I got pulled over by MN State Patrol on the way into work this morning for driving in the speed pass / HOV lane. The police cars have readers on them, and his reader did not register my pass until we stopped. He immediately apologized and sent me on my way. I always wondered how they knew who was cheating those lanes. It did not occur to me that they had a reader and could check if my speed pass was working.
True, not everyone gets that courtesy. I don't think police should be able to stop drivers during rush hour on busy roads unless there is a clear danger and risk to safety. Minor speeding does not fall under that category. In order to fleece a few extra bucks from speeders, they cause a massive traffic slowdown.
Two edged sword on that one, because if they're speeding through rush hour traffic they could be a risk to safety and could potentially cause an accident themselves. I've found that State is pretty good about figuring out when a traffic stop is worth the usual traffic slowdown. If traffic is already slowed down, then what's the problem with making a traffic stop? Carpool lane violators piss me off, and watching them get busted gives me warm fuzzies. The sad part is that a MNPass is a fraction of what the ticket for the violation is, they'd be paying less a year with the MNPass than for risking the ticket.
Oh, I completely agree with the carpool lane violators. I should have been clear on that one - I'm grousing about pulling people over for minor speeding but not clear safety issues nor slowing the MNPass lane down. I've seen the cost of using the lane jump to $8 (the max) some mornings and I know there aren't that many MNPass drivers. I'd like to see some drivers ticketed for driving too slowly in the MNPass lanes, too. http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_23895233/court-yanks-license-man-who-drove-too-slowly
I don't see as many Troopers or Cops patrolling the hwy's during the early morning hours anymore. In my area you could be doing 80 mph and you're still getting passed by SUV's and smaller cars. From my recent experience I can only assume that they're using more live Camera feeds and also utilizing their Command Center to report reckless and high speeders and the the field team will get involved. Some Jack's are just unfit to be a Professional Law Enforcement Officer.
Somehow my gas pedal had gotten stuck and my car was doing 120 mph down 94 west during 6pm rush hour but w/o Chris Tucker as my passenger. After I managed to recover my pedal I exited and stopped at a gas station to refuel after that fiasco. After I had inserted the gas nossel I turn to my left and lord behold a brown State Trooper had pulled right up behind my car about less then a foot, so I thought he needed some gas too cause I did see him about 10 mile back on the ramp. So I finshed fueling and walked into the store to take a nice long bathroom break after paying for my gas. Took a nice look at the officer with a smile and got into my car and drove away. SIKE - Ok I was recently at the MNDOT Command Center and both the State Patrol Command Center and they share the same office. And boy do they have cameras on screens.
The State Patrol/MNDOT command centers are pretty sweet indeed. And yes, lots of cameras and lots of monitors.
I'm sure I got one that way... When I was young and dumb (key word YOUNG)... I took a drive one early Saturday morning. I was in my LGT and doing twice the posted speed on HWY 10 in CR... By the time I got to 85th & 252 I had BP, BC, BLAINE & CR police coming from all directions... Cop who brought me in was entertained by my story... So he was cool... Told me that it was the cameras that you see streaming video for the morning news that got me... From that day on I never used excessive speeds on any major metro road That's my story...
Apparently if you get pulled over for speeding and have a HOV violation its considered a misdemeanor.
as in two petty misdemeanor offenses compound into a misdemeanor? I have never heard of that... HOV violation is a petty and speed is petty. Just more fine money.
thats what i was saying. when i was younger and dumber i was caught for speeding in the hov lane and recently about a year and a half ago when an employer did a thorough background check that showed up. happened almost 10 years go too...
I suspect Jim C has committed some sort of violation recently (like virtually all of us) and since the officer had him stopped already anyway, he should have just gone ahead and issued a citation...for something...anything. We all deserve one now and then.
hov lane is just the new slang for carpool / motorcycle lane not to sure about mn pass thats beyond me
MnPASS is Minnesota's "brand name" for our metro area HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes. These lanes can be used any time free of charge by vehicles with two or more people in them, transit buses and motorcycles. A MnPASS account is an electronic payment (transponder) process for single passenger vehicles that wish to use these lanes during restricted hours. During "open" periods (displayed on electronic rate signs) any vehicle can use these lanes. It is against the law to cross double white lines.
I see it done EVERY single time that i'm going west on 94 where the Lyndale/Hennepin exit is. Figured MN laws were different than other states that i've lived in...but the sign told me, quite obviously, that they aren't.
This is all correct. The bolded part above is something that very few people take advantage of, nor realize that that lane is an open lane the majority of the time. Most of the HOV are only restricted for a few hours during rush hour, otherwise ANYONE can use the HOV lane. Its like that lane is taboo to everyone unless there is more than one person in the car. But hey, just because people can figure out that it is free to use that lane doesn't bother me...keeps it less crowded for those that are smart enough to figure it out
^I have an inflatable in the glovebox for the HOV. It is amazing that there are soooo many cars with multiple people in them sitting in the "parking lot" lanes going nowhere, when they could be flying down the HOV at posted speeds. *sigh*
In a similar vein, if you get busted at, say, Boom island for parking without paying for a parking pass, the ticket is $40. But if it is your first time, MPRB will waive the ticket if you buy a park patron pass (annual parking pass) for $35.
