Is a carpool 2, 3, or 4 people?

Obviously most of us know what a carpool is, and what a carpool lane is. A car with 2 or more people in it, qualifies in most freeways as a carpool. For a while I thought that as long as I had 2 or more occupants in my car I'd be fine, but I guess not. In the San Francisco Bay Area, in the East Bay on I-80 the carpool lane requires 3 or more people to make up a carpool. The sign is the same as all the other I've seen everywhere but instead there is a 3 instead of a 2. This has got me thinking about the term carpool and how universal it is. I would think that the term would have only one meaning, but apparently it has several, in dealing with the quantity of occupants in the vehicle. Though I haven't seen it yet I wonder if there's a carpool lane that requires 4 to use it. And, if I was riding is the carpool lane on I-80 with only two people, a carpool almost everywhere else, and was cited for using the carpool wouldn't I get off since I still am a carpool?

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1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E
2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500

Not sure this will help explain things...

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

i can explain..

you see.. the car was dirty inside and out so.. i decided to submerge it and rinse it off inside and out

Now they will have a pool ring around the roof.

Yes but now there is the smell of chlorine and the roof is still dirty!!!.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

In VA there are HOV lanes rather than carpool lanes which require something like half the seats plus 1 be occupied. An 8 seater should have 5, a 6 seater should have 4, a 2 seater should have 2... something like that.

A hard limit of 3 is kinda vague for 2 seaters. Is there fine print on the signs that says motorcycles and 2 seaters with 2 occupants permitted?

Sixto
... stay tuned

Carpools down here in LA are 2 passengers since the majority of drivers are single drivers including myself. I suspect in the bay area there are enough people on 680 or 80 or wherever that caltrans has to induce more riders to carpool to lower the traffic volume signifcantly.

That is a good question about 2 seater cars. What about them?

I guess it's a practical reason to finally by a McLaren F1

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1974 240D 3.0L 4(M) - 250K -OM617.910 + 300D FW + Rajay turbo power!
1977 6.9 3(A) - 84k

At my summer place in Alpine, a carpool is 1. Has to be on at least two wheels though.

Pickups are excluded from the 3 person requirement, but that makes me wonder about quadcab pickups such as the Dodge Mega Cab. Those trucks have much more room in them then even my car.

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1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E
2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500

In Norcal the limits are tested.....Is a "corpse" in a vehicle a Person? What about a blow up rubber woman?

One person on a motorbike qualifies as a carpool.

Golden Gate Transit and AC Transit buses are carpool vehicles!!!

Is the fine still $271 for violating the carpool lane?

Do zero emissions or electric cars ride in the carpool lane for free?

What about a Mercedes SL with 2 passengers and no kinder seat, full to capacity with 2 people, does that qualify as a car pool car?

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Corpse does not count, unbord children do not count, non-humans do not count. I'm sure creativity will further test the current rules

Solo motorcyclists are allowed. Semis with 2 riders are allowed.

The fine is at least $271. Might be assessments above that.

Vehicles displaying ugly exemption tags (granted to EVs, hybrids, etc.) are allowed. You need to deface your car with the tags! Prius badge alone doesn't cut it.

2 seater with 2 aboard counts as 2. The question is does a fully occupied 2 seater count in a 3 person carpool lane.

Another question is why a Prius that gets 50 mpg creeping in traffic is allowed to zoom along the carpool lane at 40 mpg :/

Sixto
... stay tuned