HOV lane ettiquete?

how many lanes? how do you know the car behind you is illegal?

 

Here (BC, Canada, drive on the right side of road) we have the Barnet Highway, two lanes in each direction, with the right lane being reserved for High Occupancy Vehicles (2 or more in the car), in the morning and afternoon rush hour direction.

Recently I had the experience of being lone occupant in the morning rush hour. I initially went for the (legal) left lane. Traffic was fairly light, and it seemed like everyone (except me) wanted to speed. I soon gave up, decide to break the law, moved into the more-or-less-empty right (HOV) lane and let them get by.

There is something wrong with this picture.

 

ONLY when it is necessary to alleviate a dangerous situation.

As in your motorcycle example, you should first give things a minute to "stabilize" as the "race driver" probably will dart over a lane as soon as possible.

You are under no obligation to take illegal actions to accommodate others who are also illegal.

BUT.......driving at only the posted limit in any left lane is in itself somewhat dangerous in many situations.......and is becoming illegal in more and more places lately (obstructing traffic).

 

If I see a car in front of me not going 20 over the speed limit with no cars I front of of it in the left lane, I think moron needs to move of the way. If I'm in the HOV lane and traffic on the right is going 0 mph, I'm less inclined to go 40 let alone 65. I fear morons that will enter the HOV lane unexpectedly. But I'm legally using the HOV lane so I stay in it.

What's my point? I don't follow my own HOV lane etiquette and i like to think i am a rational moron. The other morons behind you high beaming? The only way to please them is to move out of the way. There is no safe speed that will satisfy them.

 

Yes. One lane at a stand-still, full of frustrated drivers, the other lane whizzing by: one of the most dangerous scenarios. Another time that happens is with left-laners stacked up behind a waiting left-turner.

 

My rule is I go with the flow, unless it is too dangerous; then I get out of the way. For example, if the HOV lane is moving at 80MPH and I wish to remain in that lane I will go with the flow, which is 80MPH. I will not stubbornly go the 65MPH limit because that is the law - that obstructs traffic and angers people, which can create more dangerous conditions as cars pass each other. If I don't want to go past the speed limit, am carrying precious cargo, feel like hyper-miling or simply find the conditions too risky I will exit the HOV lane and move into the MUCH slower right lanes.

It's my choice to not go with the flow, so why inhibit others? There are few things more frustrating than a driver obstructing the entire HOV lane so they can go the speed limit or are too afraid to go with the flow due to the lanes next to them slowing down - that is what allows more drivers to move into the HOV lane causing more cascading slowdowns. If you don't feel comfortable going with the flow, please move to the right lanes. The absolute worse thing is people who don't meet the HOV requirements driving 45-50MPH in the HOV lane because they can - that is the epitome of un-courteous selfishness.

When I'm driving I like to have the least impact on other people - I want to get where I'm going safely and efficiently and that is getting more challenging here in the Bay Area. I would not have purchased the PiP if it didn't have the HOV sticker (I would be driving my wife's 2010 Prius); if the PiP is demoted out of the HOV lane then I will get the Prime or Ioniq BEV if only white stickers are allowed. The sticker saves me 45-60 mins every single day and that time is priceless to me (my work requires me to be present during the standard 7-5 range for the most part so that sticker is essential in saving me time, specifically in the evening commute).

 

This is why I tend to avoid the HOV lane. As a rule of thumb (in my mind, at least), the HOV lane is expected to move faster than the passing lane. And I don't drive fast enough to keep up with the passing lane these days. So, I stay out of the HOV lane unless I can keep up with the traffic flow. I also tend to interpret the HOV lane as the speeding lane, because that is how the majority of drivers tend to view it.

The exception is during rush hour when the other lanes are at a stand still. Then, driving too much faster than the passing lane is dangerous.