How much is an HOV violation ticket in California?
 

My insignificant other just got her first ticket..
2 actually..

- failure to make space for an emergency vehicle
- HOV violation

This was in Palo Alto on 101, California. Anyone has experience how much of a fine she can get? I guess she's lucky to not get a speeding ticket :-)

-Peter


P.S.: really, it was NOT me driving..

What is an HOV violation?

HOV violation = driving alone in the carpool lane

HOV = High Occupancy Vehicle. Something they have in congested areas to encourage people to carpool.

Cops and SOME Hybrid Vehicles are the only one that are allowed with a single driver (in California)

I see. We're just getting those up here in Toronto.

here in NY it's 5 points on your license.

271 dollars is the answer the internet gives me.

well, here in California the sign USED to say "MINIMUM $271 fine",
and I swear I saw signs already saying "MINIMUM $30x fine".

I also *heard* from a friend that it could be $500, and the web says the theoretical limit is $1000.

I think the 5 points are worse, if that turns out to be the case for California also.

Traffic school takes off only 1 point AFAIK - and she got possibly 6 today.

Yeah I'd rather pay the money than take the hit on the points... If the court doesn't get you the insurance company certainly will

I would have thought the one to worry about would be the "failure to make space for an emergency vehicle". What's that going to run you?

I guess I can tell you in 2 weeks. My experience .. Palo Alto = very expensive.
I myself donated my fair share of $$$ to them already :-(

Whatever the case, make sure you always insure your cars on separate policies. Your GF sounds like a financial risk at worst, and a driver with some bad luck at best.

i'm from around LA
i'm pretty sure it's around 500-1000
depends on the freeway too?

The ones around Toronto are relatively harsh - something like several hundred dollars, Canadian (so, like, twenty greenbacks...) and three points. Sort of like speeding 40 above the limit. Not yielding to an emergency vehicle, however, will get you slapped silly, regardless of jurisdiction. The police, fire, and ambulance people should not be messed with!

A friend got HOV ticket in BA and the fine was $380.

By the way, HOV is good for motorcycles:)

i think it varies by county (for some reason). in LA, it's a minimum of $271, but in OC, it can be 301+ At lease, that's what the signs say along the freeway down here.

Was the violation for driving alone in the carpool lane, or for changing lanes into or out of the carpool lane where she shouldn't have been doing so -- or did she do both? AND too busy yapping on her cellphone or whatever to notice that an emergency vehicle needed to get by? What if that was your mom in that ambulance?

Either way, she deserves whatever fine and points they slap on her. Selfish people like that really piss me off. If she's in such a goddamned hurry that she thinks she's above the law and can drive alone in the carpool lane because her precious time is worth more than everyone else's, she has it comin'.

She sounds like a real prize. Dump the twit.

^ :rofl:

There really are many careless and dangerous drivers out there.

The fine amount also depends on traffic conditions.

A lot of times in CA, the busier the traffic is the higher the fine. If you violated the carpool law during Rush Hour, it's gonna be ugly!

271 is the minimum.

Different states go by different point systems. It is not a 5 california point crime. If it's a moving violation (dont remember, but it probably is) it's 1 point, the other ticket if it's a moving violation ( i dont know ) will also be one point. She can get rid of one of those points by traffic school, the other point will go on her record and her insurance will rise.

Good luck.

I got one in Seattle once and it was no points and $100, but this was at least four years ago.

well, yeah, of course it was during rush hour that she did that. 5:30 pm I estimate - peak time. At another time, what would be the point of taking the risk?

-Peter

one could argue that what's the point of taking the risk at anytime... especially when you are incapable of looking around for police presence before :dunno: :yelrotflm

ah, never underestimate the predictability of stupidity...

This is gonna be one HUGE ticket!

It depends in CA. My brother is a CHP officer so let me ask him. Most speeding is a 1 point violation. When it becomes Reckless driving you are talking 3 points.