HOV-4

Blivets, reverse blivets, packet switching and slugs.

Most of you have heard the terms. So here are definitions applied to the reversible lanes of Shirley Highway.

A blivet is five pounds of stuff in a three pound bag. Shirley Highway is a three pound bag trying to carry five pounds. VDOT is executing a blivet maneuver by trying to put five pounds in a three pound bag.

Traffic engineers concentrate on the number of cars.

NOT people, CARS.

Following the existing trend, by 2008, every eighth person will be required to drive two cars simultaneously and at the same time in order to get the passenger ratio below one person per car. [:)]

A lane of traffic will carry 1,500 to 1,800 vehicles per hour at the posted speed with predictable travel time. Transportation engineers insist this should be 2,400 vehicles per lane per hour at 75% of the posted speed with completely unpredictable travel times and one day in twenty of complete stand still. [}:)]

At least the engineers haven't asked for burnt offerings on that twentieth day. [xx(]

A reverse blivet is trying to fill a five pound bag with three pounds of stuff. The greatest commodity in rush hour is empty seats in the cars of the drive alones. Trying to fill a five passenger car with three people is a reverse blivet. [:D]

Packet switching is what computer networks use to move messages. Messages are cut up into packets and each packet is send via the fastest available route. Sorry, can't cut up people and reassemble them. But people can be disassembled from their cars and reassembled into another car with more passengers. Slugging might then be called packet switching to hide the true intent from the powers of darkness. [;)]

Traffic engineers call a change of transportation mode switching. So if you walk from the breakfast table to your car you have switched transportation modes from walking to driving. If you walk from your parking space to an elevator, that is a mode switch.

If you drive that car to a VRE or METRO lot then catch a train, engineers call that mode switching. If you drive your car to a slug lot and get into your neighbors car, that is considered criminal activity and is not to be tolerated. Shame on you for even thinking of using anything other than mass transit as a passenger. [8D]

The forces of evil are scanning computer e-mail even as we speak for the word s l u g. Whenever found, the FOE sends out lackeys to break up the insurrection. [:0]

dickboyd@aol.com

Want HOV 4? Get Tom Davis or Jim Moran, or both to add a rider to the next bill that will sail through unopposed. Look for a bill naming a building after the founder of the Girl Scouts or declaring national rutabega day.

Stan Paris did that to declare HOV-3 and wrest power away from Virginia and DC. Nobody seemed to care. In fact the political support was to open the reversible lanes to everyone at all times.

Ask Jack Kay or Dick Saslaw about some of the intracies in the decision to go to HOV-3.

dickboyd@aol.com

My preferred solution is finding a job somewhere other than the DC area, which takes at least one commuter out of the area. Imagine what impact that would have if 10%-20% of the commuting population actually did that! Might cause a panic, or maybe the housing prices would actually be reasonable for us federal employees!

HOV-4 would reduce the traffic by a few cars, but not as much as eliminating or modifying the hybrid exemption. My opinion is that the hybrid folks should be given a one person allowance for their car, that they should be allowed in HOV-3 with one passenger, or with two passengers in HOV-4. That would satisfy (I hope), the anti-hybrid folks, while giving the hybrid folks some benefit to their investment.

Doug

Oh, we'd probably be having the debate anyways, but we'd probably be making even less sense than we are now.

We are at the Impasse of Mere Opinion. You say HOV-4 would have a negative effect on congestion, I feel it would have a positive effect on congestion.

Let us see what others have to say ??

I'm willing to bet that it's just some version of a bill that's being considered. I do wonder if the author of this bill also eliminates the CF exemption?