HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

PubliusTX — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 04:06:10 GMT

>>“I usually catch 15 to 20 (violators) a day,” said Chaney, a friendly cop whose 300-pound, 6 foot-three frame would deter anyone from sneaking on the HOV lanes.<<

If that's true, then how does he catch anyone breaking the rules?

His mere presence ought to deter all violators!

Come on now -- this single post of the day was not posted until late in the day. Surely the writing can be better than that.

>>“I come out, and they come by and clap,” he said. “They l love the fact that I’m out.”<<K

They I?

Again, surely this writing can be proofed.

>>And then there are the really clever drivers who dress up manikins with wigs to pose as passengers. <<

Manikins? I think you mean mannequins.

Maybe METRO now needs to hire an editor for its blogger. Goodness knows how much that will cost taxpayers.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

duhmoose — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:29:46 GMT

Why not use cameras to catch HOV violators instead of officers? If it works so well for preventing violent crime at the Park and Rides, surely it would work to catch violators. Maybe you could get with Mayor White and get some tips from his red-light camera enforcement.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

Rorschach — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:52:34 GMT

So let me see if I have this right.

METRO gets no money from this

Nobody dies if an HOV cheat manages to flaunt the system

METRO PD has reassigned people from patrol duty of P&R lots to this program, thereby LOWERING the safety of those who use P&R lots. Where someone could be killed or raped, and not just have their car radio or rims stolen.

I'm sorry, how exactly is this good idea again?

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

don — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:39:42 GMT

Regarding the pregnant lady who was given a ticket for driving on the HOV lane alone, it seems to me that she should qualify for 2 people. At least that's what the pro life, anti-abortion groups think. Life begins at conception they say and in this case I agrre with them. That officer should use a little common sense. The lady should have a good argument in court.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

wakester — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:21:24 GMT

I applaud Metro for monitoring the HOV. As a user of the 290 HOV lane either riding the bus or in a carpool, I have seen it get overloaded from SOVs and come to a stop. It is always fun when I am waiting for my Uptown bus at the NW TC watching them pull over people as they exit the HOV.

One more thing, on 290 alot of cheaters use the Pinemont park and ride HOV entrance to avoid the usual stakeouts of NW TC and Dacoma. Also, in the outbound you see people using the West Little York entrance.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

faz — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 22:44:50 GMT

whoops, i used bad grammar, I meant to say pregnant lady not just pregnant.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

moniques — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 04:53:40 GMT

I will admit that I got on the HOV lane as a SOV. But, that was because the West Road P&R was full and the Metro police officer told me that I could get on the HOV lane and exit West Little York to park there. I then got back on the afternoon without any problems.

The SOV tags that Metro provides allows the drivers to park at the Pinemont P&R. So, how can they crack down on SOV's if they also allow it?

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

Matt Bramanti — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 18:33:22 GMT

JeffTheWriter:

Actually, the story was littered with errors, which have been corrected without note.

These include calling the EZ Tag "E-Z Pass," incorrect math in the number of citations, and the notion that "No trucks weighing more than one ton are allowed on the HOV lanes."

That last one has been replaced with a mention of "axels." Apparently METRO likes figure skating.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

Rorschach — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 21:34:51 GMT

My wife does, I don't. I CAN'T. It would take me two hours each way to get to work and back if I were to try, and of course since I would have had to reverse direction AND transfer after the 90 minute limit, each transfer would count as a new ride under the new rules. plus I'd be transferring in the middle of Houston's answer to the third world.

But seeing as how I am one of the people paying the taxes, I figure I have pretty good grounds to complain about a waste of money. And when it comes to ensuring the safety of my wife, heck yes I have plenty cause to complain.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

gman — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 01:50:36 GMT

Over 40,000 passengers a day and it is under utilized? You have to be joking. Check the stats for other systems. Check their passenger numbers per miles and compare it to the METRORail. You will find that the METRORail is the most successful light rail system in the country.

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

Royko — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 02:28:02 GMT

gman,

I'm surprised METRO does not divert the rest of all bus routes, so as to simply force all bus riders to board the tram, then boast that all Houston bus riders love the tram.

One thing is sure, the taxpayers are paying extra for METRO to make such assertions.

METRO's collected revenue per tram boarding has steadilly declined from the initial start-up, when Houstonians then considered it an amusement ride.

Other than the two daily commute periods, the tram is woefully underutilized. During the commute periods, many of the riders, such as TMC workers, are "encouraged" by employers to park at Smith Lands. These employees are typically reimbursed with taxpayer subsidized passes.

The City of Houston, last year spent $750K of taxpayer funds for METRO passes, provided to COH employees, up from $720K the year before. In my view, clearly intended to help METRO boost the tram "body count."

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

Royko — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 16:13:45 GMT

gman, I am still waiting for METRO to release the report sent to the National Transit Database (NTD) so we can compare METRO's FY2006 numbers with FY2005, and the 9 months of FY2004. ********** Unlinked Passenger Trips (UPT) FY2004 FY2005 5,349,726 10,233,638 Royko Comment- METRO is not required to keep any "Linked trips" data. ------------------------ Royko Comment– Derived METRORail Statistics: Revenue/VRM $3.14 $2.44 (-22.4%) Operating Expenses/VRM FY2004 FY2005 $29.86 $22.42 -------- ------- TAXPAYER SUBSIDY/VRM FY2004 FY2005 $26.72 $19.98 TAXPAYER SUBSIDY/UPT FY2004 FY2005 $2.36 * $1.57* *The operating expenses do not include significant costs reported to the NTD for tram post-completion rehabilitation/Reconstruction/Replacement/Improvement and tens of millions for OTHER expenses for existing service. -----------------------

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

Bluelight — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 23:27:53 GMT

So it would be better to remove the HOV lane and not have it and then as Kingwood gets bigger and traffic gets worst then come back in and add it back in. When I lived up there I was happy to have a 30 min drive to work. Now that I am on 290 I am lucky to have my drive to be under a hour and that is on a good day and I live 5 miles closer to town on 290. Simple thing is if you don't need the HOV now don't use it but trust me you will be happy when those freeway drives start to hit the hour mark and you can jump on the HOV. PS I am all for impounding HOV violators cars. 2+ or 3+ people should mean two seperate bodies. Two seperate seatbelts being used in the car. Can you imagine if every woman that was pregnant used the HOV what traffic would be like on there. Of if her water breaks while she is driving in the HOV. PSS Officer I am 2 week pregnant can't you tell. You cannot give me that ticket.....

re: HOV Lanes: No Dummies Allowed

US290 HOV User — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 18:22:33 GMT

I am not sure if this is on purpose or not, but I barely see any police officer checking for violators on the 290HOV lane morning and afternoon. I see in a daily basis at least one or two cheaters riding the HOV 290 around 6:10am (inbound ) and 4:15pm (outbound).

If the police officer catches 3 or 4 people / peak-hour it would not be "profitable" for the city 3 or 4 times $125 / hour? Also it would deter the repeated offenders.