[N1 plan off to shaky start] N1 Right hand lane stuff

[LandyMan]

Brainfart of the decade - carpool lane!

My word, has anyone seen the traffic from Pta to Jhb this morning. I am assuming noone has posted anything on this, because they are still stuck in traffic.

My LOS on the highway was from Olifantsfontein road (I travel towards Pta). The cars were backed up from where I can see at Olifantsfontein, up to the road works on the Ben Schoeman (at Snake Value).

I wonder what Trevor Manual is going to say about sitting in traffic for 3-4 hours to get to work ...

 

[neio]

So thats why there are so few people in the office.

 

[LandyMan]

Yep. It is insane. Spoke to a friend earlier (stays close to us). Took him 45 min to drive the 4km to get on the highway ... normally it takes no more than 5 min (and that includes 2 security checkpoints)

 

[supersunbird]

Who needs a HOV lane to screw things up. just a accident here and a broken truck over there and it can take you 6 hours to do 200km...

 

[BCO]

I still believe this car pool lane can work, once people actually start car pools. IMO 1 person per vehicle is a waste of space and it puts unneccessary pressure on the environment. Just organise a lift club with the people you work with and it could make a big difference.

 

[werner]

I still believe this car pool lane can work, once people actually start car pools. IMO 1 person per vehicle is a waste of space and it puts unneccessary pressure on the environment. Just organise a lift club with the people you work with and it could make a big difference.

how many government ministers do you see driving 2 up or even 3 up in a limo?

and they all pretty much go to the same place. some big fat meeting somewhere.

in fact, i think they have a few cars per person, some flags and a motorbike or two to round things off. PER PERSON.

 

[kaspaas]

Just organise a lift club with the people you work with and it could make a big difference.

Are lift clubs legal?

The last I've heard was that it created a lot of insurance hassles should you be involved in a accident.

 

[Jongi]

The concept is potentially a good one. But the execution not so. For instance what would make it work would be a parking parkade at a point where everyone can meet instead of having to travel to at least 2 other people's homes.

Having one person in a car really is a waste (and yes i am one of the wasters).

 

[qdada]

I have no problems with the whole HOV lanes idea, they are trying something to solve the congestion. However, i would be a whole lot more co-operative knowing there is a much bigger plan to sort the traffic problem out.

I would like to see an integrated underground rail system much like the ones we see on Discovery when they show the London, New York etc. I am happy to see the Gautrain has started and maybe that will help to a certain extent.

I would like to see the political will to rollout bandwidth EVERYWHERE, to encourage telecommuting. Many of us do not need to travel to our offices everday but the cost of bandwidth is prohibitive.

I have no idea how much all of this will take but this is what i think should work.

 

[bekdik]

I presume an impact study has been done and published?

 

[Leitmotif]

Tried telecommuting. It's too easy to get sidetracked. I'd guess even more so if you have a family.

The slowness this morning is more due to accidents than HOV lanes, particularly seeing as how most of the people in the HOV were alone in their cars anyway.

Lift arrangements are a good idea. Back before I got my bike I used to arrange alternating lifts with someone else in the company or a friend who worked in the same area as I did. It's not that hard. Then again, we were usually just two, not three. Perhaps they should change the rule for this. Even two in a car is better than one.

 

[Tsimo]

lift clubs work very well when the ppl you work with stay close to you... but what are the chances of the ppl in the same area working in the same company or area of jhb/pty.. the biggest problem is not in the freeway itself. it is in the inlet to the city.. the fact of the matter is that the inlets to the citys cant handle the volume of traffic. thats why companys move to the outlying areas.. and i agree with the rail idea. if there was a station ever 4 square blocks it would be perfect...

 

[schitz011]

Johannesburg - Moves to reserve the N1 highway's right-hand lane between Johannesburg and Pretoria for high-occupancy vehicles were off to an uncertain start on Monday morning, Metro police said.

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2018666,00.html

Anyone noticed any difference? I dont travel on the motorway during these hours anyway..

 

[icyrus]

When they first announced this idea I thought it was possibly the dumbest attempt at a solution to the problem and expected it never to get implemented. Now its here and we all get to suffer through it. What fun!

At least I only get on that highway for a short distance.

 

[Brenden_E]

I went North - and saw traffic backed up completely till just before rigel off-ramp at 8:30

 

[chiskop]

I think some people noticed a difference: Brainfart of the decade - carpool lane!

 

[schitz011]

so, it's as idiotic as it sounded then a few months back?

Has anyone who is in a postion to make these changes considered what will happen when taxi's try to cut across three lanes of traffic at the last second?

 

[kaspaas]

Does the law actually allow them to do this?

Or is this another dictator barking and everyone just saying "Yessss Bosss"

 

[Snormossel]

It is the sh!ttiest idea ever.... I took almost 2 hours this morning to get from Rigel ave to Midrand (norm 20mins). I still saw people driving in the "reserved" lane with only one occupant or taxi's with no one in it.... This is utter BS!!!!!

 

[kaspaas]

Just had a look at the Vodacom webcam on V4me - Buccleuch is a mess (as usual) - but the right hand lane seems to be completely deserted.

So we have this massive expensive highway with a underutililised lane during rush hour.