Getting Stuck in Carpool Lane

Re “Car-Poolers Signal a Liking for Slow Lane,” Feb. 9:

I was appalled at Wayne King’s revelation on why we Orange County drivers choose not to use the carpool lanes.

I am assuming he speaks for the rest of Drivers for Highway Safety when he claims we Orange County drivers are simply “stupid.”

I guess King hasn’t ever been stuck in the carpool lane for several miles behind an early model car while the rest of traffic is zipping by.

As he may or may not know, most of Orange County’s carpool lanes have only one lane. Maybe if we had a passing lane in the carpool such as the 91 Express Lanes there would be more incentive for us to use the diamond lanes to commute.

Instead of thinking of more progressive ways to tackle our traffic epidemic, King and company prefer to dismiss our problems with insults.

There’s a reason why Orange County has some of the most congested highways in the country; it probably has something to do with the lack of leadership skills and foresight needed to plan ahead for problems such as this.

Thanks to King for shedding light on our situation. I can rest easy now knowing that he is assisting transportation authorities with his much needed scientific information.

MARK COHAN

Cypress

* There is a reason why multilane highways are more efficient than the old two-lane roads they replaced.

The alternative lanes give drivers an easy way to avoid staying at the speed of the slowest vehicle. Carpool lanes are (mostly) like the old roads, one lane each way with little opportunity for passing.

When one driver decides to religiously obey the speed limit or go even slower, so does everyone else. I have often seen the regular lanes moving much faster.

Carpool lanes are inherently self-defeating. If they work as intended, they become overloaded and speeds in both types of lanes tend to equalize. Why not just add an extra regular lane and avoid all the complications?

DAVE CLOSE

Costa Mesa