HOV / Carpool lanes . . . good idea but dont' work

[Capt Caveman]

What should make most people feel better, is that there is worse gridlock in other places. Which means we have not yet discovered how bad things must get before people give up the single-occupant commute, or live closer to where they work.

As far as I can tell 'length of commute' is not in the top-10 for reasons why people select their homes and/or jobs.

It's in my top 3.

And carpooling and being able to use the HOV lane, used to cut my commute by more than half.

 

[3chordcharlie]

It's in my top 3.

And carpooling and being able to use the HOV lane, used to cut my commute by more than half.

It's a big consideration to me, too.

But look at the highway at commuting time, and you will see that 'we' are not in the majority here.

 

[Lithium381]

It's in my top 3.

And carpooling and being able to use the HOV lane, used to cut my commute by more than half.

Sitting in traffic isn't my idea of a good use of time. My commute used to be an hour and a half each way. What a waste of time. Now that my commute is 20-30 minutes each way, i'm much happier. Two more hours of the day for ME.

Really helps stress levels, and the wallet!

 

[Capt Caveman]

Sitting in traffic isn't my idea of a good use of time. My commute used to be an hour and a half each way. What a waste of time. Now that my commute is 20-30 minutes each way, i'm much happier. Two more hours of the day for ME.

Really helps stress levels, and the wallet!

Yeah, I think it's crazy when I hear people having to commute 2-3 hours a day. I will only take a job if it's within a 20 minute commute. Living in the city though, it still leaves me lots of options and still allows me to either walk, bike or take public transportation to work.

 

[alkemyst]

speed <> traffic flow. Just like a hose, only so much volume can ultimately flow.

 

[fskimospy]

speed <> traffic flow. Just like a hose, only so much volume can ultimately flow.

Traffic really isn't like a hose, it's much more complicated than that.

 

[alkemyst]

Traffic really isn't like a hose, it's much more complicated than that.

Are you even legally driving yet? The analogy was how increasing speed <> flow and a hose works for that part.

Queuing theory is used and other math. Which I have taken.

 

[PokerGuy]

HOV vehicles is another example of dimlibs thinking that the intent is what matters, not the results. It's just another dumb idea.

 

[K1052]

HOV vehicles is another example of dimlibs thinking that the intent is what matters, not the results. It's just another dumb idea.

"dimlib" states like Texas, Virginia, and Florida?

HOV lanes are probably a good idea when HOT is included as an option at a premium price point.

 

[fskimospy]

Are you even legally driving yet? The analogy was how increasing speed <> flow and a hose works for that part.

Queuing theory is used and other math. Which I have taken.

Right, and traffic jams are caused by a lot more than that. Increasing the speed limit would not lead to a 40% throughput increase. If you are in fact of legal driving age you should know that.

 

[Lithium381]

regardless don't you think it would help stimulate the economy to let people spend less on gas because it takes less time sitting on the freeway? if you saw the statistics from 1995, that's 6 million dollars a day. A DAY. that's 1995 money and stats.

but the government only sees it as a source of revenue. more gas = more gas tax. HOV = charging people to use it, or getting to write tickets for people who abuse it.

 

[Lithium381]

Right, and traffic jams are caused by a lot more than that. Increasing the speed limit would not lead to a 40% throughput increase. If you are in fact of legal driving age you should know that.

i think LOWERING the speed limit during rush hour to 55 may help as well

 

[alkemyst]

Right, and traffic jams are caused by a lot more than that. Increasing the speed limit would not lead to a 40% throughput increase. If you are in fact of legal driving age you should know that.

Actually in reality most don't.

There are a lot of things like that out there.

 

[Howard]

in Atlanta the speed limit on 285 is 55MPH.
Set the speed limit to 75MPH and you could move 40% more traffic.

My head just got a whole lot itchier.

 

[blackangst1]

As a motorcycle rider, Im thankful for HOV lanes. Not only do they cut my drive times, but often the lanes, including the shoulder, is pretty wide. Lots of room to maneuver if need be. In Cali where lane splitting is legal, on roads that dont have bike lane splits the HOV lanes are wide enough to do so.

 

[Imported]

Coming from someone who carpools everyday, the HOV lanes in the Bay Area awesome. I wish they'd add more.

 

[dmcowen674]

HOV vehicles is another example of dimlibs thinking that the intent is what matters, not the results.

It's just another dumb idea.

Most states I have seen with HOV lanes are in the Republican south.

 

[dmcowen674]

in Atlanta the speed limit on 285 is 55MPH.
Set the speed limit to 75MPH and you could move 40% more traffic.

WTF?

Speed =! Volume

 

[woolfe9999]

but the point was to reduce pollution, theyv'e been in effect for what, 15 years now and just simple logic as pointed out in the OP shows that they do the opposite!!! who benefits from this?

It's been way more than 15 years. My first ticket ever was for driving solo in a carpool lane going northbound on 101 near Redwood City. That was in 1985. BTW the fine was $100 which was a huge fine for that time.

On the issue you raise, I think I agree. People are just whizzing by like 1 car per 10 seconds in the carpool lane while everyone else is stop and go.

 

[cyclohexane]

WTF?

Speed =! Volume

Also, people in Atlanta can't drive for shit. I see the same accidents at the same places on 85, 285 everyday. Increasing speed limit = more serious accidents.

 

[Matthiasa]

WTF?

Speed =! Volume

Actually given people on the highway tend to keep the same distance no matter what the speed it is.
(x+n)v>xv

In a given period of time more people would be able to travel... of course yeah during "rush hour" people drive like complete idiots and the speed limit doesn't actually matter.

 

[dmcowen674]

Also, people in Atlanta can't drive for shit. I see the same accidents at the same places on 85, 285 everyday. Increasing speed limit = more serious accidents.

True, they are bad there.

I've run into a strange driving behavior here in the western burbs of Chicago.

They don't accelerate when lights turn green.

Sometimes they will sit for three light changes before actually moving.

It's the most maddening and weirdest thing I've ever seen.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Actually given people on the highway tend to keep the same distance no matter what the speed it is.
(x+n)v>xv

In a given period of time more people would be able to travel... of course yeah during "rush hour" people drive like complete idiots and the speed limit doesn't actually matter.

That's because people are very poor judges of time and velocity, and generally are following too closely at all times. As speed increases, the problem gets worse.

 

[dank69]

Just wondering your perspective on this and why states are still implementing these. An HOV lane for those of you lucky enough to not know what they are are lanes in which only people with two(sometimes three) or more people are allowed to drive in during certain times of the day, typically rush hour.

Here in the bay area the left lane is CARPOOL only from 5-9am and from 3-7pm. On its premise, it's supposed to encourage people to carpool and save the environment but I think it's actually causing the opposite effect.

Between 3-4:30 around here on 101 the carpool lane us under-utilized while the other three lanes are stopped or move at 5mph. Assuming that the HOV lane is only 25% used, that's another 18% of the freeway that we could put cars in.

It's no magic that cars get better gas mileage at 15mph than they do at 0mph, and 18% better is 3mph more! Think of all of the cars just sitting at idle for NO REASON. If everyone got home 18% faster we would save so much on pollution and gas, people would be much happier and productive!

Reduce the HOV from 3-7pm to 5-7!!! This would also help congestion by getting people out of the way more quickly, thus less traffic!

Its good idea in theory but seems actually counterproductive to the effort

It's been way more than 15 years. My first ticket ever was for driving solo in a carpool lane going northbound on 101 near Redwood City. That was in 1985. BTW the fine was $100 which was a huge fine for that time.

On the issue you raise, I think I agree. People are just whizzing by like 1 car per 10 seconds in the carpool lane while everyone else is stop and go.

Sounds like you two should carpool.

 

[ArizonaSteve]

Never understood why one lane is effectively taken out of service during peak traffic times.