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Old 01-08-2015, 10:33 AM
 
Location: U.S.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StandBack-DoorsClosing View Post
Agreed. These are the two usual spots where the delays start to grow during rush hour, and they are both starting earlier now. 10 extra minutes sounds about right for the early birds. I wonder how much that compounds in, say, the following hour.
At 7am, the HOT lanes have been normal driving. On 95N, from Horner heading north, it is usually quite slow. It is still opening p once you cross the occoquan bridge. From your description, it is slower around Newington and Springfield, then opens up until Edsall where it becomes a parking lot until Seminary (mark building).
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Old 02-02-2015, 06:01 PM
 
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Anybody know how exactly police are enforcing the HOV vs. toll drivers? The only way I can think that they could definitely tell is if they a) have a special scanner that tells if the EZPass is on HOV or not and verify the people in the car at over 65mph; or b) the toll capture device also takes a picture and sends it to police. These seem possible, but unlikely.
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Old 02-02-2015, 06:39 PM
 
Location: Chester County, PA
1,077 posts, read 1,785,152 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grsz11 View Post
Anybody know how exactly police are enforcing the HOV vs. toll drivers? The only way I can think that they could definitely tell is if they a) have a special scanner that tells if the EZPass is on HOV or not and verify the people in the car at over 65mph; or b) the toll capture device also takes a picture and sends it to police. These seem possible, but unlikely.
Dr. Gridlock - The Washington Post

There's a couple of questions in the above Dr. Gridlock online chat that discusses this. It sounds like it is the first option you have hypothesized.
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Old 02-02-2015, 07:11 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by airjay75 View Post
Dr. Gridlock - The Washington Post

There's a couple of questions in the above Dr. Gridlock online chat that discusses this. It sounds like it is the first option you have hypothesized.
If that's the case, couldn't you have it set at HOV when entering, then switch to SOV? I believe the overhead scanners are positioned periodically and not just for entrances and exits, so it might not be feasible to switch on and off, but it might be worth a gamble during a time when police wouldn't be present and see if you get billed or not.
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Old 02-02-2015, 07:19 PM
 
Location: Chester County, PA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grsz11 View Post
If that's the case, couldn't you have it set at HOV when entering, then switch to SOV? I believe the overhead scanners are positioned periodically and not just for entrances and exits, so it might not be feasible to switch on and off, but it might be worth a gamble during a time when police wouldn't be present and see if you get billed or not.
I think there was another Dr. Gridlock chat where that same idea was discussed and I think the answer is, yes, you could theoretically switch to HOV everytime you pass under a toll scanner, which as you note would not just be upon entering and exiting but also as you travel through the lanes. I think that would be pretty challenging to do effectively. Maybe if you were someone who knew the HOT lanes like the back of your hand, but it just seems like the trouble would be more than it was worth. I'm sure there are people who will try it, but I gotta think the success rate with that kind of strategy is not going to be very high. If I were trying to cheat the system, I would probably just keep it on HOV mode and hope I wasn't caught. Or, better yet, I might put a few baby/child seats in the back of my car so that it looks like I've got three people in the car.
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Old 02-02-2015, 07:41 PM
 
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Yeah it would definitely be quite an effort. I still haven't even figured out how to determine the damn rates. When you enter at Edsall, there is no earthly reason to give you the price to Little River. Southbound should always show FFX Parkway, PW Parkway, and the end. Then you can figure that Franconia is a little less than FFX and Quantico a little more than PW. Or do it in bands that can still fluctuate, like 123 and PW Parkway are always the same.
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Old 02-02-2015, 07:53 PM
 
Location: West Hollywood, CA from Arlington, VA
2,768 posts, read 3,529,890 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grsz11 View Post
Yeah it would definitely be quite an effort. I still haven't even figured out how to determine the damn rates. When you enter at Edsall, there is no earthly reason to give you the price to Little River. Southbound should always show FFX Parkway, PW Parkway, and the end. Then you can figure that Franconia is a little less than FFX and Quantico a little more than PW. Or do it in bands that can still fluctuate, like 123 and PW Parkway are always the same.
There are two different sections with different toll rates. First is garrisonville to springfield and second is springfield to edsall. The rates can and probably do change before you enter the next section. Its necessary though because its 29 miles and will only get longer when they expand to Fredburg. Traffic in Springfield is going to be a lot more congested than traffic in Garrisonville or eventually Fredburg.
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Old 02-03-2015, 06:38 AM
 
Location: U.S.
9,510 posts, read 9,087,690 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grsz11 View Post
Anybody know how exactly police are enforcing the HOV vs. toll drivers? The only way I can think that they could definitely tell is if they a) have a special scanner that tells if the EZPass is on HOV or not and verify the people in the car at over 65mph; or b) the toll capture device also takes a picture and sends it to police. These seem possible, but unlikely.
Just read the article. Yes, the police have scanners but not only trying to see across three lanes, for three peeple per vehicle, and then looking at the scanner that is indicating THAT vehicle's EZ pass is set to the incorrect setting has to impossible during rush hour. Already there are times where the actual speeds have slowed to 55mph due to congestion. Three full lanes. Mission impossible.
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Old 02-03-2015, 06:55 AM
 
2,266 posts, read 3,715,978 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnsonkk View Post
Just read the article. Yes, the police have scanners but not only trying to see across three lanes, for three peeple per vehicle, and then looking at the scanner that is indicating THAT vehicle's EZ pass is set to the incorrect setting has to impossible during rush hour. Already there are times where the actual speeds have slowed to 55mph due to congestion. Three full lanes. Mission impossible.
The police do indeed have scanners - I see troopers off and on with the boxes mounted on the windows. Not to mention I got nailed by one on 495 - had my flex pass on HOV mode and didn't know it. Found out quick when he pulled me over! I don't have a flex pass in the car anymore because of that.
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Old 02-03-2015, 07:05 AM
 
Location: U.S.
9,510 posts, read 9,087,690 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ReblTeen84 View Post
The police do indeed have scanners - I see troopers off and on with the boxes mounted on the windows. Not to mention I got nailed by one on 495 - had my flex pass on HOV mode and didn't know it. Found out quick when he pulled me over! I don't have a flex pass in the car anymore because of that.
Was the traffic flow light when you got pulled over? I know camera technology is amazing but the white paddle sensors, congested highway, seems challenging. It's nearly impossible seeing the single driver with two kids in back.
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