<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#006312"><br></font>In California, most are 24/7. When they're not, they're either closed<br>to all traffic and treated as dead space, or PSV-only outside HOV<br>hours. </div></blockquote><div><br></div>This is not true in northern California on 280, 101, 880, or any of the other major roads.</div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>All traffic is prohibited from making lane changes in areas<br>where the white-orange-orange lines are present, with the general<br>access lanes functionally being the right shoulder for HOV traffic,<br>and the HOV area treated as the left shoulder for general access<br>traffic. Every 1-3 miles where lane changes are permitted, lane<br>changes in and out of the HOV area is permitted for traffic allowed in<br>that lane, no other locations. </div></blockquote><div><br></div>This is also not true in Northern California. You can enter and exit the lanes at any point.</div><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>These restrictions are strictly<br>enforced, as the difference in speed between the HOV lane and general<br>access is frequently in excess of 60 MPH during peak traffic periods<br>in sections where the HOV lane is isolated.<br></div></blockquote></div><br><div>Even enforcement in Northern California is sporadic.</div><div><br></div><div>-David</div><div><br></div></body></html>