Centre Street HOV question

[the.enraged]

Southbound right lane on Centre Street is an HOV lane in the morning. I am a SOV. I turn right on 2nd Ave. When can I get over to the right lane?

The city says "one block (or a reasonable distance depending on traffic)":

http://www.calgary.ca/Transportation/Roads/Pages/Traffic/Traffic-management/HOV-lanes/Centre-Street-HOV-lane.aspx

Where would "one block" start? The light at the north end of the bridge? If so it would mean trying to squeeze in to an already congested lane. I would possibly consider "depending on traffic" to be north of 7th Ave, but I've see people getting pulled over at 7th Ave.

Further to this, if I turn right onto Centre Street at 7th Ave (north), do I have to get out and back in? This would often mean passing people because the middle lane moves faster then the right, which doesn't feel right.

Who should I ask to get an official response?

Thanks.

[Xtrema]

If you have to turn right on 2nd, sometime it's better to turn left and 2nd and loop around riverfront ave.

I don't have the right answer for the times I driven Center during rush hour, I have only seen cops catching people on HOV north of the bridge.

[realazy]

You don't want to stay in the HOV lane from 7th Ave N to 2nd Ave S. I've seen cops give HOV tickets on the bridge in the morning right at the bus stop.

[RickDaTuner]

one block is considered 100 meters

[finboy]

It's a grey area, if you do a search I had an issue with the same thing, turned southbound off 7th, no signage until 2-300m down the hill, officer pulling people over at the sign. Instead of HOV ticket which is no demerits, they gave me a "failure to obey" ticket with three points. I talked with the crown, he said it is common because they KNOW they can use both laws, and will give the failure to obey knowing it will get pled to the lesser charge most times. This was a few years ago, bs revenue generating.

Edit:


Originally posted by finboy
okay, update...

after waiting 5 weeks for my ticket to show, i called the traffic department and talked to what i assume was the officer's superior. he mentioned that tickets should be brought down ASAP, and mine should be down there the next week. then he mentioned something that pissed me off a bit...

as mentioned in previous posts, there is a PROPER HOV lane ticket that officers are supposed to give out, but he mentioned that officers would give out a fail to obey traffic sign ticket because they knew the crown would likely reduce the charge back to the proper ticket. according to the officer i spoke to, because there is a sign that indicates that there is an HOV lane, they are open to interpret the law as offenders are ignoring a sign. this trumps the proper fine in the first place, and pretty much guarantees money will still roll in, as HOV bylaw tickets that usually would be fought are now being paid to avoid a ticket that involves points and almost tripling the fine.

back to topic, i called in this last thursday, and was told my ticket was in, so i showed up at 7:30 only to be alerted that the officer STILL hadn't brought my ticket in despite what they told me. i had to wait around for 3 hours for my ticket to show up, and then the crown, predictably, reduced my ticket to the right ticket.

I could have had it tossed in court as the sign that i "ignored" was only about 150M from where i got pulled over, and i had a city block to get out of the lane (and i was pulled out of the center lane), but i can't afford any more time away from school work so i paid the $60

hurray for "keeping the roads safe"

:rolleyes:

http://forums.beyond.ca/showthread.php?threadid=275957

[the.enraged]

Thanks for all the replies.

Between 7-8 am is when the traffic starts to back up. Usually at that bus stop. So it makes sense to me to get back in the right lane before it's backed up. But, it seems silly to get out of a lane and back in it within 200m.

Turning left on 2nd is a good idea. I'll keep that in mind.

[ExtraSlow]

I'm not any kind of legal expert, but my brother got a ticket as he turned southbound from that starbucks at the top of the hill. He was less than one block or 100m from where he entered the roadway. Cop didn't care. Now, he probably could have fought that ticket successfully, but he doesn't have that kind of time.

As for me, I use the HOV land pretty much every morning going southbound, and haven't ever seen a cop pulling people over for it. I do NOT use the HOV lane going northbound until north of 7th ave, because I HAVE seen people getting pulled over there. I'm usually in the HOV lane north of 7th ave if there aren't too many busses in it. One day I'll get a ticket, and I'll pay it.

[killramos]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow
I'm not any kind of legal expert, but my brother got a ticket as he turned southbound from that starbucks at the top of the hill. He was less than one block or 100m from where he entered the roadway. Cop didn't care. Now, he probably could have fought that ticket successfully, but he doesn't have that kind of time.

As for me, I use the HOV land pretty much every morning going southbound, and haven't ever seen a cop pulling people over for it. I do NOT use the HOV lane going northbound until north of 7th ave, because I HAVE seen people getting pulled over there. I'm usually in the HOV lane north of 7th ave if there aren't too many busses in it. One day I'll get a ticket, and I'll pay it.

I usually only move over north of 20th going northbound ( which to the best of my knowledge is the end of the HOV). I figure taking the same route every day i am going to gt burned one day. All the lanes are equally bad anyways so i save my sanity, turn up the music and just sit in line now.

Fortunately I come in before the HOV starts in the morning so that's a different story. The number of people who drive 40 on Center is bind boggling.

the one that really pisses me off is northbond approaching McKnight when you want to turn east. 0 people, bikes, buses, taxis ever in that lane but I have seen cops sit in the gas station parking lot waiting. Stupid to have to wait in that traffic until 100m before the intersection.

[ExtraSlow]

Originally posted by killramos
the one that really pisses me off is northbond approaching McKnight when you want to turn east. 0 people, bikes, buses, taxis ever in that lane but I have seen cops sit in the gas station parking lot waiting. Stupid to have to wait in that traffic until 100m before the intersection.
That is a weird one, seems like even the busses don't like it. No idea why.

[killramos]

Originally posted by ExtraSlow

That is a weird one, seems like even the busses don't like it. No idea why.

the worst part is it has been quoted as a resounding success in the cities HOV literature...

[bjstare]

I didn't even realize the outside lanes on centre were HOV lanes in rush hour until right now, and I drive that road every day :rofl:

I usually am not in them though. The NB HOV lane on centre is so fucked from the buses, the bottom of my car scrapes in the middle of the lane:facepalm:

[sabad66]

Originally posted by killramos


the worst part is it has been quoted as a resounding success in the cities HOV literature...
That's because it is (from a transit perspective). I take the 3/301 every day both ways and it's made a huge difference. At least 5-10 mins on the way back and about 2-5 minutes on the way downtown

[killramos]

Originally posted by cjblair
I didn't even realize the outside lanes on centre were HOV lanes in rush hour until right now, and I drive that road every day :rofl:

I usually am not in them though. The NB HOV lane on centre is so fucked from the buses, the bottom of my car scrapes in the middle of the lane:facepalm:

I did the same thing for a month before i actually looked at the sign :rofl: