From: Wales.Larrison@ofa123.fidonet.org
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: Car Pool Lane Fakers -- was Gasoline Taxes
Date: 8 Nov 92 21:36:26 GMT
X-Sender: newtout 0.02 Nov  5 1992

(Jimmy Malcolm Pierce) writes:
>  "I was just listening to Evening at the Improv and they said that
>people are being caught using inflatable dolls to look like there
>is more than one person in the car so the driver can use the Car
>Pool Lane ! I think its in Los Angeles ! 'Honest Officer, she's
>just a little tired. Thats why her mouth is yawning open !' Gee, I
>wonder what the fine is for this..." DJ.
  
Speaker-to-Minerals responds:
>That's nothing new.  It's been happening ever since they first
>implemented car pool lanes.  I *THINK* the fine is the same as for
>simply using the car pool lane without the requisite extra
>passenger[s].  [...]
  
  I'll reiterate StM's response.  Since carpool lanes (Also called
"diamond lanes" in LA - since they are marked with a diamond shaped
sigil) went in there have been numerous examples of folks trying to
beat the system.
   The fine (at least in my section of the southland is a first time
minimum of $271.  And it goes up with each offense.  (The fine
amount is posted on the freeways...)
  
Mark Beirne Lively write:
>I've heard stories about blow up dolls and Mannicans.  But there is
>one that I heard about which takes the cake.  It happened in
>virginia I belive.  Someone had 3 cadavers in the car with him. and
>the cops still gave him a ticket I believe!
    Actually, there was a similar (and true story) reported in the
local paper here (Orange County Register).  Seems the bodywagon
driver from the Orange County Corner's office was in a hurry, so he
took the car pool lane.  When ticketed, he protested since he had
several cadavers in the back, and thought they would be acceptable
as "other riders".
    This made it into municipal court, where the judge ruled that he
had to pay the fine.  The logic given, was that "riders" had to be
alive to "enjoy the experience."  (Note:  the reason this made it to
the paper was two fold -- first, some drivers had started a letter-
writing campaign to exempt non-licensed riders from eligibility
in the car pool lane -- ie, they didn't want moms with kids to use
it.  That didn't go anywhere, fortunately., but the judical ruling
was of interest in this discussion.  The second reason was that the
driver of the bodywagon was trying to get the County to pay for his
fine.  He didn't succeed.)
   There have been lots of other strange cases.  The 9-month
pregnant lady who claimed that she counted for 2...  The person with
a "cabbage patch doll" in a childs seat.  The person who claimed her
dog counted as a "rider".  The service of "rent a rider" is you
really needed to beat traffic.  The attempted organized protest of
several hundred drivers suddenly veering into the carpool lane
(didn't happen, but was publicized).  etc. etc.
  
    I take the carpool lane every morning when I take my 2-year old
son to day care.  And after I drop him off, I take regular lanes to
work.
----------------------------------------------------------- 
Wales Larrison                          Space Technology Investor  

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