Driving in the Scary Lane
Yesterday was a first. I drove in an HOV lane. Unwittingly and illegally.
After work, I had to run an errand in Mesquite during rush hour. I got on I-30 East from downtown Dallas. And for whatever reason, the entrance ramp I chose sent me into the HOV lane. There was no option but to get on I-30 proper as it was blocked off by red cones.
I was not particularly concerned with being stopped by some fearsome Dallas Area Rapid Transit cops who patrol the HOV lanes for the crime of driving in this lane with an empty passenger seat. After all it was DART who directed me into this lane with their stupid cones. And let me tell you --- I wouldn't drive on the the I-30 HOV lane if my car was jammed with 12 people and I-30 was completely stopped with traffic. This lane has retaining walls on either side. You have what seems like 5 inches of clearance between the walls --- one false move and your vehicle will slam into a big slab 'o concrete. And because I was driving a safe speed, moms in minivans were all on my bumper, no doubt wondering why the dude in the hot rod Mustang was driving like scared little girl. Because I was. The eastbound HOV lane on I-30 is actually the nearest lane on the westbound side of I-30. So when you drive in the HOV lane, you get the sensation that you're fighting against heavy traffic driving on the wrong side of the highway just like that chase scene in "To Live and Die in L.A." It's freaky.
After work, I had to run an errand in Mesquite during rush hour. I got on I-30 East from downtown Dallas. And for whatever reason, the entrance ramp I chose sent me into the HOV lane. There was no option but to get on I-30 proper as it was blocked off by red cones.
I was not particularly concerned with being stopped by some fearsome Dallas Area Rapid Transit cops who patrol the HOV lanes for the crime of driving in this lane with an empty passenger seat. After all it was DART who directed me into this lane with their stupid cones. And let me tell you --- I wouldn't drive on the the I-30 HOV lane if my car was jammed with 12 people and I-30 was completely stopped with traffic. This lane has retaining walls on either side. You have what seems like 5 inches of clearance between the walls --- one false move and your vehicle will slam into a big slab 'o concrete. And because I was driving a safe speed, moms in minivans were all on my bumper, no doubt wondering why the dude in the hot rod Mustang was driving like scared little girl. Because I was. The eastbound HOV lane on I-30 is actually the nearest lane on the westbound side of I-30. So when you drive in the HOV lane, you get the sensation that you're fighting against heavy traffic driving on the wrong side of the highway just like that chase scene in "To Live and Die in L.A." It's freaky.
posted by john clarke at 10:13 AM
1 Comments:
Eff HOV, it's not part of the solution in my view. People don't use it properly most of the time.
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