpose of issuing traffic fines!

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On 8 May 2025 00:27:36 GMT, rbowman wrote:

On Wed, 7 May 2025 11:16:10 -0700, Al Kossow wrote:

The infection of Express Lanes started in Southern California and
spread northward. Now, you see N-lane freeways with empty left lane(s)
during rush times. Great for the police to zoom along on, not so great
for everyone not wanting to pay five dollar tolls (or for now, having
the money to buy an electric car). They've also bumped up the minimum
for a 'multi-user' vehicle from 2 to 3 people.

Leading to increased sales of inflatable dummies... Can bikes use the
HOV lanes?

Probably only if there are three people on them.

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