High Occupancy Lanes?? Time to invest in an inflatable friend.
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GRAV888
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Slightly off topic, but relevant in some ways, my mate had a stag night last night and to gain entrance to the club, we had to take a blow up doll each. 
The look on other drivers faces as our 2 minibuses went down the M2, with 35 latex women looking out of the windows was priceless :bannana: :bannana:
The look on other drivers faces as our 2 minibuses went down the M2, with 35 latex women looking out of the windows was priceless :bannana: :bannana:
This is a good idea... if there are 4 lanes + like in the states etc.
By converting an existing lane, this wont help at all IMO
By converting an existing lane, this wont help at all IMO
This was deployed back in Australia a few years back when I was living in Brisbane. Was never really sure how to measure whether or not it worked. Made a lot of people carpool though, as you could knock more than half the time of the morning commute.
2 seaters were aloud on with 2 passengers, 4 seaters needed 3 people or more, taxis and buses could use the lane along with motorbikes.
I really liked it, actually. Got to do something about things, and there is no wonder cure. Seemed like a good start. We can't all drive 1 person to a car forever and expect decent traffic flow!
After a while the council actually built a completely separate freeway for buses only, which really made bus travel attractive compared to motoring. Many of the buses were also natural gas or LPG.
We had 3 lanes originally, and one was converted to be the high occupancy type.
2 seaters were aloud on with 2 passengers, 4 seaters needed 3 people or more, taxis and buses could use the lane along with motorbikes.
I really liked it, actually. Got to do something about things, and there is no wonder cure. Seemed like a good start. We can't all drive 1 person to a car forever and expect decent traffic flow!
After a while the council actually built a completely separate freeway for buses only, which really made bus travel attractive compared to motoring. Many of the buses were also natural gas or LPG.
We had 3 lanes originally, and one was converted to be the high occupancy type.
kikkthecat
MB Enthusiast
The main road between Bradford and Leeds has been like this for a while now, with cars having 2 or more people allowed to use the same lane as buses and taxis at peak times but they didn't create another lane, just used one of the 2 that were already there so anyone travelling alone gets stuck in a lane where the traffic lights are set against you, to allow twice as many vehicles through the high occupancy lane.
While I can see it making people car share on such rush hour journeys, I cant see how it would work on a motorway, especially as we all well know they wont create another lane, just lump all solo travellers in with the wagons and such.
I work shifts and have a lot of free time when my wife is at work. What would I be supposed to do when I decide to visit someone or go shop in another city ? Advertise for passengers going in the same direction ?
While I can see it making people car share on such rush hour journeys, I cant see how it would work on a motorway, especially as we all well know they wont create another lane, just lump all solo travellers in with the wagons and such.
I work shifts and have a lot of free time when my wife is at work. What would I be supposed to do when I decide to visit someone or go shop in another city ? Advertise for passengers going in the same direction ?
andy_k
MB Enthusiast
I don't think they are aiming at people like you Ray, but at the times when it would be effective such as rush hours I see it as a great idea. how many people come out of their houses in the morning, say "Hi" to their neighbours, drive off to work with them following with both of you working less than a mile from each other? How many people drive right past their work colleagues house but never think of sharing a car? Just think of the savings it would make on school runs with parents either sharing or letting their kids use public transport?
Quite honestly anything that gets us away from millions of cars all with one person in has got to be a good idea and if people can't be gently persuaded to share then perhaps they should have a little pressure exerted upon them.
Andy
Quite honestly anything that gets us away from millions of cars all with one person in has got to be a good idea and if people can't be gently persuaded to share then perhaps they should have a little pressure exerted upon them.
Andy
Pietre
Active Member
Nearly Agree
When I was on holiday in the States the system worked really well with 3 lanes for others and 1 lane for pool and 2 or more occupants, but we would have to totally re-structure our road system to accomodate this. May be one way to get a. a decent road surface for a change, b. some of our road tax actually spent on the roads. In either case we will end up paying more for whatever they decide upon. We have toll roads to get a well maintained road (thought we had already paid for that one), the list can go on for ever, but it comes down to one thing.... we are being charged for something we have paid for already, and its about time it stopped.
When I was on holiday in the States the system worked really well with 3 lanes for others and 1 lane for pool and 2 or more occupants, but we would have to totally re-structure our road system to accomodate this. May be one way to get a. a decent road surface for a change, b. some of our road tax actually spent on the roads. In either case we will end up paying more for whatever they decide upon. We have toll roads to get a well maintained road (thought we had already paid for that one), the list can go on for ever, but it comes down to one thing.... we are being charged for something we have paid for already, and its about time it stopped.
Perhaps we should get Mercedes to make motorcycles, after all, BMW do 
Seriously, we have a two plus lane in Bristol on the main ring road, it seems to work ok, but I, fortunately, don't have to use it too often. We also have bus lanes all over the city for buses, taxis and motorcycles only, not used fo car sharing. However on motorways, I can see problems. At the moment, on any given busy motorway, the outside lane is full, the middle lane not quite so and the inside lane even less. We all try to overtake, so end up using the outside lane most. Introduce a car share lane, and the result, IMO, would be disaster. The highway code would need looking at, because you would need to introduce undertaking on motorways and not make it illegal, can you imagine or would the car share lane drivers not be allowed to overtake Also, if the nearside lane is made the car share lane, all other drivers would need to cross it to exit the motorway, needs some working out methinks
Seriously, we have a two plus lane in Bristol on the main ring road, it seems to work ok, but I, fortunately, don't have to use it too often. We also have bus lanes all over the city for buses, taxis and motorcycles only, not used fo car sharing. However on motorways, I can see problems. At the moment, on any given busy motorway, the outside lane is full, the middle lane not quite so and the inside lane even less. We all try to overtake, so end up using the outside lane most. Introduce a car share lane, and the result, IMO, would be disaster. The highway code would need looking at, because you would need to introduce undertaking on motorways and not make it illegal, can you imagine or would the car share lane drivers not be allowed to overtake Also, if the nearside lane is made the car share lane, all other drivers would need to cross it to exit the motorway, needs some working out methinks
Sp!ke
Administrator
Geoff2 said:
Mercedes did in fact make the worlds first motorcycle - so it is in their heritage.
http://www.mbspy.com/reitwagen.htm
I suspect that now GP's aregoin 4 stroke, it might just be on the cards in the future if specialist chassis builders point enough money in the right direction for Mercedes and BMW to build an engine to outdo the japs.
Here's hoping.
andy_k
MB Enthusiast
"The highway code would need looking at, because you would need to introduce undertaking on motorways and not make it illegal"
as far as I know it is legal to "undertake" if the traffic in the lane you are in is moving quicker than the other lanes.
As for bad driving on Motorways, if the lanes were used the way they were intended and people stuck reasonably closely to the speed limits there would be a lot less problems. Perhaps an enforceable minimum speed limit would be more useful on them?
Andy
as far as I know it is legal to "undertake" if the traffic in the lane you are in is moving quicker than the other lanes.
As for bad driving on Motorways, if the lanes were used the way they were intended and people stuck reasonably closely to the speed limits there would be a lot less problems. Perhaps an enforceable minimum speed limit would be more useful on them?
Andy
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