Continued awful trips on HOV

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   My theory on why traffic is so bad is the recent rise in Metro parking and rail rates.  Why should I pay $9.70 per day to park and ride Metro, and spend 1hr 15 minutes commuting, when I can drive and pick up slugs and get to my office in 25 minutes and pay $8.00 to park?  

	Even if I have to pay $10-11.00 to park it's worth it to not have to deal with finding a space to park (a big IF), walking to the station, dealing with the crowds, and then trying to get out of the lot in the evening.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way.

	earlyriser

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earlyriser Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote earlyriser Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 18 Dec 2003 at 10:59am
	My theory on why traffic is so bad is the recent rise in Metro parking and rail rates. Why should I pay $9.70 per day to park and ride Metro, and spend 1hr 15 minutes commuting, when I can drive and pick up slugs and get to my office in 25 minutes and pay $8.00 to park? Even if I have to pay $10-11.00 to park it's worth it to not have to deal with finding a space to park (a big IF), walking to the station, dealing with the crowds, and then trying to get out of the lot in the evening. I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks this way. earlyriser

jjmahoney Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 07 Mar 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote jjmahoney Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Dec 2003 at 1:59pm
	Yes, HOV is open to all traffic between the Edsall Rd. onramp and Springfield (the big sign that says "All NON-HOV traffic must exit". Although it causes more backups for us regular HOVers, it's legal. But many of the single riders think that they've gone that far, so they just stay on. And then get off at the Dale Blvd. exit (right after the PW Parkway exit) where there are hardly ever any police waiting. There are cops waiting at the Pentagon onramp quite frequently though, and usually right where the lanes merge with HOV, so it's nearly impossible to avoid once you commit to HOV (although I saw one person backing up on the ramp because they saw the cop!!) "If tricycles came with guns, we'd all be safe." Project 86 - "Little Green Men"

KCWolfPck Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 12 Nov 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote KCWolfPck Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Dec 2003 at 11:54am
	My question would be.....Why would single drivers want to bypass the mixing bowl in the HOV lanes? Besides the wait just to get on the HOV after Edsall Rd., the traffic in the regular lanes is almost always faster than the HOV lanes during that stretch of the highway. I'm sure there must be another reason for singles to get on there.....wht is it?

Gomez Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 15 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Gomez Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 17 Dec 2003 at 9:00am
	quote: Originally posted by dcpswebgod [br] Is it okay for singles to ride HOV at night from Pentagon to Springfield offramp? I have heard it both ways and have seen many singles doing this - I have no "proof", but my understanding over three years has been, despite HOV restrictions being in effect, singles can use the HOV ONLY TO BYPASS the Mixing Bowl! i.e Not from the Pentagon, but from the "Regular Lane to HOV" crossover at Edsall road to the "HOV to Regular lane" crossover just past Old Keene Mill Rd. Get on HOV at the Pentagon as a single and you are in violation. Stay on the HOV beyond that as a single (even just to the Franconia-Springfield Parkway exit) and you are in violation. Anybody who can correct any errors in the above, or point to evidence that this is (or is not), in fact, the policy please do so.

dcpswebgod Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Dec 2003 Location: Va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote dcpswebgod Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Dec 2003 at 2:56pm
	Can someone clarify something for me? Is it okay for singles to ride HOV at night from Pentagon to Springfield offramp? I have heard it both ways and have seen many singles doing this - The jam with singles getting in before the "bowl" is going to cause an accident some day as the drivers come over the hill.

gdriva Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Dec 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote gdriva Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 Dec 2003 at 2:38pm
	No matter what, the problem is volume and more volume and it will get worse. I admire hybrid buyers for the environmental gesture and would like to buy a hybrid car next, but not just to get a jump on HOV. I think hybrids should pick up riders just the same, no exceptions, because HOV is the one thing that helps move more people and decrease volume. I wouldn't mind going back to HOV 4. (Years ago I took HOV 4 with my little VW sun bug! Those were the days.) Here's an even crazier idea: All (or more of) the 95 lanes should be HOV at rush hour, no exceptions for hybrids. New lines and destinations would form, and the lanes would carry more volume. Hey, compared with that, dropping the hybrid exception is mild! I know I know, blasphemy, madness. Finally, I don't like the idea of HOT lanes, because ultimately they won't ease volume. It just means that people with more superfluous cash will have an advantage, as usual, and they will just add to the congestion and make life worse for the rest of us. Who decides about HOV/HOT designations? VDOT? Is there a limit to the hybrid exception now? Thanks--

tdar20 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 29 Jul 2002 Location: va Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote tdar20 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 Nov 2003 at 12:11pm
	Good point belle....it is easy to take shots at people from behind the computer screen. A lot of the posts in this site are becomming a bit to personal on the attack side.

argentinian_belle Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote argentinian_belle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Nov 2003 at 3:19pm
	quote: Originally posted by viper [br] quote: Originally posted by argentinian_belle [br]A hybrid car is an electric and gas car that works off of both, so it's really fuel efficient. mroyal knows what a "hybrid" car is... he wants to know what a "hybird" car is...duh! There's no reason to be mean. I didn't notice the difference of spelling. I bet there are many people out there who don't know what a HYBRID car is.

viper Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 21 Jun 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote viper Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Nov 2003 at 2:34pm
	quote: Originally posted by argentinian_belle [br]A hybrid car is an electric and gas car that works off of both, so it's really fuel efficient. mroyal knows what a "hybrid" car is... he wants to know what a "hybird" car is...duh!

sancochojoe Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 21 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote sancochojoe Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 Nov 2003 at 7:19am
	Well, I will buy a hybrid soon, and not just to get on the HOV. I think any push to have anything more efficient is a plus. I personally don't like paying $50 to fill up an SUV so I would never buy one. Gas will not get any cheaper either.