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Old 09-06-2011, 01:11 PM
 
125 posts, read 238,875 times
Reputation: 140

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Quote:
Originally Posted by HtownLove View Post
THe HOV lane only seems empty to you because they are supposed to be that way. you can't expect bumper to bumper traffic on the HOV because they were designed to be the opposite of that. you only see it as empty because while you are snailing along in the regular lanes the HOV people are zooming so quickly passed you that you hardly notice them
When we first moved to Houston earlier this year, my GPS once led me on the HOV lane (unintentional, I was alone in the car). Yes, it was rush hour.

Could only see one car waaay ahead of me, and only one car waaay behind me. I had at least a quarter mile of empty space both in front of and behind me. But we were really zooming!

HOV lanes seem empty because it's "supposed to be that way"?

Mission accomplished.

 
Old 09-06-2011, 01:33 PM
 
2,480 posts, read 7,138,281 times
Reputation: 2079
Quote:
Originally Posted by mistergus75 View Post
Great idea? Have you seen how little traffic they carry? HOV lanes (in Houston, at least) are an abject failure. Wasted concrete.

"Get more people to use them?" Love to hear how you propose to do that. For crying out loud, it's not like you have to have 3-4 people to use the HOV lane. It only takes 2, and people still don't use them. Nothing less than some form of coercion will change that.

Oh yeah...coercian. That's how all these "green ideas" are implemented.

BTW, did you hear that GM sold 225 Chevy Volts in July? Another big win for green energy.
Including you obviously. What, you can't get at least one other person to ride with you and your sour attitude? Gee, I wonder why.

Perhaps if you actually used them (ya know...like car pool with at least one other person) you would actually see how wonderful the HOV lanes are. And as an added bonus, you would be using that "wasted concrete" and you would be helping the environment - which you seem to be contradicting yourself on whether you care about a "greener" environment (you don't want HOV lanes, but seem to care about how many Chevy Volts were sold in a month).
 
Old 09-06-2011, 01:44 PM
 
125 posts, read 238,875 times
Reputation: 140
Quote:
Originally Posted by lhafer View Post
. Perhaps if you actually used them...you would be using that "wasted concrete" and you would be helping the environment....
I guess you missed my post.

I did use the HOV lane during rush hour (accidently, since I was alone). And I appreciate all the gas I saved having the HOV lane nearly all to myself.

I'm sure it went a long way towards offsetting the gas burned by all the traffic standing still due to an inadequate number of lanes.
 
Old 09-06-2011, 02:44 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX (Bellaire)
4,900 posts, read 13,734,008 times
Reputation: 4190
Damn government, building HOV lanes on the damn highway that I built with my own 2 hands! I don't need their meddling! Whats that you say? The government built the highways with their evil taxes? Well shoot I just won't drive anymore, that will show them.
 
Old 09-06-2011, 03:03 PM
 
23,177 posts, read 12,213,138 times
Reputation: 29354
Quote:
Originally Posted by mistergus75 View Post
It has to be proven to you that extra lanes would decrease commute times?
Yes. When it comes to billion dollar decisions I want to see empirical evidence, no matter how conclusive you think your anecdotal observations are. If you throw those vehicles in the HOV lane into an additional standard lane, they will not be going the same rate of speed. Capacity = volume and rate of flow. Ever wonder why the far left lane grinds to a halt on a 4 lane freeway even though the entrances and exits are on the right?

What is the lane traffic count for an HOV lane during rush hour? What is the lane traffic count for an adjacent standard lane during the same time? Present some numbers to show they are under used.

You can disregard off peak times because the "wasted concrete" is not needed then and they were designed to handle serve peak usage times.
 
Old 09-06-2011, 04:14 PM
 
2,480 posts, read 7,138,281 times
Reputation: 2079
Quote:
Originally Posted by mistergus75 View Post
I guess you missed my post.

I did use the HOV lane during rush hour (accidently, since I was alone). And I appreciate all the gas I saved having the HOV lane nearly all to myself.

I'm sure it went a long way towards offsetting the gas burned by all the traffic standing still due to an inadequate number of lanes.
No, I didn't miss your post. I just don't consider using the HOV once unintentionally as "using" the HOV lane, nor do I think that's worthy of emperical evidence of how many people routinely use the HOV. I used it 5 days a week for 2.5 years - legally with 3 people in the car. I saw plenty of people using it along with me. Along with a lot of metro buses who were hauling lots of people back to their cars parks at the park and ride.
 
Old 09-06-2011, 04:26 PM
 
1,416 posts, read 4,438,204 times
Reputation: 1128
Quote:
Originally Posted by lhafer View Post
Along with a lot of metro buses who were hauling lots of people back to their cars parks at the park and ride.
And I think we can say with a great deal of confidence, that if there weren't HOV lanes for the Metro park-n-ride buses to use, then a big chunk of the riders would just drive their own cars, adding even more to the traffic count. Because I'm pretty sure they don't ride those the bus because they like to listen to the guy next to them snoring.
 
Old 09-06-2011, 04:49 PM
 
Location: Westbury
3,283 posts, read 6,050,580 times
Reputation: 2950
the volt sold so few because americans make inferior cars. the leaf has a 2,000 car edge in total sales. for a brand new technology that has just breached mainstream that is huge. also take into consideration their low productions numbers in the first place. and the volt plant being shut down. when cars were first invented not everyone and their mother bought one the first year either (or could - like now)

sorry just took offense to the OP's off tangent raging about clean technology and hybrid sales. he was missing 50% of the info

we should do what some states allow - hybrid and electric cars allowed on tollways and HOV's free of charge and regardless of the number of passengers! that'd really tick off the OP
 
Old 09-06-2011, 05:48 PM
 
18,130 posts, read 25,278,015 times
Reputation: 16835
Quote:
Originally Posted by mistergus75 View Post
It has to be proven to you that extra lanes would decrease commute times?
It doesn't improve traffic because you still have the same idiots with the vans/pickup trucks driving 2 under the speed limit on the left lane.

All you are going to do, is add 1 more lane on the right side.
 
Old 09-06-2011, 05:57 PM
 
125 posts, read 238,875 times
Reputation: 140
Quote:
Originally Posted by testmo View Post
we should do what some states allow - hybrid and electric cars allowed on tollways and HOV's free of charge and regardless of the number of passengers! that'd really tick off the OP
I'm not the only one who'd be ticked off.

Civility in politics? Until liberals stop trying to tell everyone else how to run their lives, there will be no civility, nor should there be.

Of course, in the "good old days", conservatives didn't have a voice. Thank God for FOX News, the internet, and especially talk radio. Rush Limbaugh...truly a national treasure.

Just build the lanes people need! Quit trying to mold behavior!

The only way liberals can claim we have an oil shortage is by creating it themselves. The only way they can force carpooling is with stunts like "HOV lanes".

In any arena, liberals can only advance their agenda by taking away people's choices.

Yeah, I'm ranting. If it bothers anyone, have a tissue...

As for the future...you're only going to get more of this.
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