HOV lane Questions.....rant

[73fj55]

So every other weekend I take my two sons back to the moms house in Mapleton. I live in Lehi and get on I-15 usually HOV lane until I hit Orem when it quits and then get over to the slow lane.

I drive a Toy Sequioa I try to keep it around 60 - 65 mph, really helps with the gas mileage. Things are tight, even tighter with gas being so pricey, so instead of 75-ish it is 60-ish.

Anyway, tonight I am on the way home and I have my step-daughter and son in the car with me and I am cruising at 60 mph in HOV. Someone comes up and rides my ass for a good mile, all the while he is swerving in and out of the lane and flashing me. I don't speed up, I keep it on 60 mph, when he can he blows past me, gives me the bird and speeds off.

As far as I know, the HOV is not the fast lane, it is the lane you can use if you have over 2 people in the vehicle. Are there guidlelines??..unwritten moral codes of the HOV lane? I figure I meet the minimum requirement with passengers and there is a dedicated fast lane so I'm good....

Thoughts? Do I have poor HOV values?

 

[Bucking Bronco]

I see it as if your in the hov lane it your right to do the legal limit. your under no obligation to get out of their way

Whats frustrating is when you drive in the left lane and the guy in front of you has 2 people in the car and they won't yeild the right of way and they don't get in the hov lane.

 

[RockMonkey]

I use the HOV lane a lot. It doesn't matter how fast you go, the guy behind you will always want to go a little faster, and since they can't go around you they ride 18 inches off your ass. It pisses me off too. I always maintain a respectful distance, but quite often there is someone tailgating me. I totally agree with you, if you want to do 80, do it in the fast lane. Don't ride someone's ass in the HOV lane because they choose to do 70 instead. I wish they would rename it the "economy lane" and set some expectations that it's not the "faster than the fast lane".

 

[Tacoma]

I'd be slightly miffed if someone was doing less than the speed limit, which I think is 65 on I-15, isn't it?? (edit: I never have an issue with someone doing JUST the speed limit, either.)

I also don't mind getting people off my bumper. I could always use the money.

Shut up, Greg! There's a first time for everything!

 

[phatfoto]

I wouldn't worry about it, as long as you are doing the posted limit. If you are below the limit, ride in the RIGHT lane brother man. Common courtesy my friend. Other than the speed limit sign, the next most disregarded sign on the highway is "Slower Traffic Keep Right"... I understand about saving gas, but don't be a roadblock. The HOV is supposed to be a convenience for those that are on the highway for a long distance and to maintain speed without the hindrance of brake checking for those exiting and entering the freeway.

And granted, it isn't a license to speed in the HOV. When I lived in Hawaii, locals thought HOV meant "Hawaiians or Visitors"...

 

[GI'sCHICK]

Like Phatphot said if your going to be doing less then the speed limit move it all the way over to the right... I don't ever get in the HOV lane due to it is always going slower then the limit.... and I must admit that I do get up a little close to those in the PASSING lane that are doing the speed limit and ride their bumper until they move over... this is the one thing that really pisses me off.... after having lived in Germany for a few years and learning to drive there coming over here really is no fun to drive...

by the way this is gijohn40.... not gi'schick....

 

[Spork]

The rest of these guys are way too nice. If you are going 60 in the HOV lane you're a dick. What is the point of being in the furthest lane to the left? Are you trying to take some moral high ground, I've got 5 people in the car so it must mean I have 5 times the right to be here and I can go 45mph because I have that much more right. Dude get out of the lane.

 

[BCGPER]

I agree with GiJohn, if you can't or won't at least do the limit, you need to move to the right (not to mention, it's the law). I ride a bike, so I use the HOV lane often. Going less than the limit is just creating one more hazard that I-15 really doesn't need.

 

[Coreshot]

The rest of these guys are way too nice. If you are going 60 in the HOV lane you're a dick. What is the point of being in the furthest lane to the left? Are you trying to take some moral high ground, I've got 5 people in the car so it must mean I have 5 times the right to be here and I can go 45mph because I have that much more right. Dude get out of the lane.

Gotta agree with Spork. The purpose of the HOV lane in the first place is for people who carpool to have the privilege of getting where they're going faster during rush hour. If you're not traveling faster than the traffic in the regular lanes anyway, get the hell out of the lane. You are not the speed police, it is not up to you how fast others drive. In my opinion, you are causing an unsafe situation for yourself and others around you. Just my opinion, and if I come up behind you in the carpool lane doing 60, I won't ride your bumper or flip you off, but I just may cross that double white line to get around you. And I may call you an arse under my breath.

 

[1969 CJ-5]

HOV is not the Fast lane, that being said do at least the speed limit or move all the way to the right.

 

[Spork]

I won't ride your bumper or flip you off, but I just may cross that double white line to get around you. And I may call you an arse under my breath.

I won't cross the double white line, that's a $90 mistake I'm not doing again.

 

[Coreshot]

I won't cross the double white line, that's a $90 mistake I'm not doing again.

90? Wow.

 

[Caleb]

Gotta agree with Spork. The purpose of the HOV lane in the first place is for people who carpool to have the privilege of getting where they're going faster during rush hour. If you're not traveling faster than the traffic in the regular lanes anyway, get the hell out of the lane. You are not the speed police, it is not up to you how fast others drive. In my opinion, you are causing an unsafe situation for yourself and others around you. Just my opinion, and if I come up behind you in the carpool lane doing 60, I won't ride your bumper or flip you off, but I just may cross that double white line to get around you. And I may call you an arse under my breath.

I agree with Coreshot and Spork (and few others), if you're not doing atleast the speed limit (which I know is faster than 60) then I'm gonna be pissed. Especially if the other lanes are going faster. If you want to go 60 then get in the slow lane, speed limit is between 65-75 depending on where you are at along I-15.

 

[DevinB]

I try to stay out of the HOV lane unless it's heavy traffic for this reason. More often than not you'll get stuck behind someone going slower than the rest of traffic. Staying out of the HOV lane gives options to change lanes if some tard is camping in the fast lane at 65. And I've come to terms with the fact that 90% of people don't respect the "slower traffic move left" rule so I don't bother tailgating or flashing lights anymore. It's just easier and less stressful to go around them, even if that means moving over two lanes.

 

[Cherokeester]

Anywhere there is an HOV lane, the speed limit is 65 mph. If you are driving less than the posted speed limit, move your butt over to the right. In case nobody has noticed, there is a traffic crisis in this state. One of the problems is slow traffic in the wrong lanes. If you pull a trailer you cannot be in the HOV lane or the left fast lane. Driving 60 mph in the HOV lane to save gas is ridiculous, get over in the right lane.

 

[SAMI]

I have heard of UHP pulling vehicles over for obstructing the flow of traffic by not maintaining the same speed as traffic. It creates an unsafe situation.

Though you might not be "technically' in the wrong for doing 60mph in the HOV lane, i'd say use a different lane to show courtesy to other drivers. No sense in creating 10 upset drivers on your commute. That might cause an accident down the road, hurting innocent people.

-Jason

 

[Skylinerider]

Along these same lines, what is the proper procedure if you do get pulled over while in the HOV lane? I have seen numerous people pull to the left. Do you pull to the left in the HOV lane or do you pull all the way over 4 or 5 lanes to the right?

 

[Spork]

Along these same lines, what is the proper procedure if you do get pulled over while in the HOV lane? I have seen numerous people pull to the left. Do you pull to the left in the HOV lane or do you pull all the way over 4 or 5 lanes to the right?

When I got pulled over I pointed left or right in my rear window and the cop pointed to the left. Not sure if it was correct or not but that's what he wanted. Non-HOV lane I would say go to the right.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

60 in any of the left 3 lanes... good lord that belongs on the side of the road dude!

I loathe slow drivers, I can tolerate 65mph, in the right lanes. I don't care what the legal definition of the HOV lane is regarding speed. If you can do the same speed in another lane, don't tie up the HOV lane for someone that happens to need to get somewhere in a timely fashion.

With all due respect, there was not a single bit of surprise on my face when I read you were from Utah County. They must have taught things much differently in the UtCo school system regarding driving. The second you hit the county sign at the point of the mountain, the speed drops 10mph and every Tom, Dick and Jane is cruising 60-65 in the FAST lane, thank god all the right lanes are wide open for passing.

As for gas mileage, most cars are designed to get their optimal mileage ~65-70, with gas prices its sure to piss more off when the have to stay out of their prime because of a pace car

 

[Meat_]

...the speed drops 10mph and every Tom, Dick and Jane is cruising 60-65 in the FAST lane...

I do my best to make up for those people Really though, the only time people go that slow down here is when there is just too much traffic. The corner in the freeway in Lindon has ALWAYS (since the freeway was built) slowed traffic down... regardless of traffic volume. It didn't used to matter much when traffic was thinner, but now that it's heavy all the time that slow down can back up all the way to the point of the mountain.


Oh and, if you can get out of someone's way without going out of your way... DO IT