HOV lane violations seeing sharp rise in Washington state, says WSP

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Washington State Patrol troopers have seen a significant increase in drivers illegally using high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes just this past week, as they caught 170 HOV violators in just a 2.5-hour span in King County.

"By the time that HOV violators sees us there's a very good chance we already saw them," said Trooper Robert Reyer, the Public Information Officer with Washington State Patrol District 1.

Reyer believes drivers in Washington need a quick refresher on who can use HOV lanes.

"Those vehicles include public transportation vehicles, motorcycles, cars that don't have less than a pre-specified number of occupants inside them and some private transportation providers, if their vehicles can carry eight or more passengers," said Reyer.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/hov-lane-violations-seeing-sharp-rise-in-washington-state-says-wsp/ar-AA10UGbd

[MerryHolidays]

1. If no one is enforcing legal HOV use, of course everyone is going to use it

That's what happened in the Bay Area. During the height of the pandemic (assuming we have passed that), I never so police/CHiPs on any interstate/freeway/highway. Folks were speeding like crazy and using the HOVs lanes. I know they have cameras to enforce HOV lanes, but people can always argue they had the requisite number of people to properly use the lanes.

Simply having cops on the road is a deterrent to curb dangerous stuff like speeding, reckless driving etc. I know that's probably not popular with some, but it was a complete free-for-all traffic-wise in the Bay Area without enforcement.

[Turbineguy]

2. The fines are crazy high.

[Ruby Zee]

3. I would like to see more enforcement

It's been a free for all in Portland, Oregon in traffic. So many people seem to have a total disregard for red lights, stop signs and speed limits. There is very little enforcement right now for multiple reasons, but it's getting so dangerous to drive here. Stay off your phone while driving!