I commute on the Los Angeles freeways M-F during the beginning of rush hour. (more like rush-4-hour.)
I have one of the coveted carpool stickers that allows me to drive in the carpool lane with no passengers.

Traffic congestion and speeds vary from day to day.
I wake up early so I can get on the road by 5:30 to 6:00 AM.
If I leave by 5:30 I can crawl along near 50 miles per hour in the rightmost of 4 to 6 lanes all the way most days.
If I leave much later or there is an accident or the stars line up a certain way traffic gets slow enough to consider hopping over to the carpool lane.

When I decide to use the carpool lane, about 15% of the time, I don't just slip in regardless of its speed.
If it is flying by at over 55 I don't get in because I don't want to go that fast.
I try to be considerate.
I wait till there is a large opening where SOMEONE ELSE is holding up traffic and I'll slip in front of that guy.
About half the time I can get all the way to work without anyone on my tail and without exceeding 55 miles per hour, usually my carpool maximum.

This is the most wonderful experience, flying by all those pissed off Lexus, Mercedes and BMW SUVs stopped in the "fast" lane 5 feet away.
It is up there with scuba diving, playing a fine piano and orgasms.
I laugh out loud in glee.
Sorry, I can't help it; we in Los Angeles are at the mercy of traffic regardless of race, age, gender, income, or IQ.

If that saint behind me exits the carpool lane and I get tailgaters I have to make a quick and unpleasant decision.
I'll usually exit the carpool lane and creep back into the right lane to save my MPG.
I don't like to hold up traffic, and MPG rules.


How do you guys use the carpool/HOV lane?

Need fewer troops to support.
Drive a hybrid.
Best tank 71.65 MPG.

Before this car I spent two years learning hypermiling on my 2004 HCH1.

That's awesome. How often are lucky enough to have someone be your scapegoat? I'm not from one of the areas that have these magical carpool lanes...

Kenny- I can relate. While I drive somewhat faster in the slow lane than you (60 miles per hour), I have a similar commute during certain days of the week. Leave 5:30-6AM from Ventura County heading south on the 101, south on the 405 through the Sepulveda Pass; stay in the right lane until about 6:30-7:00AM when I reach the 405/605 interchange. If traffic is backed up, I drop into the carpool lane, which is usually running at a 60-65MPH clip. I may hit speeds between 65-70MPH, but the mileage hit is somewhat mitigated by the fact that I'm unintentionally drafting some pickup or SUV. I enter Irvine for work at around 7:00-7:30AM.

Traffic is indeed the ultimate equalizer in L.A. A driver in a $60,000, 500 horsepower Mercedes CLK sits in traffic just as long as the driver in the $12,000 Toyota Yaris. The carpool lane stickers are quite the God-send, at least until 2011. =)

You guys are just too funny. ( Especially Kenny )

I don't have carpool lanes in my area, but luckily, I usually don't need one.
I don't commute for like 90 minutes to 2 hours either! ( Thank God )

But... on those days/nights I do need to do long highway driving, I also always find the slowest vehicle possible... usually a slow semi truck, and follow him if the roads are clean/dry. If the roads are wet/snowy/dirty then I slip in front of such a semi. Works like a charm. The Semis always slow down on the uphill parts and speed up on the downhill parts, just like I want to do.

And if I'm following 2 seconds behind, I still get some draft benefit, but I don't get blamed for being the slow-poke and holding up traffic, so drivers don't get mad at me... there's a semi 2 or 3 car lengths in front of me! And if I pull in front, the semi plays "blocker" and I don't get any tailgaters. So yes, I do think this is a pretty common procedure out there, and not just in carpool lanes.
-John