jetblakTL

So I'm on my way to work today, driving west on the LIE in NY. I'm running about 1 hour late because I had to pick my kids up from school. I jump in the HOV lane as I always do. I see the Nassau HWY patrol cruising in the left lane, but I think nothing of it because I'm not speeding or anything. The cop pulls up beside me, then pulls into the HOV lane behind me and pulls me over. I'm thinking what the hell does 5-0 want with me now - maybe it's my tinted windows, but I don't usually get harassed just for that. Cop walks up and asks "where's your passenger?" - I'm like, what are you talking about? He says "your in the HOV lane, you need at least 1 passenger" - I say "it's only 3:20, it's not rush-hour - he says "HOV rules go into effect from 3-8PM, the signs are posted everywhere - license and registration, please". I say "I'm normally at work by now, but I'm running late today, so I wasn't aware that the sign said 3PM since I'm never on this road at 3PM, besides, since when is 3PM considered rush-hour?!?!?" Then he breaks out the tint-meter and measures my windows at 16%.

Long story shortened, he cut me a break on the tint, but the HOV violation is $205!!!!! Plus I think it counts as a moving violation which means points on my license (where can I check that out?). What a rip-off. Yes, I should have noticed the posted time, but, seriously, even in a city like NYC, 3PM is NOT rush-hour. I'm gonna have to fight this thing, but what chance do I have in court? I'm so pissed, I can't even think right now....

jlukja

I think its the same times here in the LA area.

alex2364

Same hear in the DC area. You don't have much of a chance fighting this.

mrproul

sorry to hear that so you don't feel so bad Rush hour starts at 3:00pm here in nor cal. i got a carpool lane (HOV) ticket going over the bay bridge. but i had no idea i needed 3 people in the car to get across the bridge for free. 371$ mistake.

on the court thing i would say no chance in getting the fine reduced thats easy money right there. i am sure you can work with the judge to see if he can change it from a moving violation to an infraction that way you wont get dinged the point on your record.

good luck,

Mrproul

LuvMyTSX

You live in the NYC area and aren't aware that rush hour begins at 3pm?

tsxGoldenBear

Yea i think most places are 3pm....


oh and that I80 bay bridge thing is so annoying. I hate how its different just on that one highway.

wackjum

Houston's HOV lane starts at 2...

I don't think you have a chance of prevailing. Doesn't matter when you don't think rush hour is. Its posted.

Bearcat94

Sucks you got ticketed.

I thought it was ALWAYS rush hour in NYC?

You won't win a fight on the grounds you've mentioned. Maybe see if you can get a reduction. It was posted, and at the end of the day, whether we agree with the law or not, it's your responsibility to obey the signage.

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

Ignorance of the law= no excuse.

Will Y.

...and Los Angeles County.

It's so bad here in that the HOV lanes are HOV 24/7-- whether at 3 pm, 6pm, 3 am on Sunday morning, etc.

In the Bay Area, some of the HOV lanes have time limitations.

jetblakTL

Yeah - I'm gonna have to suck it up. I think I'll show up to court in person, plead guilty with an explanation and throw myself on the mercy of the court - I'm so screwed. Paying the fine is bad enough, but whatever points it is could really hurt. I can't seem to find any info on how many points a HOV lane violation is - I know crossing the barrier lines is a moving violation, but am I in that same boat?

AcuraBuddy

Good idea, I would do that. Be honest and pray that you have a good judge and maybe he will cut you a break on the fine also. Who knows. To be honest I didn't even know it started at 3 either but then again I am rarely on the HOV lane on the LIE.

Whiskers

werd

Garkon

that sucks man, but to be fair there are signs posted, you should have be aware. If you live in the area it's really hard to believe that you didn't know when HOV goes into effect. You really have nobody to be pissed at but yourself. Not trying to be an ass even though i am sounding like one.

F23A4

Interesting. The NJ Turnpike has a 4p-7p HOV effective time. 3pm may be sort of pushing it but then again, I do not know the LIE that well.

As a general rule in the NYC area, anytime between 6am and 7pm can be considered rush hour these days.

Costco

I agree with the post above.... ignorance of the law = no excuse. And as for the LA HOV lanes, traffic is so bad, even the HOV lanes are stop-and-go at peak hours.

Honestly I think HOV are useless these days... no, not only useless but an obstruction of traffic. You'd have to be a fool to not carpool if it were viable option with gas prices being as high as they are. Also causes issues when theres heavy traffic, its difficult to get over to exit. They just cause more traffic whenever the HOV hours are in effect. The HOV lane only benefits 1 out of 15 vehicles on the highway so why bother? Also promotes 2 things I'm against.... hybrids and theft. People find the HOV sticker as another small benefit, yet its still there... and the benefit is great enough to make people steal them.

mrproul

if the hov ticket is a moving violation i am sure it is only going to be one point on your record. like i said before you should "plea bargan" with the judge and ask that the violation be reduced to an infraction so there is no point on your record.

Zippee

What's your explaination?

JediMindTricks

rush hour at 3pm is the norm here in houston.

Deity711

I never see a lull in traffic here. I think the lunch rush hour runs into the afternoon rush hour.

I think there might be a window between 10 or 11 am where you can get by without traffic, lol.

JediMindTricks

^don't forget from 7:12pm-6am

brizey

Get a lawyer and try to get probation, etc. to keep the points off. Will cost more, but worth it in the long run.

I have more tickets than I can remember (really--probably somewhere around 25) and a spotless driving record.

HOV is 24-7 here.

jupitersolo

395 starts at 330pm southbound and 66 west is 4pm inside the beltway and 3pm outside the beltway.

oonowindoo

https://acurazine.com/forums/car-talk-5/damn-i-got-ticket-21655-5b-379962/


Welcome to the HOV club

nbennettksu

iTrader: (2)

buddy, its rush hour here in Atlanta from 3:00pm-7:30pm Monday-Thursday, and Friday that crap starts... no joke at 2:00pm. Going from work-to-school is a PITA

aackshun

Unless you're on I-10W Rush Hour = 24/7, I remember coming home from dallas it was 3am on a sunday and there was a traffic jam from 45S going to 10W, I didn't get home (sugar land) till 6am, theres plenty more instances where there should be NO-ONE on the roads yet I'm stuck in traffic on I-10.... Does Houston even have those hourly HOV rules? Because I live off of 59 and 59 just has that one lane thing that changes hourly M-F.... but what about outside the beltway those "extra" lanes? are those just dedicated 24hr HOV lanes too?

subinf

Been 3pm for a while in the bay area

JediMindTricks

dunno about the HOV rules since i don't use it.

but I-10 ftl...