Katy HOV - kids (daycare, school, bus)

[d2mini]

I was looking at this website
https://www.hctra.org/katymanagedlanes/
but didn't find much detailed info.

I just want to confirm that I can use the HOV for free during commute times if I have a small child in the car. Personally I think this is a bit weird since it's not taking another car off the road like it would if it was two adults, but I'm not gonna complain.
And for those that do use the HOV for yourself and your small child, how often do you end up getting pulled over because the police officer can't see the child as you drive by?

[fnh]

DH takes the kids in the HOV lane every morning and it is filled with other dads doing the same. It does reduce traffic by taking my car off the road since the HOV allows one parent to take the kids to school AND get to work in a reasonable time. When the kids were smaller they would wave at the cops and once after exiting into the P&R a cop poked his head in the van to see the kids in the third row.

(Also, by the "only another driver" logic if you disallowed children you would also have to disallow blind or disabled or elderly adults, too.)

[d2mini]

That's cool, but I'm thinking more like infants and my car has tinted windows making it even hard to see a car seat or anything like that. I just don't want to be getting stopped all the time. But I suppose I'll still be ahead of other traffic.

And I won't be going through the main terminal at old katy road, so i'm talking about cops that are sitting on the actual managed lanes.

As far as being allowed/not being allowed... what Texas really needs to do is follow some other state's lead and allow highly efficient cars on the hov lanes. NY for instance gives you a sticker for your prius or other hybrid. Similar to how we allow motorcycles in the hov, even though many of those aren't very environmentally friendly.

[Trae713]

My parents use to do this all the time on the old Katy Freeway. When I was a baby, a cop followed my mom and pulled her over only to see me crying in the back seat. Is there still a problem with people using blow up dolls?

[fnh]

Yes, absolutely, babies are allowed. We use the 290 HOV and the police checks are random - and usually of the rolling type as you pass an entrance/exit or arrive at the P&R. Just lower your back window down for a moment as you drive by the cops peering into your car so they can see the baby.

Being stuck in traffic with a screaming baby is horrible. The frustrated solo drivers who have ever been parents certainly wouldn't begrudge HOV privileges to a parent with a baby!

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by fnh

Being stuck in traffic with a screaming baby is horrible.

haha, as a new parent I agree!!! Even on my current short commute.

ok, thanks for the confirmation.
I'll do the window roll-down.

[Topaz]

My husband was pulled over multiple times by the same police officer who was fooled by the tinted windows into thinking there was only one person in the car. Each time there were two children in the back seat.

[Glossa]

Originally Posted by d2mini

... what Texas really needs to do is follow some other state's lead and allow highly efficient cars on the hov lanes. NY for instance gives you a sticker for your prius or other hybrid. Similar to how we allow motorcycles in the hov, even though many of those aren't very environmentally friendly.

No thanks! It's crowded enough already. I liked it better when it was for the true carpoolers and bus riders. The pay lane has really added to our traffic (the ones who cheat and come into the HOV lane) so there isn't much benefit of being in the HOV lanes some days.

[brownybaby]

yep - i hov'd with a 3 month old....took her to daycare close to my office...it was awesome!

[Johnhw2]

Originally Posted by Topaz

My husband was pulled over multiple times by the same police officer who was fooled by the tinted windows into thinking there was only one person in the car. Each time there were two children in the back seat.

"slow cop or was he in a different car each time"?