Carpool Lane Violation at Onramp with Metering Lights On

[supralover23]

I haven't had to sit there long enough to discern an obvious pattern, but the HOV lane seems to be allowed to go more often than the non-HOV lane(s). The scenario I see the most is when there's a line of cars in the non-HOV lane, and a car comes up in the HOV lane, it's allowed to proceed before the next non-HOV car is allowed to go.

[That Guy]

so if both lanes have to stop, how does the HOV lane have priority? the 1st car in the non-HOV lane would go when the car in the HOV lane stops, and then vice versa, so the two lanes would alternate, right?

How would that be giving the HOV lane any priority? In fact, in the example street map you posted, there are 2 non-HOV lanes and one HOV lane.... So in that example and based on your logic, you have 2 non-HOV cars proceeding past the meter for every 1 HOV car proceeding through.

i'm 99% certain that was the case when i got pulled over which is why i'm saying i wasn't trying to be in the HOV lane to go faster.

How does that help your defense any? Whether the HOV lane was moving faster or not, and while it might actually be the reason why you did not make a consorted effort to get out of the HOV lane, it is not a defense to your citation! The only defense to your citation is to refute the officer's claim that you were in the HOV lane when he saw you in the HOV lane... Sort of a conundrum that can never come true!

---

The scenario I see the most is when there's a line of cars in the non-HOV lane, and a car comes up in the HOV lane, it's allowed to proceed before the next non-HOV car is allowed to go.

So why would the HOV lane have any traffic control signal then? If it always has priority over the non-HOV lane, why add a signal to the HOV lane requiring it to stop under what conditions?

If on the other hand it does not have priority, then why paint several diamonds, post signs announcing the HOV lane restriction?

[supralover23]

I don't know why the HOV lanes are metered. I didn't design the system. All I was relaying is that they are in fact metered, and my experience with that metering.

[That Guy]

I don't know why the HOV lanes are metered. I didn't design the system. All I was relaying is that they are in fact metered, and my experience with that metering.

So you went from (1):

Both lanes are metered

to immediately retracting that by adding (2):

or at least they are for the other direction, 92W to 880S; I rarely take the OP's route.

Which means you don't really know of the both lanes are metered on the on ramp where the OP was cited. You are just guessing!

Yet when the OP asked you to confirm, your reply was (3):

I haven't had to sit there long enough to discern an obvious pattern, but the HOV lane seems to be allowed to go more often than the non-HOV lane(s).

Again, you could not discern a pattern and yet you described a specific pattern, all while you weren't talking about the HOV lanes where the OP was cited, you were talking about different ones. But even then, you have no clue if they are metered or not, simply because you haven't sat there long enough to discern an obvious pattern. In fact the scenario you presented describes a way where they are not metered (4):

The scenario I see the most is when there's a line of cars in the non-HOV lane, and a car comes up in the HOV lane, it's allowed to proceed before the next non-HOV car is allowed to go.

And last but not least, you add in that you don't know why they are metered, only that they are (5):

... in fact metered, and my experience with that metering.

But fact still remains, you aren't talking about the HOV lanes where the OP was cited.

So in 3 posts in this thread, you changed your mind 5 times and you are still simply providing an example that is not going to benefit the OP in any way shape or form. Only as your attempt to challenge what I said about it not making any sense... And even though your example offered the same reasoning I did!

Nice work! And thanks for your contribution.

[supralover23]

Do you really have nothing better to do? I know that the 92W-880S onramp is metered for both the HOV lane and the regular lane. I assume, but do not know for sure, that the case is the same for the other direction. From what I remember, the 92W-880N onramp is also metered the same way, so I assume that all four onramps are metered the same way.

The post regarding the MissionE-880N onramp was in response to your post where you questioned whether the HOV lane was actually metered or not. I would have shown the exact onramp the OP is describing, but Street View is out of date. I offered the Street View to show that the HOV lanes do have the potential to be metered.

Regarding the pattern, apparently I need to be more specific. When the lanes are metered, both lights are red, and then flash green to allow a single car to proceed. The scenario I described is where there is a line of cars waiting in the non-HOV lane, going one at a time. When a non-HOV car goes, the light then turns red, and the next non-HOV car coasts up to the line. In that case, when a HOV car comes along and stops at their red, rather than the non-HOV car being allowed to proceed, the HOV car is allowed to proceed first instead. The key is that the HOV car is still required to stop, just, in my experience, their wait is less than the non-HOV lane. This is what I have noticed for all metered HOV onramps in the Hayward-Fremont corridor, though not specifically the one that the OP is referring to.

When I said that I haven't discerned an obvious pattern, what I meant is that I haven't seen anything like 3 HOV cars for every 2 non-HOV cars.

[Disagreeable]

It is generally considered bad form to engage in such broad level speculation, unless it is an attempt to extract meaningful information which is being withheld.

Do you really have nothing better to do? I know that the 92W-880S onramp is metered for both the HOV lane and the regular lane. I assume, but do not know for sure, that the case is the same for the other direction. From what I remember, the 92W-880N onramp is also metered the same way, so I assume that all four onramps are metered the same way.

The post regarding the MissionE-880N onramp was in response to your post where you questioned whether the HOV lane was actually metered or not. I would have shown the exact onramp the OP is describing, but Street View is out of date. I offered the Street View to show that the HOV lanes do have the potential to be metered.

Regarding the pattern, apparently I need to be more specific. When the lanes are metered, both lights are red, and then flash green to allow a single car to proceed. The scenario I described is where there is a line of cars waiting in the non-HOV lane, going one at a time. When a non-HOV car goes, the light then turns red, and the next non-HOV car coasts up to the line. In that case, when a HOV car comes along and stops at their red, rather than the non-HOV car being allowed to proceed, the HOV car is allowed to proceed first instead. The key is that the HOV car is still required to stop, just, in my experience, their wait is less than the non-HOV lane. This is what I have noticed for all metered HOV onramps in the Hayward-Fremont corridor, though not specifically the one that the OP is referring to.

When I said that I haven't discerned an obvious pattern, what I meant is that I haven't seen anything like 3 HOV cars for every 2 non-HOV cars.