I got popped in the "Diamond-Lane" today driving the ep...

[ep pilot]

Yup thats right, I don't usually do it, but I was running behind this morning. Jumped onto the main drag, bumper to bumper for about three miles. Came up on the freeway on-ramp (three-lanes) with a car pool lane, looked at the traffic coming up from behind, looked forward, no-cops present. I dipped onto the diamond lane vigorously, by the time I approached the acceleration lane, I noticed two California Highway Patrol officers on bikes, ala C.H.I.P.S. style tandem.

I kept looking whilst slowing with my e-brake (not to set off taillights) and wouldn't you know the #2 officer glances over from the #1 lane (approx)5 lanes over.

This guy darts over cutting people off all pissed .gets next to my car and is yelling "GET OVER NOOOOW!" You would have though I just got caught street racing I swear. I was text book, had everything ready License, Reg, Ins,..had both hands in the air where he could vividly see them.... He comes running up next to my door.

"What are you doing?? I need to see L/R/I now.... I tell him hey look "I am sorry" I am seriously running late.......

anyway, I'm just trying to get a feeler, anyone know how much an illegal riding in the "car-pool" lane citation is in California I know its going be a lot..probably between $270-$800. but the real issue is this.. If it makes my insurance go up.. I'm dead and will not be able to keep my Ep3 anymore, I already pay $205 per month, full covered 21st Century. If it goes up $5- more I will not be able to afford the car anymore. I

[civicSIracer]

damn that sucks man.. i hate CHP officers.

[JLannoo]

Wow sounds like they take that carpool lane thing pretty damn seriously. You say it could be up to $800?! WOW :eek:

I have never driven on a freeway that has had one of those. Is it primarily something that Cali has?

[yakov456]

Dude there's a million other people who are late too, nothing personal but its shit like this that sends me into road rage. Your late, oh well. Suck it up or leave earlier.

[02NJHondaep3]

We used to have HOV lanes in NJ. They caused more traffic then helping so we got rid of them.

[ep pilot]

Originally posted by yakov456
Dude there's a million other people who are late too, nothing personal but its shit like this that sends me into road rage. Your late, oh well. Suck it up or leave earlier.


Ok I understand you may want to jump in and use this as an (F-you) to me....or for whatever other reason. I do usually leave earlier, quite a bit actually, I was dealing with some personal crap last night, only got like two hours of rest, got up and noticed I was going to be like 20min late if I didn't leave... I left and the traffic was unusually jammed on the main drag, I though I could make up some time by cutting through onto the car-pool lane.

My feelings about the diamond lane are. For crying out loud, lets think about why California decided to use (HOV) lanes to begin with. The idea was not to more or less soley reduce congestion, but to lower the levels of pollutants dumped into the air everyday. Very basically the fewer people are on the road, driving individual vehicles the less smog.

I feel if Electric vehicles and Motorcycles can roll in the lanes, what the hell is wrong with an Economy Car???:yellm: When I do see people rolling in the diamond lane it's an Expedition with a Mother and a baby seat, or a large 15 pass commuter van or other SUV or large Truck. Statistically it would take my Ep3 about 1 week to produce as much pollution as one average 7 seat SUV or about 1.5 of a week to pollute as much as one of those commuter vans in one day of usage.

I would go so far to say that I am sure, don't ride one but our Ep3 has got to be as or nearly as environmentally friendly as a 2cyl Harley Davidson Road King, 6cyl Honda Gold Wing, or 4cyl GSXR1xxx...
So why get pissed because I used the car pool lane.......

In my defense, I find clowns like you that start "Road Rage" over something as non-endangering or threatening as riding in the car-pool lane for comparison, idiots and a danger to society. If you can justify for me how someone illegally riding in a "car-pool" lane might be a threat to other motorist, I might side with you. If you can't I feel sorry that you must resort to "road-rage"

-Ryan

[ep pilot]

I think I should run down to Honda and get a bunch of Honda "EV" oem emblems then convince the judge that I had forgotten my car was an EV, hence our car kinda looks like the Honda "EV"

-Ryan http://www.carreview.com/Channels/CarReview/images/products/product_259.jpg

[yakov456]

Hey man, who the hell are you throwing names at. Never called you anything. Lets just say I think you deserve a ticket and leave it at that. Clown huh, clown with no ticket to pay off.

[ep pilot]

Originally posted by yakov456
Hey man, who the hell are you throwing names at. Never called you anything. Lets just say I think you deserve a ticket and leave it at that. Clown huh, clown with no ticket to pay off.


Never said I didn't deserve it, just think it's ridiculous how much the CHP enforces car-pool lane infractions. To me it's a moot point, to make such a big deal about it. It would be like, ok we are going to start fining people $800 for no front plate.... , or why it would be a big deal if you park in a Handicap spot for 5 min because you need to run in to a store..... Hell I've even parked in the handicap spot more than once in my apartment complex, because my assigned spot is about 1.5 blocks away while my neighbor has a spot right under her door step ( I probably) would deserve a ticket for that too huh!

I'm pissed off because of my poor decision this morning to ride in the lane, also I'm starting to get more pissed about living in California. First my Car-pool ticket, then my Registration is suppose to tripple next year, due to a new law, and who knows if the citation is considered a moving violation or not, then I will just watch my rate sky rocket.....


-Ryan

[glw]

Originally posted by ep pilot
...and who knows if the citation is considered a moving violation or not, then I will just watch my rate sky rocket...
yep! just like driving the wrong way down a one-way street. you may be able to take traffic school to keep the points from hitting your record... good luck!

[yakov456]

I hear ya dude, not that big of a violation to constitute a fine so large. Agreed.

[Zero Three Si]

Originally posted by yakov456
Dude there's a million other people who are late too, nothing personal but its shit like this that sends me into road rage. Your late, oh well. Suck it up or leave earlier.

If you're going to get road rage over that....you need to get laid, go workout or do something to reduce your stress level.

He's just another one of our EP brothers that got caught. We all do "illegal" things and some of us are just lucky enough to not get caught.

The cop was just doing his job. Hopefully you can keep your EP. I would not want the Egg to go to a bad owner.

[bobdobbs]

WTF? I understand it's a bitch and all, but there are signs like every 300 feet that say "Carpool violation $271 minimum fine". I feel for you, Ryan, but it's not like you didn't know. Suck it up. You did the crime, now pay the fine. It isn't "ridiculous" that CHP enforces it; that's their job. How are *they* wrong?

[nozomi]

Originally posted by ep pilot
http://www.carreview.com/Channels/CarReview/images/products/product_259.jpg

This baby costs $3million each:eek:

[ATRIOT]

The best way to "fight" a ticket up here (Toronto) is to schedule a court date, then a few weeks before your due to go in postpone it to a later date. Usually the police officer never shows up to the 2nd date, due to not caring cause it was so long ago or because his notes are in a very old notebook at this point in time (filed away in storage). Dont know if this method will work for Cali, but good luck anyways.

[Suk02Si]

You can still take traffic school. It'll be 16 hrs instead of 8 or 12 hrs. Ive gotten plenty of tickets, three within a couple weeks. If you go to court and request traffic school they'll give you 16hr school. It'll go on your record as being taken care of. Insurance sees that you got a ticket but can't do anything about it because you went to school.

[IownAmaxima]

you're forgetting the other significance of the HOV lane, to reward people who carpool. The cops get pissed because if single-passenger cars use it and get away with it then everyone will start using it as another lane and then anarchy ensues.

you knew you were wrong, go to court and hope the cop doesn't show... try going to school again...

or, you say you have "full covered 21st Century", can you raise your dedictibles or lower your coverage on some parts until you can afford it?

and to everyone who hates on CHiPs for giving tickets, stop breaking the law and they'll never notice you, unless you drive a flaming pickup full of haybails over a 1986 Delta '88 and cause a 17 car pileup like the one Ponch and John had to clean up yesterday morning!! :D :D

[JapanExpress]

unless you drive a flaming pickup full of haybails over a 1986 Delta '88 and cause a 17 car pileup like the one Ponch and John had to clean up yesterday morning!!

LOL, this whole thread was a joke, but that had me rolling!! :)

[STP03BlueSI]

ouch

[Zero Three Si]

Originally posted by bobdobbs
WTF? I understand it's a bitch and all, but there are signs like every 300 feet that say "Carpool violation $271 minimum fine". I feel for you, Ryan, but it's not like you didn't know. Suck it up. You did the crime, now pay the fine. It isn't "ridiculous" that CHP enforces it; that's their job. How are *they* wrong?


I don't remember him saying the CHP's were "wrong" or that he was "innocent".

We've all gotten tickets and yes some CHP's are NAZI's and want to read you the riot act.

The poor guy was just looking for a little sympathy. The guy know's he's in the wrong.

The thing I'm most pissed at him about is that is at least $271 dollars he could have used for mods!

:D

[IownAmaxima]

Originally posted by Zero Three Si

The thing I'm most pissed at him about is that is at least $271 dollars he could have used for mods! then he shouldn't have done it...

actually, let me ask another question... PILOT, how long is your commute if you leave in time to make it on time?? If your commute is less than an hour you can't make up 20 minutes no matter how fast you drive.

[furious]

Originally posted by IownAmaxima
then he shouldn't have done it...

actually, let me ask another question... PILOT, how long is your commute if you leave in time to make it on time?? If your commute is less than an hour you can't make up 20 minutes no matter how fast you drive.

that is so funny,

I had just that problem a couple days ago.
Have a 45 minute commute. Was 20 minutes late.

If I drove 70mph to cover that 45 minute trip,
then to make up the 20 minutes, I would have
to travel at 125.98mph to get to work on time!!!:eek: ....then.... I just drove 75mph cause I'll such a maniac:D

[blueiedgod]

Are hybrids allowed in HOV in Cali? I think they are allowed in HOV in NY. This is where the confusion whether our egg is a hybrid would have been good. Next time I go to Long Island, I may pick up OEM "Civic-Hybrid" badge and slap it on instead of "Civic-Si", lol

I don't think a vehicle with a baby seat would qualify for HOV lane. The law in NY clearly states one or more adult passengers. This is where blow up dolls are usefull, lol

Anyway, the point is: "you did the crime, you do the time"

[ep_nezay]

Yes, it will, thats a moving violation and it counts as a point.
Now, its up to the Judge if he can allow you to have a longer term traffic school and get it cleared.

My question is, you said you are usually early and on time, you couldnt call and tell them you were going in 20mins late?

[ffslide]

Originally posted by ep_nezay
you couldnt call and tell them you were going in 20mins late?


i agree that is a major moving violation and you will get a point added to your insurance. and as far as going to the judege and asking for traffic school you can do that but, it is at the discretion of the traffic court judge and those are the worst judges to plead your case to.. and only six months later after getting another one. judge will not let you take traffic school even the extended classes...

unfortunately there is no way out of this one... i would have kissed ass with my boss and said im going to be late this morning. let us know what happens either way..

[02hatchgrl]

Dude that seriously sux. I just moved from Ontario part of Cali a month ago, so I am feeling you on how much it sux out there. I wanted to get out cause I couldn't afford it and all the stupid stuff you can't do to YOUR own car pissed me off. Well good luck.

[IceD out N CALI]

good luck. best thing to do is to go to court and maybe u'll luck out and the officer won't be there which would be auto dismissal

[nando707]

hey dont trip its not a moving violation how do i know this? because i had one 2 months ago. i also live in cail but it might be different in other states. my insurance didn't go up one cent. hopes this makes u feel better but it did cost me 300 bucks ill never do it again.

[ep pilot]

Originally posted by nando707
hey dont trip its not a moving violation how do i know this? because i had one 2 months ago. i also live in cail but it might be different in other states. my insurance didn't go up one cent. hopes this makes u feel better but it did cost me 300 bucks ill never do it again.


Thank you sooo much!!! BTW though.... I'm not sure about your INS company, but 21st indexes DMV every 6 mos. You might want to wait 6 mos to see if they raise your INS.

-Ryan

[glw]

Originally posted by ep pilot
Thank you sooo much!!! BTW though.... I'm not sure about your INS company, but 21st indexes DMV every 6 mos. You might want to wait 6 mos to see if they raise your INS.

-Ryan sorry about the ticket but i'm quite sure it is a moving violation and at least a point. good luck and traffic school is a good way to make it go away.

[Halfloaf]

yup make up those 20mins

I have 10 min commute and drive at up to 120mph just to have a nice cup of tea before I start:D