I’ve been searching for an answer to argue this with a co-worker that takes the HOV lane on the lower deck of 93 (into Boston from the North), and is a single in his vehicle. I keep telling him he’s going to get a ticket someday.
So here’s the questions,
How often do the set up “traps” for folks like him.
What’s the fine if you’re busted.
Is it a moving violation.
These questions asked, let me say, it’s REALLY not me, I’m too cheap to risk the ticket (even though I HATE waiting to get past the Storrow drive offramp, which causes the problem).
Q: What happens when ineligible vehicles use the Southeast HOV Lane?
A: State Police officers monitoring the lane re-direct violators back into the general purpose lanes. Violators are subject to a citation and a $50 fine.
Doesn’t answer your “how often” and “moving violation” questions, sorry.
That site is in regards to the HOV lane on the southeast expressway, from Quincy up to Boston. Or, as I like to call it, the zipper lane. The OP was about the HOV lane on the double-deck viaduct coming in from Somerville up to the Zakim bridge. I don’t know about any traps there, but it is marked as an HOV lane, so I’d imagine that MSP might not look kindly upon a single driver in the lane. If they do get you, the penalty would be the same as driving in the zipper lane.
The only times I’m driving through there is on my way back from New Hampshire, and since the only time I go up there is with a group, I’ve always had 4 people in the car, and its usually on a Sunday, so I’ve never thought much about it.
I don’t work in the city so I have no reference as to how often it happens, but I’ve seen cops checking the southbound HOV lane from north of Boston. Since traffic is jammed in every case, they just sit there and look at the cars. There’s no where for the driver to go.