Minneapolis/St. Paul might have one I’ve just never encountered. They for sure have express lanes, which themselves are a feature I have only ever seen there and no where else in the surrounding region.
Yes, the US tends to call them HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle, or Human Ordinance Vehicle) lanes, and they’re typically denoted by a large diamond painted along the center of the lane. Usually the far left lane on the highway, so it’s even past the fast lane. It often has limited entry/exit, and is often a double-solid white lane marker, meaning you’re not allowed to enter or exit the lane except at specific points. Sometimes there are even soft barriers, to further deter people from entering/exiting except at the designated points.
It’s a lane that is reserved for moving people rather than cargo; You’re only allowed to travel in if you have more than one person in the car, or are on a motorcycle. The theory is that by restricting specific lanes to carpoolers, you’ll encourage more people to carpool and have fewer cars on the road. And by restricting lane changes, you avoid slowdowns from people entering/exiting the lane. You typically only see them in major metropolitan areas with lots of commuter traffic.
In reality, it’s one of the most commonly broken traffic laws, with commuters often camping in the HOV lane even when they’re by themselves. Or people attempting to use it as a faster version of the fast lane. It is typically only a minor traffic ticket if you get caught. So enforcement is often very lax, and cops will often only pull you over for it if they’re looking for an easy ticket.
This comic is referencing a lady was pulled over in Texas, and cited for being in the HOV lane without another person in the car. She argued in court that she was pregnant, and since Texas considers fetuses to be alive, the court had to dismiss the ticket because she had a second person in the car. The judge ruled in her favor, mostly to avoid creating a major challenge to written laws over a minor traffic ticket.
It’s a highway lane that you’re only allowed to drive on if you have multiple people driving in the car. So you could avoid traffic, for example. It’s supposed to reduce the number of cars on the road.
They have dedicated carpool lanes?
(almost?) all US state highways do, yes
Wild.
Not in Indiana.
Seems to depend on the area. Traveling around the Midwest I basically never see them, but they’re huge in California for example
They are only in very congested high traffic areas. Near some large cities.
I wouldn’t say almost all. Less than half in my experience (mostly in TX and WA).
Live in the midwest and I’ve never seen one.
Minneapolis/St. Paul might have one I’ve just never encountered. They for sure have express lanes, which themselves are a feature I have only ever seen there and no where else in the surrounding region.
Yes, the US tends to call them HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle, or Human Ordinance Vehicle) lanes, and they’re typically denoted by a large diamond painted along the center of the lane. Usually the far left lane on the highway, so it’s even past the fast lane. It often has limited entry/exit, and is often a double-solid white lane marker, meaning you’re not allowed to enter or exit the lane except at specific points. Sometimes there are even soft barriers, to further deter people from entering/exiting except at the designated points.
It’s a lane that is reserved for moving people rather than cargo; You’re only allowed to travel in if you have more than one person in the car, or are on a motorcycle. The theory is that by restricting specific lanes to carpoolers, you’ll encourage more people to carpool and have fewer cars on the road. And by restricting lane changes, you avoid slowdowns from people entering/exiting the lane. You typically only see them in major metropolitan areas with lots of commuter traffic.
In reality, it’s one of the most commonly broken traffic laws, with commuters often camping in the HOV lane even when they’re by themselves. Or people attempting to use it as a faster version of the fast lane. It is typically only a minor traffic ticket if you get caught. So enforcement is often very lax, and cops will often only pull you over for it if they’re looking for an easy ticket.
This comic is referencing a lady was pulled over in Texas, and cited for being in the HOV lane without another person in the car. She argued in court that she was pregnant, and since Texas considers fetuses to be alive, the court had to dismiss the ticket because she had a second person in the car. The judge ruled in her favor, mostly to avoid creating a major challenge to written laws over a minor traffic ticket.
Thank you for the detailed explanation!
What’s a carpool lane? Do we have them in Europe?
It’s a highway lane that you’re only allowed to drive on if you have multiple people driving in the car. So you could avoid traffic, for example. It’s supposed to reduce the number of cars on the road.
There is one in Norway it seems, in Trondheim.
These days it seems like a lot of states are just allowing people to pay a fee to use them, though.
I’ve seen some in the UK.
Yes! I saw one while on vacation in France. It was in Lyon, i think? Look up ‘France diamond lane’