Huge VENT!!! Don't cut into the HOV Lane!

[DawnCt1]

We are down one car and DS#4 is taking a math course at a semi local university about 25 miles away. His class starts at 9 am and to make it through rush hour without the HOV lane, he would have to leave 90 minutes early and sit in traffic. Last week wasn't a problem but this week, everyone is back to work so I figured it would be a nice ride for Jude. The speed limit is 65 mph but the roads were still a bit damp and frozen. The traffic had slowed to a crawl in the regular lanes so I slowed down to 55 with one eye to the right. I just had a feeling that with traffic stalled on the way into Hartford, some idiot, who doesn't bother to listen to the traffic report, would attempt to jump the 'ditch' and enter the HOV lane. Little did I think that he wouldn't look and cut in front of me. I slammed on my brakes, swerved to the left as far as I could go without hitting the Jersey barriers and he missed me by INCHES! He literally saw me at the last second and served back towards his lane. The HOV doesn't take that much planning. Turn off the CD player, listen to the radio,make sure you actually have a passenger in your vehicle and then enter it at the proper time and place. This wasn't a little vehicle BTW. It was a jacked up Ford F250! I got an instant headache that lasted for the rest of the ride.

 

[ICF]

What is an HOV lane?

 

[DawnCt1]

What is an HOV lane?

"High Occupancy Vehicle" lane. It is a lane that is separated by a shallow depression, solid (do not pass) lines and a few feet from the rest of the moving traffic on the interstate highway. It requires 2 or more occupants to use it. It typically moves along faster because most people head into work alone.

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

I hate when people dart in and out of HOV lanes, using them as a tool to get ahead, but pull out before they get into trouble... GRRRR...

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

most of ours require 3 people to be in the car to qualify!!

 

[DawnCt1]

most of ours require 3 people to be in the car to qualify!!

Even with just two people, there is plenty of room. Lots of "lone" commuters.

 

[DawnCt1]

I hate when people dart in and out of HOV lanes, using them as a tool to get ahead, but pull out before they get into trouble... GRRRR...

I agree. That is bad enough but when someone tries to enter from a virtual stop in front of a car going 55! We were lucky and DS#4 would have gotten the brunt of it.

 

[bumbershoot]

FWIW not all states/highways have any sort of depression in between normal and HOV lanes. I've never even heard of such a thing! Different line yes, "ditch", no. Glad you reacted in time!

 

[DawnCt1]

FWIW not all states/highways have any sort of depression in between normal and HOV lanes. I've never even heard of such a thing! Different line yes, "ditch", no. Glad you reacted in time!

Here it is. Also affectionately known as the "diamond lane" Here's the link instead. It won't visualize. Where he cut, it wasn't quite as wide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HOV_Lane.jpg

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

FWIW not all states/highways have any sort of depression in between normal and HOV lanes. I've never even heard of such a thing! Different line yes, "ditch", no. Glad you reacted in time!

we have no depression or dip--its just another lane with a diamond in it

 

[LoraJ]

Very Scary!


In NJ, I can drive solo in the HOV lane in my Prius.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Wow - you could not jump ours if you tried! It's blocked off by small pieces of barrier that are moved twice a day by a machine (so it can go either direction). We call it a zipper lane. But you get in at one point and out at one point.

OP - Glad you avoided an accident!

 

[Debbie7452]

Sorry this happened to you! This might give you a laugh...I had to read your post several times before I figured out that DS was #4. I read it DS 4 and got really confused

I kept thinking...WOW her 4 year old takes college classes!!

 

[Handbag Lady]

I think everyone who just cuts in or out of the HOV lane needs to be shot on site.

There is a reason there is an entry/exit section. We just have different color paint here and a huge double yellow line. It doesn't hurt your car to cross the double yellow line so people here do it often enough to cause some serious accidents, including damaging my friend in a motorcycle accident. My friend was cut INTO by someone crossing the HOV lane when there wasn't an entry/exit.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Dawn, was that on 91?

I had a public transit bus do the same thing to me a few weeks ago. DD and I took DH to Bradley and the bus came off the on ramp and straight over to the far left to get in the HOV lane. She would clipped us if I hadn't slammed on the brakes.

 

[DawnCt1]

Very Scary!

It sure was. Having seen it happen in the past, I was watching for it but you never really expect it.

In NJ, I can drive solo in the HOV lane in my Prius.

That's a good idea. I wonder if you can here.

I think everyone who just cuts in or out of the HOV lane needs to be shot on site.

There is a reason there is an entry/exit section. We just have different color paint here and a huge double yellow line. It doesn't hurt your car to cross the double yellow line so people here do it often enough to cause some serious accidents, including damaging my friend in a motorcycle accident. My friend was cut INTO by someone crossing the HOV lane when there wasn't an entry/exit.

I agree. Its very dangerous. The lanes are narrow as it is, and when someone comes in your direction, there is literally no place to go. Is your friend okay now?

 

[Handbag Lady]

That's a good idea. I wonder if you can here.



I agree. Its very dangerous. The lanes are narrow as it is, and when someone comes in your direction, there is literally no place to go. Is your friend okay now?

Yes, he ended up with a broken butt. I forget the proper medical name but a bone in his backside was broken in two. He has a bit of a limp now and he's been banned from riding a motorcycle by his wife. We're all so very lucky he wasn't killed.

 

[sunnyday123]

Can someone explain the purpose of a HOV lane to me? Is it soley for vehicles with 2 or more people? I am not trying to be rude, but I don't get the need for a separate lane for those cars.

 

[bumbershoot]

Can someone explain the purpose of a HOV lane to me? Is it soley for vehicles with 2 or more people? I am not trying to be rude, but I don't get the need for a separate lane for those cars.

It encourages people to share their commute. So instead of, say, 3 cars carrying 1 person each, there will be 1 car carrying those 3 people.

Of course, at least in WA, there is no age/license limit, so I can, officially, drive in the HOV lane with my son. I usually don't, I personally like to use it when I qualify by licensed drivers, but I *can*.

Gets confusing up here, though...there's one part through and north of Seattle that's a big one way express area...the way it goes changes during the day. Has barriers that move and such. Then on a west/east highway the HOV lane is 3+ in the car (while most are 2+). And on a north/south highway parallel to the main one, the 2+ HOV lane opens to everyone at certain hours, so you have to pay attention to the signs!

Here, as far as I know, you can get into the lane whenever you want; you don't have to "enter" it at a certain spot. But you aren't supposed to be stupid about it, as Dawn's highway sharer (was going to call the person a fellow driver, but didn't seem his was paying much attention to the driving at the moment!) was. And you are supposed to have the correct amount of people in the car.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We just have different color paint here and a huge double yellow line

Okay, in addition to the standard laws governing the HOV lane, what ever happened to that law about it being illegal to cross a solid yellow line????