The HOV Lanes: A Place Where Cheaters Prosper

Today, traffic looked a little heavier than usual in the main lanes. It was certainly heavier than it has been in past week, but all things being equal, it wasn't awful. Just stopped in all the usual places and moving in the other usual places.

But in the HOVs (that's High Occupancy Vehicle -- aka carpool lanes)? Today was a cheater's paradise. I saw two cars that were clearly not hybrids (well, unless they started making the Mercedes and Lexus SUVs as hybrids and don't mark them as such and didn't publicise it at all) with the "Clean Fuel" special license plates on them. Then there was the Honda Civic - non-hybrid version - trying to pretend that it was a Civic hybrid, with it's darkly tinted rear windows and leaned back front seat going under the speed limit to try to divert attention from itself. There was also the usual handful of people with out of state tags but local military windshield stickers hoping to be able to get off on the "Duh...I didn't know better?" excuse. And then, winner of the prize for most annoying cheater, was the dark blue Explorer with just one person, not a police vehicle, who zipped past us, zipped in front of us, slammed on their brakes, pulled into the shoulder and went into the main lanes where they started moving again through the "Authorized Vehicles Only" barrier break.

Some days I wish I was a cop.

I don't really blame the police. They try to enforce the rules. And they do a pretty good job and all things considered, cheating on the HOV lanes isn't one of those life-threatening infractions. But it's still wrong. People get all annoyed about having hybrids in these lanes with only one person because it "clogs up the lanes". And yeah, between 6 and 7:30ish, the lanes are a lot more crowded. But after 7:30? They're practically deserted. Other than increasing the fines for cheaters to provide more of a deterrent (I mean really, have you looked at the fines? There are days when I think $50 is a reasonable "toll" for getting around the traffic - any Friday afternoon before a 3-day weekend, for example. Only the 4th offense has any kind of sting to it - and that's only if it's within 5 years of your first infraction), what are you going to do?

Well...here's my "If Beth Ruled the World" solution:
1) "Harsher penalties for parole violaters, Stan." (That's from Miss Congeniality, in case you didn't catch the reference). Up the fines for cheaters. 1st violation: $250, 2nd violation $500, 3rd violation $1000, 4th violation $2000. I'm all for it being "ever in your life", but I imagine records have to be purged at some point, so we can stick with the "within 5 years of your first violation on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.) If you're cheating with a hybrid license plate on a non-hybrid car, automatically double the fine, plus whatever penalties go along with having the wrong license plate on your vehicle.

2) Split the difference. Some people want to ban hybrids from using HOV lanes unless they're also HOV, others say any car that can be "certified" as getting 45 mpg or more should be able to use the lanes, hybrid or not, and hybrids that don't at least get that shouldn't get to use the lanes. I say split the difference. On 95, for example, the HOV restriction is in effect from 6 - 9. So, from 6 to 7:30 -- the most heavily travelled time in the morning from my experience over the last 6 years -- it's HOV only. No exceptions. If you have a hybrid, great, load it up with commuters or stay home. Then from 7:30 - 9, loosen up a little and it's HOV or hybrids with only one occupant. This'll reduce the congestion caused by all the hybrids during the heavy commuting time (which is actually a problem) but still give the hybrid owners the "edge" that most of them bought the car for in the first place. (Because really, what percentage of people bought them for the gas mileage in this area? I'm guessing maybe 10% - the rest all wanted the free HOV pass.)