Proposal pitched for HOV

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   I am willing to discuss this and apologize for coming across as harsh or not tolerant of other views.

	Its just that I feel very strongly about this. Let me put it in a practical way. Lets say we have HOT lanes in place.  How many people would wait even a few minutes to pick up slugs if they could just pay $3 to get on HOV?

	Bob

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Bob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Nov 2003 at 11:35am
	I am willing to discuss this and apologize for coming across as harsh or not tolerant of other views. Its just that I feel very strongly about this. Let me put it in a practical way. Lets say we have HOT lanes in place. How many people would wait even a few minutes to pick up slugs if they could just pay $3 to get on HOV? Bob

gregory Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 26 Nov 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote gregory Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Nov 2003 at 12:04pm
	Wow! $3 plus parking. That�s going to add up. How would you collect the tolls? Wouldn�t that cause a gridlock at the entrance spot. Maybe that could work going North but I don�t see how it (collecting a toll) could improve gridlock heading South. The congestion is really bad just leaving the city now. Where would you put the toll booths on the 14th street bridge? If you put a toll booth at every entrance point, even the HOV drivers would have to stop for verification. At $3-$5-$8 bucks a pop, how long would it take to pay for the improvements? Is the point of HOT to reduce congestion? How can that be done by adding vehicles and forcing all cars to stop for tolls or inspection. Is there another option? Maybe we can take some of the commuter tax away from DC to pay for the roads getting to DC (intentional gab)[:)]. I personally would like to see HOV-4 again and I think HOV-2 on I-66 is a joke.

mroyal Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote mroyal Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 Nov 2003 at 12:43pm
	I share Gregory's concern on how to collect toll. I think that toll booths would be completely out of the question. In addition, how will law enforcers be able to identify violators. It would have to be some sort of subscription (monthly?) with which a tag (hanging from the mirror?) could be issued. I agree that we need to extend the HOV lanes, at least past Stafford. But, we should find a better way to fund it. Kindest Regards, mroyal

SlugBuddy Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 21 May 2003 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote SlugBuddy Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Dec 2003 at 12:46pm
	If the police would just do their jobs and ticket violators, then the HOV lanes could be funded all the way to Fredericksburg. The police need to wait at the HOV exits and just hand out tickets to violators left and right. There are more violators on the HOV lanes these days than legal cars. As for the toll thing working, it simply wouldn't. Traffic would back up trying to get through the toll gate. People who would be willing to pay the toll due to the Metrochek program and slugging would die. If people didn't have to pick up slugs, most wouldn't. Especially if part of their commuter fees were paid for.

vabigblue Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote vabigblue Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Dec 2003 at 3:14pm
	quote: Originally posted by SlugBuddy [br]If the police would just do their jobs and ticket violators, then the HOV lanes could be funded all the way to Fredericksburg. The police need to wait at the HOV exits and just hand out tickets to violators left and right. There are more violators on the HOV lanes these days than legal cars. As for the toll thing working, it simply wouldn't. Traffic would back up trying to get through the toll gate. People who would be willing to pay the toll due to the Metrochek program and slugging would die. If people didn't have to pick up slugs, most wouldn't. Especially if part of their commuter fees were paid for. I don't know if a toll system would "not" work to some extent, but if the government or private idustry is going to support tolls with a Metrochek type program, then the traffic and backup would be horrendous at all times. I mean, everyone would probably drive, just to qualify for Metrocheks. Essentially, tolls would be free if they go with that idea. In those cases, slugging would probably be something of the past.

PSMITH4780 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote PSMITH4780 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Dec 2003 at 3:30pm
	"Once the HOT lanes reached a certain capacity, they would be closed to any more traffic." Sounds to me like it could be risky for all commuters if the above statement is true. We could continue slugging, have the required number of people in the vehicle, approach the HOV (or HOT) lanes only to be turned away because the capacity has been reached - reached by who - people who don't have to play by the rules, but can simply buy their way down the HOV lanes? [V]

USA Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Jun 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote USA Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 2003 at 1:00pm
	quote: Originally posted by PSMITH4780 [br]"Once the HOT lanes reached a certain capacity, they would be closed to any more traffic." Sounds to me like it could be risky for all commuters if the above statement is true. We could continue slugging, have the required number of people in the vehicle, approach the HOV (or HOT) lanes only to be turned away because the capacity has been reached - reached by who - people who don't have to play by the rules, but can simply buy their way down the HOV lanes? [V] "[D]on't have to play by the rules, but can simply buy their way"? If the lanes were changed to HOT, then wouldn't that BE playing by the rules? (I'm not saying it would/should be popular here--just questioning your logic.)

PSMITH4780 Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 24 Sep 2003 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote PSMITH4780 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 2003 at 1:32pm
	Yes, that would be the "new" rule if changed. But what's wrong with the current rule? Why does it have to be changed just because some people refuse to carpool? Let them carpool or make them sit in traffic - that's what I say! Don't let them clog up OUR High Occupancy Lanes by paying their way down the road while we find ourselves parked in the main lanes due to the max capacity being reached!

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: 02 Dec 2003 at 1:56pm
	Correct me if I am wrong someone, but PSMITH, I think you are misunderstanding something here. The way I understand the "proposal" is if the HOT lanes have reached capacity, they will be closed to the paying single driver. It would not restrict those who have 3 people in thier vehicle. A little common sense never hurts....try using some.

MDC Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 04 Dec 2002 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote MDC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 02 Dec 2003 at 2:37pm
	The way things seem to be going, the "HOT" lane will never be open to single paying drivers. Well, maybe between 8:30 and 9 some mornings.