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

Didn't it used to be HOV-4?
I thought when I was little it was HOV-4.
Anyone know?

HOV-4 is not feasible. We already have problems with HOV-3 to start with. At least I couldn't do it since I leave from the Woodbridge area with my two daughters, heading to North Springfield. It was very hard for me when I had my first child trying to find people heading to Springfield at that time, by not saying I didn't find people at all, that it will make my commute very difficult.

hondu... Police officers cannot share their ride. Numerous regs prohibit this. We're just going to have to live with that. Hybrids, on the other hand, can and should. I'll just leave it at that. No sense in running up the BP, mine and others included. [8D]

I think HOV-4 is a great idea, but commuter lots are already busting at the seams. Until they are ALL expanded, I think HOV-4 could pose some major issues.