Complicated solution to a simple problem

[Gone in 60]

Lots of places have car pool or high occupancy vehicle lanes, which only vehicles with two or more people can use. In my area, some of those car pool lanes are slowly being converted to paid-use toll lanes. Motorcyclists have been able to use the car pool lanes, and thankfully, we're also able to use the toll lanes on regular roadways for free. We have to pay to use dedicated toll roads like everyone else.

One of those newly converted stretches of toll lanes is on the 405 freeway which runs past my office, so I'll be using it frequently. Motorcycles haven't really been regulated on these toll lanes, but with the increasing adoption of the toll lanes, I was recently admonished for not having a transponder on my bike, and the FasTrak (roadway administration) people just sent one for each of my bikes.

The transponder is a thick decal with wires running through it, and there are different ones for cars, so they can be billed, and motorcycles, so they can be excluded from billing. The transponder decal can't be attached to metal, only glass or plastic, so the instructions suggest sticking them to the bike's headlight or windscreen.

I'm not about to sully the pristine looks of my two-wheeled children with an ugly decal. But, what to do? Well, what do I already carry, that's made of plastic, and is already an eyesore? My top boxes! I have three bikes, I have three top boxes. And, on any given day that I'll be using the toll lanes, I'll be commuting, so I'll be using one of the three boxes. I made smooth mounting plates for the decals, and 3M taped them on my boxes.

Problem solved. A problem that would only be considered a problem by anal-retentive weirdos like me.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Wha 'bout daze when da rider wishes to toll lane cruise without da topbox? (It happens!)

 

[Gone in 60]

Won't happen with me. Any time I'll be cruising without cargo, I'll be nowhere near a freeway!

 

[pdedse]

Haha...the great California Car Culture sure keeps one on his toes. I had so much fun riding the lil' INT650 through your beautiful state last summer--felt like I was in another country. I don't think I exhaled until I got a hundred miles north of SF on my way home.

 

[Gone in 60]

I don't know if that means you enjoyed it, or you were on maximum pucker-factor until you left the state.

It's funny, when I'm stuck in traffic in a car, I look to my left at the two toll lanes that are barely being used, and fume "If they only made those into regular lanes, we'd all be going faster." When I'm on my bike, flying along in the unused toll lanes, looking to my right at the gridlocked cage traffic, I think "Wow, this is awesome! I have this whole lane to myself!"

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Haha...the great California Car Culture sure keeps one on his toes. I had so much fun riding the lil' INT650 through your beautiful state last summer--felt like I was in another country. I don't think I exhaled until I got a hundred miles north of SF on my way home.

:rofl:

I don't know if that means you enjoyed it, or you were on maximum pucker-factor until you left the state.

It's funny, when I'm stuck in traffic in a car, I look to my left at the two toll lanes that are barely being used, and fume "If they only made those into regular lanes, we'd all be going faster." When I'm on my bike, flying along in the unused toll lanes, looking to my right at the gridlocked cage traffic, I think "Wow, this is awesome! I have this whole lane to myself!"

Well, you know that is not sustainable.

Eventually somebody somewhere will find a way to make money off of that.


" ... he's havin' fun! Tax him, immediately! ... "

 

[Gone in 60]

Well, any car that uses these lanes carrying fewer than three people has to pay for using them. They're just not charging motorcycles.
When these were unpatrolled car pool lanes, it was under an honor system that only cars with more than one person could use them. They were heavily used, since honor is rare. Now that you are billed for using them, they have more tumbleweed traffic than cars.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Sometimes I wish Toronto had solutions like Los Angeles.

If you didn't know it already, here is yet another reason for riders to simply bypass Toronto, Ontario, Canada:

As of January 2024, Toronto is the third slowest city in the world, ... behind Dublin (Ireland) and London (England).

Toronto doesn't have the slowest traffic in the world, but it's close: report

I didn't even see L.A. in the top 200:

Traffic Index ranking | TomTom Traffic Index

 

[pdedse]

Sometimes I wish Toronto had solutions like Los Angeles.

If you didn't know it already, here is yet another reason for riders to simply bypass Toronto, Ontario, Canada:

As of January 2024, Toronto is the third slowest city in the world, ... behind Dublin (Ireland) and London (England).

Toronto doesn't have the slowest traffic in the world, but it's close: report

I didn't even see L.A. in the top 200:

Traffic Index ranking | TomTom Traffic Index

I know why that site doesn't include Guatemala City and San José, Costa Rica...the people they sent to those cities to do the field testing are still stuck in traffic.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

At times, things can appear relative. Certainly small localized situations may not affect statistical regional averages.


When I was in Atlanta, Georgia - the local folks complained about their traffic. Said it was the worst anywhere.

I drove in Atlanta morning and late afternoon weekly. I said, " ... what is the problem? Have you driven in Toronto?"

I found Atlanta rush hour comparatively delightful.

 

[The Gecko_imp]

I want way too expensive toll lanes and a free(riding for m/c exemption too ...
- near me or even better,
- where ever it pleases me to go.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I want way too expensive toll lanes and a free(riding for m/c exemption too ...
- near me or even better,
- where ever it pleases me to go.

:rofl:

 

[Gone in 60]

Just did my late afternoon walk, and passed over the 405 where it runs near my office.

This picture should show why I'm digging the new free-for-motorcycle toll lanes.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

... yeah, gimme sum Gone.

 

[Cormanus]

So, under the new arrangements, Gone, any car driver can pay a toll and use the fast lanes? Or is there still a requirement for more than one person in the vehicle?

 

[pdedse]

Just did my late afternoon walk, and passed over the 405 where it runs near my office.

This picture should show why I'm digging the new free-for-motorcycle toll lanes.

Easy solution...just go in the other direction!

 

[Gone in 60]

So, under the new arrangements, Gone, any car driver can pay a toll and use the fast lanes? Or is there still a requirement for more than one person in the vehicle?

The way these lanes work, if you have three or more people in a car, you aren’t charged a toll. Otherwise, before you enter these lanes, you pass a big electronic message board that shows the current toll prices for different destinations along the length of the toll lanes, like interchanges with upcoming freeways. The toll prices vary based on traffic levels, but you have enough time to view the tolls and decide to take the lane or stay on the main freeway. Your account is charged for each use and is automatically reloaded from your bank account if your balance falls below, I think, thirty bucks.

These lanes along the 405 are new, so I’m not familiar with the toll ranges, but on some of the other freeways that have the toll lanes, some areas with heavy traffic can be pretty expensive.

In any case, these toll lanes are now along three freeways that I frequently use, and they’re a big time saver on a bike and a no-brainer since we’re not charged.

 

[Cormanus]

Thanks Gone. It’s a great idea.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

So, under the new arrangements, Gone, any car driver can pay a toll and use the fast lanes? Or is there still a requirement for more than one person in the vehicle?

The way these lanes work, if you have three or more people in a car, you aren’t charged a toll. Otherwise, before you enter these lanes, you pass a big electronic message board that shows the current toll prices for different destinations along the length of the toll lanes, like interchanges with upcoming freeways. The toll prices vary based on traffic levels, but you have enough time to view the tolls and decide to take the lane or stay on the main freeway. Your account is charged for each use and is automatically reloaded from your bank account if your balance falls below, I think, thirty bucks.

These lanes along the 405 are new, so I’m not familiar with the toll ranges, but on some of the other freeways that have the toll lanes, some areas with heavy traffic can be pretty expensive.

In any case, these toll lanes are now along three freeways that I frequently use, and they’re a big time saver on a bike and a no-brainer since we’re not charged.

Up north of the border here we have the most expensive toll freeway in the world. Peak period before taxes and other fees is about $0.61 per km. And the toll freeway does not even cross any significant geographical feature like a large waterway or mountain valley.

Motorcycles pay the same as cages, unless their plate happens to be "unreadable".

 

[Tev62]

So, under the new arrangements, Gone, any car driver can pay a toll and use the fast lanes? Or is there still a requirement for more than one person in the vehicle?

The way these lanes work, if you have three or more people in a car, you aren’t charged a toll. Otherwise, before you enter these lanes, you pass a big electronic message board that shows the current toll prices for different destinations along the length of the toll lanes, like interchanges with upcoming freeways. The toll prices vary based on traffic levels, but you have enough time to view the tolls and decide to take the lane or stay on the main freeway. Your account is charged for each use and is automatically reloaded from your bank account if your balance falls below, I think, thirty bucks.

These lanes along the 405 are new, so I’m not familiar with the toll ranges, but on some of the other freeways that have the toll lanes, some areas with heavy traffic can be pretty expensive.

In any case, these toll lanes are now along three freeways that I frequently use, and they’re a big time saver on a bike and a no-brainer since we’re not charged.

Up north of the border here we have the most expensive toll freeway in the world. Peak period before taxes and other fees is about $0.61 per km. And the toll freeway does not even cross any significant geographical feature like a large waterway or mountain valley.

Motorcycles pay the same as cages, unless their plate happens to be "unreadable".

Ah, the perfect excuse not to take a Freeway!