Will you take a third?

Um, you may want to read my postings before you say that I am the one bullying people around for a third rider. FIRST OFF, I said I DON'T do that anymore because I realize that if people want a ride, they'll ask for it. SECOND, unless you know me, which you don't, don't start talking a mess about me jumping infront of other riders or forcing a driver to take a third person because I sure as hell don't do that. A simple question "do you mind taking a third?" or just a show of three fingers to the driver to see if they can take a third is not bullying or forcing anybody to do anything. My point was that if the driver has space to take a third and there is a rediculously long line, what is the harm in asking if they can. Plain and simple.

I am NOT the only one who thinks that if nobody infront is asking to take a third that means they aren't going in that direction. So someone who is 5th in line will ask to take a third and the person who is infront of the line will get mad and say "I'M NEXT!" Ok, nobody said you weren't next, but if you want a ride just say so and get in the car. ANYBODY at my commuter lot will jump any other rider in line to be next. I'm 100% sure my lot is NOT the only one where people bully others around like that on a regular basis.

Bottom line, know your facts before you start talking !#*@.

I have been slugging every day out of Tacketts and Potomac Mills for better than a year now and have NEVER seen behavior like that which Pana describes. Is this line-cutting more common than I think it is? Am I just lucky in my choice of lots?

I was talking with a co-worker about slugging and they were able to understand the idea of it being mutually beneficial for a driver to pick up 2 people to have three for the HOV. But they didn't understand why if a driver takes extra people to be nice they are not compensated for it.

I would like to qualify this statement by stating that I frequently take a third, but just had never seen this idea come up during discussion and wanted to see what others thought about it.

Actually, I don't see what the fuss is over taking a third if there's more people in line than there are cars. If you have room, take a third. The driver should openly state whether or not they want to take a third. Give a shout -- "Two for ...." Then there's no question as to the driver's preference.

As for your insurance company and your passengers. If you are in an accident you are responsible for your passengers whether or not they pay you for the ride.

Responsibility. Insurance Coverage. Liability.

You buy insurance to share responsibility for unforeseen events. If you are in a crash and there are slugs in your car, insurance companies treat them as invited riders. You are covered and those invited passengers are covered unless your insurance has a clause to the effect that they will cover only immediate family members or some defined group. Those restricted policies are rare and the agent has to get you to initial that you understand who is covered and who is not covered.

Perhaps one or several of the intrepid readers will take it on themselves to get a definitive answer from the major insurers. Or better yet to get the major inurers to post what is covered and what is not covered in slugging and how to read an insurance policy when it comes to slugging.

Be careful in talking to insurance companies that they understand it is for Shirley Highway slugging.

If you take money from a rider and are in a crash, your insurance is null and void as far as paying their expense. On some policies, coverage of your expenses may be denied also.

In general, you no longer share financial responsibility with your insurance company if you charge to ride. All responsibility is on your shoulders and out of your pocketbook. To get coverage on a "for hire" basis is very expensive. Insurance expense is one reason you do not see private bus companies. Insurance expense is a HUGE factor in van pools.

Public transit self insures. There may be some token coverage for excess losses, like an earthquake that collapses a METRO tunnel. But if someone trips and breaks a fingernail, public transit pays out of their contingency funds. But the payment usually is not to the injured. The payment is to an insurance investigator. That investigator identifies coverage carried by the injured person. Payment to the injured is made by the person's insurer, not the transit system.

Slug riders are covered by some form of individual insurance. If nothing else, credit cards have some minimal travel coverage built in to their fees.

In case of a "shared ride" crash, your insurance company pays, but will go after the insurance company of the injured rider for reimbursement. Most drivers in northern Virginia are covered by USAA (military), GEICO or All State. If both driver and passenger are insured on separate policies by the same company, the transaction is internal bookkeeping. If different companies are involved, payment is negotiated between the companies.

If transit has insurance that is "too good" it attracts claims and law suits. Transit also seems to attract deranged people that get on a crowded bus with a bottle of gasoline and proceed to immolate themselves and all others. Terrorists look on mass transit as a target. Shh, don't tell anyone. Top secret. Especially the countermeasures.

Virginia law has been tweaked several times to accomodate casual car pools in regard to insurance liability. Preferred parking is not compensation and the like.

Some insurers will cover the immediate claim if you charge to ride and are in a crash but will cancel your policy or put you in assigned risk pool. Very expensive.

One aspect of insuring slugs that may not be apparent is that slugs have a non existent claim record. Insurance companies set their rates based on history. If your car is garaged in a ZIP code with a high theft rate, your premiums are adjusted accordingly. If you drive a lot of miles, your premiums are adjusted accordingly. If you get moving violations, your premiums are adjusted upward. If there are no claims (which is good), insurance actuarials have nothing on which to base rates.

Because the reversible lanes are not congested, the crash rate is zero, or close to zero. It is to the advantage of insurance companies to have uncongested roads. Insurance companies promote ride sharing for this reason.

Drivers tend to be more careful when a passenger is in the car and another set of eyes helps in averting crashes.

Does anyone have an update on coverage for slugs and van pools as stated in Virginia law? Or as stated in policies?

dickboyd@aol.com