Having to work downtown the last few days has left me emotionally scarred. Downtown is a much more dreary place than being at the resort – it’s overcast versus sunny. Simply no comparison.
Here’s my observation: Dallas has HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes that scream down the freeway (70mph-80mph…minimum) while the regular traffic crawls at 5mph. You have to have two people in your car to use the lanes, otherwise it’s a pretty hefty ticket ($200 per offense!)
These lanes are awesome for commuters who carpool and they make those of who don’t hate them. But here’s the rub: A woman and a child –even an infant in a car seat– counts as two passengers. So, while I creep along in traffic, a stay at home mom is headed to the mall with Jr. in tow at 85mph! This is somehow helping ease congestion and speed rush hour traffic? Umm…excuse me…what the hell?!
well on the bright side at least it got her the hell away from you. besides, she was probably late for her appointment at the salon to get her nails done. gak.
Yeah, HOV is a great thing, but it’s usually not properly enforced, as we see here.
so, are you implying that a SAHM doesn’t work as hard as you, or that she doesn’t undergo as much stress, so she doesn’t have the right to drive in the HOV lane?
Um…no. Just that kids in car seats shouldn’t qualify someone for the high-occupancy lane. If the purpose is to encourage ride-sharing or whatever, passengers should (at least) have to be old enough to see over the dash before the qualify. 🙂
I could never be a stay @ home mom – it’s too hard. My mom did it and it’s way too much work.
Well, I don’t know, spending money at Northpark may qualify as a critical economic activity around here lately. We wouldn’t want to deprive anyone of their right to shop that extra hour.
I wonder how many of the cars in the HOV lane represent ride sharing anyway?
One of those ladies is me! And my daughter, of course. We homeschool (like many other parents in the metroplex), and we head out on educational field trips the same time as everybody else who’s starting their day.
We (my family) pay the same taxes, fees, etc. as everybody else, so I don’t think I should feel guilty about being able to use the HOV lane. Why should people who work downtown be the only ones who can use the HOV?
Just my 2¢ … 🙂
I’ve been through this argument/discussion before. It comes down to math, and that math isn’t pretty. I’ve been on both sides of the double white and understand both views though. Luckily our service truck has two occupants and a toll tag so we cruise the tollways and the HOV lanes 🙂