The HOV-3 to HOV-2 Suggestion

One could (probably should) view the HOV INCENTIVE like one does an investment opportunity. It seems that the most "traffic" towards the investment opp happens when the earnings look the highest. If HOV doesn't appear to be providing a significant enough benefit, many people will continue to sit in congestion further exacerbating the region's challenges.

If as shel suggests all the SOVs were removed from the HOV, then maybe more people would be willing to "share the ride" and contribute to part of the answer rather than complicating the problem further.

The sweeter HOV looks and works, the more folks who might consider carpooling as an option in order to save time.

Some folks' approaches to "equalize" the two "lane options" is tantamount to "income redistribution" for those who are unwilling to make any changes in their life in order to earn the benefits that come with more effort expended.

"Good thing the legislature does".---Who in the world are you kidding (besides yourself)? The legislature "cares" about campaign contributions and no individuals can hope to match the corporate contributions rolling in from Toyota & Honda. They care all right, just not about the things worth caring for (I guess I just agreed with in even though the beneficiaries change).

I don't expect you to 'get it', but the voice of truth needs to keep on trumpeting, otherwise those who would spread mistruths and relativistic selfishness might actually mislead the uninitiated.

NoSb

SOV because you can, HOV because you care!

NoSuV,
As usual you accuse everyone else of doing what you do (sticking your head in the sand). If you don't sit in congestion, then there must not be any. I am sure that the population growth has some impact on the HOV lanes but imagine a world in which there were no Single-Occupany Vehicles and no cheaters on the Express Lanes. I can guarantee that the congestion would be FAR less. On any given day, I can count at least eight hybrids in my immediate area. That is just the ones in my line of vision!! What I am trying to get through to you is that if you want to use the HIGH-OCCUPANY VEHICLE (HOV) lanes, great, but to do so you should be just that, a HIGH-OCCUPANCY VEHICLE!! Otherwise, you are just contributing to the problem and really not saving on the environment either. The whole point is to get cars off the road, hence handling the population growth and congestion AND helping the environment, otherwise you are the one sticking your head in the sand...

Aware, not concerned...doesn't affect me so why should I care (TIC).

[:p]

NoSb

SOV because you can, HOV because you care!

What? Me? Afraid?

not in the least. The folks who do track the numbers of vehicles and their occupancy on the HOVs have better numbers than what your (or my) small sample size can reveal. The challenge is getting the politicos to respond to hard quantifiable data from strictly neutral sources and avoid idiocy like putting SOVs in HOV-designated lanes rather than merely responding to the PACs that flock to their doors with green slime trailing behind them.

In the vein of making the world a better place which many hybrid drivers ascribe to, I'll also submit the question regarding the equipping of their homes with appliances. (I know this is somewhat off topic and the moderators are welcome to delete this post if they find it irrelevant).

Do hybrid drivers also have solar water heating? Solar lighting? Blankets on their hot water heaters? Solar screens? How about all the light bulbs--they been replaced with energy efficient bulbs? Other household appliances? Stove? Home heating?

Would seem to me, the number of times the question has been asked about conventional vehicle drivers and their spending/purchasing habits/decisions should be turned around to hybrid drivers and their home ownership decisions...only seems fair to me. Oh, btw, these other choices are PROVEN technologies, but what's the dif between them and hybrid vehicles? They don't have the political backing that motorized vehicles do plus they don't have the marketing support that hybrids do. Oh, the irony of it all....

NoSb

SOV because you can, HOV because you care!

One must ask: are there people in the lanes "on the right" who could be cruising at HOV speeds if they would only pick up 1 or 2 more people to share the ride and alleviate congestion not only during the commute in, but also relieve some of the pressures of parking?

Maybe more efforts could be put towards more people sharing the ride than this insane plea to open up HOV to SOVs....that's about the most inane suggestion I've seen on anything dealing with commuting in this area. It equates to: remove the incentive to alleviate the problem. Good thinking if you got your diploma at a Kmart blue light special.

NoSb

SOV because you can, HOV because you care!