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June 27, 2002
1-800-IMA-HERO
Ang arrived safe and sound yesterday morning, and I had the pleasure of experiencing Seattle rush hour first-hand. Since there were two of us in the car on the ride home, we got to use the envied Carpool Lane. Only motorcycles and cars with >=2 passengers are elite enough to drive in this lane. It was so sweet. I passed dozens of singly-occupied cars and avoided stop-and-go traffic for miles. I made it home in half the time it took for me to get to the airport (wrong turns notwithstanding). But how does this marvel of modern road infrastructure work? I've seen Diamond Lanes in Mississauga that are ignored by everyone (including myself), so how does Washington state make it work? I'm glad you asked.
Anyone caught abusing this lane is charged $86. How are these people caught? Other drivers can report violators via a hotline: (206) 764-HERO. That's right, by ratting out single-drivers (or trucks with 3 or more axels) normal citizens become heroes in their own right. Stand aside 9/11 firefighters, here comes Johnny Snitch with his cellphone, a true American hero.
Shot of man with one arm on chest, the other clutching a cellphone. He's standing proud in front of a backdrop of the American Flag with a bald eagle soaring overhead. The Star-Spangled Banner plays in background.