High Occupancy Espresso Lanes
March 10, 2007
There are some fears that I have in this world. I find lesser fears involving the HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes that are part of the transit infrastructure of the greater Seattle region. For those that are not aware, the HOV lanes are designed to promote car pooling and are meant for vehicles with two or more people occupying the vehicle. There are some exceptions, for example, Highway 520 requires three or more people to occupy the vehicle in order to use the HOV lane. The blanket exception to use the HOV lane also pertains to motorcycle riders, which makes it very convenient to travel around during the busy times on the day as with a motorcycle, you can always get to where you need to be without having to deal with too much traffic.
For those that violate the HOV lane requirements, you can either be caught by a law enforcement officer or reported by anyone whom uses the HERO hotline. The HERO hotline is the 764-HERO that anyone can call to violate offenders of the lane. It is blatantly displayed all along the road to remind drivers of this phone reporting method.
There is a saying that goes: Curiosity killed the cat; satisfaction brought him back.
Without any expectations of what to expect, and how much trouble I may be getting myself into, I picked up the phone and dialed the 764-HERO hotline to do my civic duty and report the offender. I called, and when they asked for the license plate number and description of the vehicle, I gave them the information to my own car.
Time passes.
I check my mail to find out that I had been reported as a violator of the HOV lane laws. I was expecting to see a traffic infraction, but all that I received was a plethora of pamphlets and paperwork explaining to me the intention and purpose of the HOV lane, and that I had been reported as violating the laws of the land. I was curious what the consequences would have been, had I received a ticket, and had gone to court to refute my own account of reporting my vehicle as an HOV violator. I guess my day in court will never happen under these circumstances.
I can safely say that you can be reported all day long in an HOV lane without fear of ever receiving a traffic infraction in the mail, no matter who reports you to the HERO telephone hotline.
Researching further into the matter, I discovered some clarity in the disposition of getting caught driving alone in the HOV diamond/express/car pool lanes.
If you are spotted driving solo in the diamond lane, you will be setting in motion a blitz of paperwork that will arrive in the mail filled with nothing but governmental information pertinent to your actions. However, it will take a law enforcement officer to witness this same act in order for a ticket to be written.
The first time you are reported as a violator, the registered owner of the vehicle will receive an educational brochure filled with fun information and mindless facts. The second HERO report will result in an official letter being sent to the violator noting the time, date, and location of the incident. In line with the three strike system, a third violation produces another letter coming directly from the State Patrol which also includes a State Patrol officer making contact about the time(s) violated.
For those pregnant mothers out there who feel your civil rights mean everything to you, the HOV lane can only qualify the little one from the first day of birth and not before then. For everyone else, you do not qualify if you have animals, statues, mannequins, or blow-up dolls in the vehicle.
I hear different names for these high occupancy vehicles. Some use the acronym HOV, while others call them the express, diamond, or car pool lanes. I prefer to make a play on the choice of express, and I call them espresso lanes. Some may think that is because I reside in Seattle, which is known worldwide for its coffee, but that is just a little part of it. The other part of it will be revealed in a future blog.
Comments
Got something to say?
