What do you call the left lane with a diamond?

[hc5duke]

I'm used to calling it H-O-V lane from driving in NC. The other day I mentioned the term to a coworker (here in California), and got a blank look. Apparently they call it a "carpool lane" here. I guess it's like the soda vs. pop question*, but I was wondering what everyone calls the left lane on a highway when it has a diamond, indicating vehicles must have at least 2 (or 3 sometimes) persons in it to use that lane. I got the options from wikipedia

* btw, the answer to this particular question is, anyone who calls it "pop" is evil.:)

[YmoBeThere]

I drove in California before I drove in North Carolina...I call it the carpool lane.

[BluDevilGal]

I don't know that I've ever had an occassion to call it anything or to ponder what I might call it ... but now that I just moved to the DC area, the letters HOV seem to be emblazoned in my mind. :-)

[devildeac]

I'm used to calling it H-O-V lane from driving in NC. The other day I mentioned the term to a coworker (here in California), and got a blank look. Apparently they call it a "carpool lane" here. I guess it's like the soda vs. pop question*, but I was wondering what everyone calls the left lane on a highway when it has a diamond, indicating vehicles must have at least 2 (or 3 sometimes) persons in it to use that lane. I got the options from wikipedia

* btw, the answer to this particular question is, anyone who calls it "pop" is evil.:)

*btw, not really. My brother lived in Iowa for several years and he was always asked if he wanted his "pop in a sack" (soda in a bag). Of course, he replied, "no thanks, I don't want my dad in a bag." Lots of possibilities with that one:o;):D. All in good fun.

Oh, and back to the original question. HOV lanes for me from my DC driving experiences.

[CathyCA]

Everyone out here calls it the carpool lane except for me. I refer to it as "The Mommy Lane." As long as I've got a kid in the car, I can merge over into the carpool lane and zip right past all those poor souls sitting in the two right lanes.

[BCGroup]

HOV lane is what I've always heard it here in Charlotte.

[Indoor66]

*btw, not really. My brother lived in Iowa for several years and he was always asked if he wanted his "pop in a sack" (soda in a bag). Of course, he replied, "no thanks, I don't want my dad in a bag." Lots of possibilities with that one:o;):D. All in good fun.

Oh, and back to the original question. HOV lanes for me from my DC driving experiences.

Ever heard a "sack" or "bag" called a toot? That is a PA Dutch term.

[2535Miles]

I'm used to calling it H-O-V lane from driving in NC. The other day I mentioned the term to a coworker (here in California), and got a blank look. Apparently they call it a "carpool lane" here. I guess it's like the soda vs. pop question*, but I was wondering what everyone calls the left lane on a highway when it has a diamond, indicating vehicles must have at least 2 (or 3 sometimes) persons in it to use that lane. I got the options from wikipedia

* btw, the answer to this particular question is, anyone who calls it "pop" is evil.:)
I've had the same experience. I spent my early years in Alexandria, VA and D.C. It's always been the HOV to me. And yes, pop is evil.

[DevilAlumna]

I call it the HOV lane, b/c of my time in DC. I remember the very first time I was on a separated HOV, I-395 headed south. I was so confused when, 3 hours later, we took the same set of lanes back north!

Out here, they're also HOV lanes, though on a few roads, they're moving to HO-T, or High Occupancy/Toll. The toll part is for individuals willing to pay more to drive in the less-crowded lanes. The toll is variable depending on time of day and vehicle load on the road at that time. If you have a carpool (or extra family members! :)) you don't have to pay.

[Ignatius07]

Out here, they're also HOV lanes, though on a few roads, they're moving to HO-T, or High Occupancy/Toll. The toll part is for individuals willing to pay more to drive in the less-crowded lanes. The toll is variable depending on time of day and vehicle load on the road at that time. If you have a carpool (or extra family members! :)) you don't have to pay.

The DC area (which seems to be dominating this discussion) will actually have HOT lanes in the next 5-10 years or so, as Virginia is building them on major highways in the region.

[devildeac]

Ever heard a "sack" or "bag" called a toot? That is a PA Dutch term.

Never heard that before. We refer to a toot as a sound from a car horn, trumpet or expulsion of methane from your, err, lower GI tract:o.

The PA Dutch also say "throw papa down the stairs his hat" when dad is ready to leave the house and needs a covering for his head;).

[Indoor66]

Never heard that before. We refer to a toot as a sound from a car horn, trumpet or expulsion of methane from your, err, lower GI tract:o.

The PA Dutch also say "throw papa down the stairs his hat" when dad is ready to leave the house and needs a covering for his head;).

It is pronounced more like "tut" with the "u" sounded like "uh".

[devildeac]

It is pronounced more like "tut" with the "u" sounded like "uh".

Now I am CERTAIN I have never heard of that:o.

[Ben63]

Ever heard a "sack" or "bag" called a toot? That is a PA Dutch term.

That term does not exist. I live in the heart of PA Dutch country, Lancaster County. No I'm not Amish. I have never that term but we do have other grammatical gaffes such as

"The coffees all" meaning "there is no more coffee"
"Grass needs cut" meaning "the grass needs to be cut"
"Outen the lights" meaning well you can probably figure it out
"You-ins" meaning the equivalent of "ya'll"

Basically the verb "to be" is unnecessary and can be removed from any sentence and it will make sense to people around here.

[devildeac]

That term does not exist. I live in the heart of PA Dutch country, Lancaster County. No I'm not Amish. I have never that term but we do have other grammatical gaffes such as

"The coffees all" meaning "there is no more coffee"
"Grass needs cut" meaning "the grass needs to be cut"
"Outen the lights" meaning well you can probably figure it out
"You-ins" meaning the equivalent of "ya'll"

Basically the verb "to be" is unnecessary and can be removed from any sentence and it will make sense to people around here.

We had a booklet many years ago of PA Dutch expressions. I wish I could find it now. Quite funny.

I first heard the "you-ins" (I may have even heard this shortened to "y'ins") from a classmate from Pittsburgh. Along with "gum-bins" (or, more properly, gum bands) for rubber bands.

We are starting to stray FAR from traffic lanes now. I always enjoy a good thread hijack:o:D.

[hc5duke]

That term does not exist. I live in the heart of PA Dutch country, Lancaster County. No I'm not Amish. I have never that term but we do have other grammatical gaffes such as

"The coffees all" meaning "there is no more coffee"
"Grass needs cut" meaning "the grass needs to be cut"
"Outen the lights" meaning well you can probably figure it out
"You-ins" meaning the equivalent of "ya'll"

Basically the verb "to be" is unnecessary and can be removed from any sentence and it will make sense to people around here.

"toot" could just be an older term - http://ezinearticles.com/?Curious-Sayings-and-Humorous-English-Expressions-of-the-Pennsylvania-Dutch&id=93083
Maybe "toot" is related to "tote" bag? Just a guess.

more from wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Dutch_English)

Also, it's y'all (you're dropping the ou in "you all"), not ya'll

[Ben63]

Also, it's y'all (you're dropping the ou in "you all"), not ya'll

Yeah I know, just typed it wrong. I'll change it in the original.

Edit: Nevermind, wont let me

[Indoor66]

"toot" could just be an older term - http://ezinearticles.com/?Curious-Sayings-and-Humorous-English-Expressions-of-the-Pennsylvania-Dutch&id=93083
Maybe "toot" is related to "tote" bag? Just a guess.

Also, it's y'all (you're dropping the ou in "you all"), not ya'll

My grandmother used to say "outen the light." She was from Berks County, PA.

[EarlJam]

What do you call a left lane with a diamond?

An engaged left lane? :D

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Basically the verb "to be" is unnecessary and can be removed from any sentence and it will make sense to people around here.

So Shakespeare's most famous line can be reduced to


or not? That is the question.

[throatybeard]

Ride mass transit and you won't need a name for it.

[Jim3k]

In response to CathyCA, whose experience is the same as mine, when my 16-year old was driving in the diamond lane on I-680 here in California and was involved in an accident (could have been a bad rear-ender, but wasn't), all the participants said in their respective accident reports that they were in the carpool lane. But the officer's report referred to it as the HOV lane.

This accident occurred on a Sunday morning and the lane was unlimited at that hour, so I thought (and still think) that it's only an HOV/carpool lane during the hours it's supposed to be. Still, from a descriptive point of view, most people will understand which lane one is talking about.

(All three drivers in that accident were under 18. Inexperience was the main contributor. None of them should have been in that lane at the time. All were following too closely and all were exceeding the speed limit. A recipe for what happened.)

[BluDevilGal]

Also, it's y'all (you're dropping the ou in "you all"), not ya'll

Funny you should point that out since for whatever reason, I've always preferred to spell it ya'll even though there is no grammatical reason that I know of to do that. Maybe I just like being contrary since it's a word people like to argue about. :-)

[hurleyfor3]

Ride mass transit and you won't need a name for it.

I walk to work. Is that OK with you?

[2535Miles]

Ride mass transit and you won't need a name for it.
Mass transit? I've heard of this. Southern California hasn't.

[Windsor]

Mass transit? I've heard of this. Southern California hasn't.

Neither has the Tampa Bay area.

[hc5duke]

Neither has the Tampa Bay area.

Neither has the SF Bay area... buses don't count. I'm fine with the BART (though it only takes you to a handful of places), but I'm not getting on those un-airconditioned buses and standing next to weirdos in mumus. Plus, it would be nice if the BART made a full circle, but those uppity ppl in Atherton won't let it happen (or so I've been told)