# Carpool lanes are not the autobahn **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 7, 2006, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332 "2006-02-07T02:34:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/81 "2006-02-10T04:32:43Z")
Your well being is in passing traffic’s hands. Speed up or get the fuck out of the way. Hopefully you’ll just get out of the way. Someone so self-involved wouldn’t do so well driving faster. Sam ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/82 "2006-02-10T04:37:06Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > Your well being is in passing traffic’s hands. Speed up or get the fuck out of the way. > > Hopefully you’ll just get out of the way. Someone so self-involved wouldn’t do so well driving faster. > > Sam Did you notice he seems to take joy and satisfaction from being a driving obstruction? ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/83 "2006-02-10T04:40:12Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > Your well being is in your own hands. Slow down and enjoy a long life. That it is. MY hands. Not yours. When I see someone like you, I generally reassure myself that karma will catch up with that person in the form of a very nice CHP officer pulling said person over and advising that they are endangering other motorists, and to next time pull over and not impede the flow of traffic. Sometimes I help karma out and call the CHP. But only because I have that person’s best interest at heart, and I obviously know way better than they do about driver safety. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/84 "2006-02-10T04:51:04Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > That it is. MY hands. Suits me. Last time I touched your well being, my hands smelled like tuna for a month. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/85 "2006-02-10T04:54:00Z")
Then you obviously weren’t doing it right. Which also explains why I can’t remember it. ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/86 "2006-02-10T06:41:04Z")
> [@What Exit?](#): > > Did you notice he seems to take joy and satisfaction from being a driving obstruction? That’s what happens when mommy doesn’t pay enough attention to you growing up and you become so ignorable a human being as to be forgettable. Sam ---
**Author:** ![scotandrsn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@scotandrsn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scotandrsn)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/87 "2006-02-10T13:31:35Z")
> [@Maureen](#): > > Nope, says [the law](http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/hdbk/pgs19thru22.htm) > Thanks for being concerned for my well being. Now get the fuck out of the way. It would have been nice if he noticed when I put the same quote in post #16. I guess he finds your well-being more attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/88 "2006-02-10T13:34:34Z")
What is a carpool lane? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/89 "2006-02-10T13:51:24Z")
Anecdote: I was driving down the Beeline today, going around 72 MPH in the slow lane in a 70MPH zone, seeing as there was a cop right in front of me. People were going 75+ in the left lane, till they saw the cop. Most moved over. One tailgated another till he did pull over, then proceeded to speed up. Cop flashed his lights and pulled the tailgater over. PWNED! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/90 "2006-02-10T13:55:57Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > One tailgated another till he did pull over, then proceeded to speed up. Cop flashed his lights and pulled the tailgater over. I rest my case. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/91 "2006-02-10T14:16:20Z")
> [@Mellivora capensis](#): > > What is a carpool lane? In some locations in the US, the highways have special lanes that are restricted to cars with 2+ or sometimes even 3+ people in them. This gives them a lane that backs up less and travels quicker in very heavy traffic areas. The idea is to encourage carpooling and save some gas. Side benefits is families on vacation that mistime there approach to a city can partially bypass the worst highway traffic congestion. Jim ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/92 "2006-02-10T14:20:29Z")
> [@Fear Itself](#): > > I rest my case. On what? That someone was tailgating in front of a cop and got pulled over? That’s some case you have there! I am awestruck. Sam ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/93 "2006-02-10T14:28:22Z")
> [@GaWd](#): > > On what? That the ignorable, self-involved driver who declined to get out of the way of his betters was not pulled over, but the righteous, law abiding motorist was. Get it? ---
**Author:** ![GaWd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f08c70/32.png) [@GaWd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaWd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332/94 "2006-02-10T16:07:10Z")
Umm…apple, meet orange. If the above anecdote had the tailgated in the fast lane driving 50 mph, and the tailgater approaching him at the speed of 70-75 as the story suggests, you might have a valid point. So no, I don’t get it and you have made no point-yet again. You self-righteous prick. Sam [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/carpool-lanes-are-not-the-autobahn/343332.md?page=4)