Continued awful trips on HOV

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Originally posted by dcpswebgod
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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 -

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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.

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"

A neighbor told me that even though the HOV gets backed up between Edsall and Springfield, he says it is a nightmare at the Springfield/Franconia exit because the cars on the right (coming off the beltway) are merging to the left to continue south on I95 and the cars on the left are merging to the right exits for Springfield and Franconia.

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Originally posted by KCWolfPck
[br]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?

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Connie, looks like you made a mistake by moving out into the rural areas if all you want to do is beef about traffic. How about moving in closer and stop crying about traffic? What's next HOV-8? Only buses???

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Originally posted by Connie
[br]This morning was another nightmare. At one point, we were stuck in the right lane behind cars getting off at the Pentagon. We looked over and were passed by 4 Hybrids in a row, followed by one 3-person car and then 2 more Hybrids. We pulled over into the left lane and proceeded to pass 5 Hybrids within the line of approximately 15 cars waiting to exit at the Pentagon. That's 11 in a small space in a small snapshot of time. [:0]

No Hybrids are not the whole problem as someone pointed out. They are part of the problem. But I don't believe that you ignore something that can be fixed just because it's only part of the problem. I have begun contacting my representatives in Richmond -- I figure I've complained long enough and there's no point in that if I'm not willing to take action. [:)] And I am raising other issues that affect the lanes - other single driver exemptions, continued unchecked growth, the need to perhaps look at increasing the hours for HOV. If you have opinions on what is causing the problems and how they might be solved, please let your voice be heard as well.

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Originally posted by tdar20
[br]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.

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Use "too", not "to" in this case. Grammar slacker! [:o)]

Yes, do not type before you think. People tend to be offensive when posting Web messages. Lets save personal attacks for the Democratic primary! Sad, but true. :)