Toll lane cheaters now face greater odds of being caught

QYou asked if any readers had something positive to say about the Interstate 880 toll lanes. Yes, I do.

The conversion of carpool or HOV lanes to toll lanes has the very positive effect of drastically reducing the number of HOV lane cheaters. Previously, it was nearly impossible to catch cheaters due to darkened windows, lack of enforcement, and the ability to easily jump in and out of the HOV lane.

But express lanes require the use of FasTrak transponders, and license plate recognition cameras at frequent intervals record and bill vehicles using the lanes. Also, double white lines prevent (or at least reduce) lane hopping.

Sure, you can jump into a toll lane without FasTrak, but then you get charged as a single driver via license plate recognition. So cheat all you want, but be ready when that bill arrives!

— Mike Harrigan,

San Jose A Toll lane officials across the nation have observed the same thing. Carpool cheating declines for the reasons Mike notes. Remember, all vehicles must have a FasTrak toll tag to use the express lanes.

Three-person carpools, buses, vanpools and motorcycles travel toll-free with a toll tag set to the 3+ position, while two-person carpools with a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to the 2+ position pay half-price tolls, as do solo drivers of eligible cleanair vehicles. Q Could you explain the reasoning behind the double white lines separating the new express lanes on I-880? Here in Union City, the lane is blocked off for several miles in both directions. You have to drive a long way in heavy traffic before you can move into the express lane. It’s annoying.

— Ed Suranyi, Union City

A

It’s to keep traffic in the express lanes flowing at 45 mph. Without the double white lanes, there would be frequent merging, slowing folks down.

Q

I had the joy of exiting I-280 south onto

Foothill Boulevard. The “joy” was the bridge over the railroad tracks (the ol’ railroad that serves the cement plant). The transition from the exit ramp to the bridge is a huge bump. My poor RAV4 yelled at me. Who’s responsible for that exit ramp crossing of the railroad track? I have to imagine that many readers have written about that bump.

—EricWolff

A

Only a few zillion. Repairs are coming.

Q

I read about some cows getting loose on Highway 1 in Aptos. The CHP had to close the highway to round them up. Would you label them as Road Boulders?

— Frank Diaz,

Santa Cruz

A

Indeed, they were road boulders. After all, they produce methane.