Carpool Lane Shenanagins

I commute 15 miles each way to work - but on any given day it can take me 45 minutes to get home because of the bridge slow-down (see the post below). I just don't have the patience to sit staring at all the cars and knowing that there's no reason for the slowdown.

So, I paid $200 and got my windows tinted. And now I drive in the carpool lane.

By myself.

First, I don't know why there is a carpool lane going northbound and not one southbound. Doesn't make any sense to me at all.

Second, I figure if time is money. One day I'm going to get caught, and it will have been worth all the many times I saved time. I know the rules. I'm choosing to break them - so I'll pay the consequence - IF I get caught.

And on Wednesday I thought that day had come.

I'm driving home, on the phone to my lovely husband. The car in front of me in the carpool lane has just one person in it. So, I hang back a little bit with a nice space between us thinking that if a cop DOES happen to be nearby - they'll take that guy first.

Normally I switch over at this one section of the drive because it opens up from NO shoulder (aka, no motor-cop can fit) to lots of space for a cop to stand and watch for you.

This day, I didn't.

All of a sudden. Brake lights. I see the car in front of me quickly change lanes out of the carpool lane. I consider moving over as well because I look up and see the reason for the change. A trooper. My heart starts beating and I quickly tell my husband goodby. (Don't want to be on the phone AND in the carpool lane. I haven't yet figured out how to hook up my bluetooth headset. Anyway...)

The cop step in front of me. Think of the classic traffic cop pose. Hand outstretched stopping traffic. I smile. He then waves over the car that had been in front of me out of the standard lane, over to the shoulder, then waves me past.

So, a thank you to Heidi who told me that if I ever see a cop and I'm in the carpool lane then I should just stay where I am and not move - because that is what they look for. You were right. I owe you lunch. Anytime you want to come and collect, it's yours!

The moral of the story: $200 for window tinting is a good investment and if you're going to do something wrong - COMMIT and do it all the way!