The great state of Georgia is at it once again, stirring up trouble where it comes to traffic. The new buzzword is no longer the “HOV”, or High Occupancy Vehicle lane, it’s the “HOT” or High Occupancy Toll lane. Yes, now you can ride along in the HOV lane for a toll if you are by yourself. Let me tell you how many ways this is stupid.
If the Georgia survey is right and 89% of eligible respondents would be willing to pay some toll for the use of a HOT lane, then the HOV lanes will be just as crowded as the free lanes. You would have a tenfold increase in the number of vehicles crowding the lanes.
I, for one, would be part of the 11% not participating in any toll lanes. I avoid toll roads whenever I can now. Why would someone want to pay to use a lane that would be used by all the other morons on the road?
I think transportation dollars would be better spent on improving mass-transit systems. The current problem with mass-transit is that doesn’t reach the places it needs to go. It stops well short of the suburbs and only caters to those inside the Perimeter.
Readers, what do you think? Would you pay extra to drive in an express lane?
28/05/2005 at 12:05 pm Permalink
Our HOT just opened in Minneapolis. I’ve thought about it, but in the end it would only save me 5 - 10 minutes on my commute home. Totally not worth it.
Here via Michele’s M&G….
28/05/2005 at 2:15 pm Permalink
Only if I was in an extreme hurry - such as getting to a hospital - would I pay for a HOT lane. Luckily, I don’t have to choose, as we don’t have any HOT’s or HOV’s here yet.
28/05/2005 at 5:00 pm Permalink
I think, if I had the choice and was in a hurry I’d pay, but not on a regular basis……We don’t have HOT choices……………yet
29/05/2005 at 10:06 am Permalink
I thought the whole idea of HOV was to get people to car share….seems it defeats the purpose and sounds sort of greedy on the state’s part. Michle sent me.