The one use I regularly make of my carpool lane stickers is a reserved lane on a freeway interchange on my daily commute - about 100 yds and 2-3 minutes. CHP likes to park at the ramp meter and play "gotcha." Today he grabs me and starts his lecture, but after I point out my stickers, "Oh you've got a hybrid, have a nice day".
I guess it's a little hard to see those FOUR HUGE BRIGHT YELLOW carpool lane stickers. Must be those regulation CHP aviator sunglasses! We all make mistakes, at least the officer recognized his and proceeded accordingly and respectfully. It's all we can ask.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RonH @ Nov 20 2006, 06:09 PM) [snapback]352344[/snapback]</div> I'd enjoy being pulled over as that would mean that CHP is paying attention to who is in the carpool lane on interstate 80 along the east side of the San Francisco Bay. I've never seen someone ticketed there in the past three months I've been paying attention. I regularly see people using the carpool lanes on I-80 with fewer than the required three occupants and no clean air sticker.
Were you actually in the car pool lanes or on the on ramp getting on the freeway? I've wondered if you can skip the metered, red lighted lane in favor of the car pool only lane that doesn't have to stop. I've just been too chicken to push it in front of a CHP. I really don't want one of those $341 tickets!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RobertG @ Nov 21 2006, 12:06 PM) [snapback]352679[/snapback]</div> A couple of weeks ago, I was driving from Berkeley to Oakland on 580/80 during the evening rush hour, and I actually witnessed the CHP pull over a lone driver in the carpool lane. Needless to say, I was cheering and laughing for a solid ten minutes. I happened to be on the phone (BT, of course!) with a good friend when this went down, and we both agreed that anyone lame enough to drive in that lane solo deserves the high price ticket. But she was highly amused at how gleeful I was. She's not yet a Prius owner, so I think she was a bit jealous.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eclectcmoi @ Nov 21 2006, 01:26 PM) [snapback]352697[/snapback]</div> Round here those carpool entrance ramp lanes have diamonds on them too. Since the stickers say "<> Access OK", I've always assumed it to mean those too. No problems so far, but that could just be luck.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RobertG @ Nov 21 2006, 12:06 PM) [snapback]352679[/snapback]</div> I could be wrong (it happens frequently) but I'm 99% sure that all carpool lanes on both sides of the bay are "2 or more" people. I know the GG bridge is "3 or more", and perhaps the Bay Bridge. But all the roads are 2 or more. If I'm right....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(eclectcmoi @ Nov 21 2006, 03:26 PM) [snapback]352697[/snapback]</div> Uh, yes. specifically it was an interchange ramp between two freeways what was metered in all lanes. One lane is marked with the diamond indicating car pools only. My attitude is that if is marked with a diamond and a sign saying carpools only, I can go there.
