Eating for two doesn't mean driving for two

Just saw a story on CNN regarding a pregnant lady who got busted in the carpool lane.

Apparently, (and according to the judge) her unborn child does not count as a passenger.

What are your thoughts on the subject?

On the one hand, a pregnant woman needs to pee and she needs to pee often. I've been stuck in traffic with a pregnant woman and it is not good. Looking at the common wording of abortion-speak - when does life begin? Does it begin when you need a car seat? Kind of difficult to penalize a person for being inside a womb.

On the other hand, carpool laws were designed to get more passengers in cars. Maybe they should be worded as "at least two seats occupied" instead of "two passengers, including the driver."

Seems to me that if this woman pushed the subject, she could prevail on appeal, but that's just not practical when discussing a $400 fine.

I saw a study about a year ago that stated getting rid of carpool lane rules altogether would decrease the average commute time in LA by 25 minutes - which is typically more than carpoolers themselves save by using the lanes. Of course that's just theory. The jackasses on the freeway driving 25mph would probably just move over one lane and form a wall thereby removing any perceived benefit.

 

It's stupid.. it's not even newsworthy.

So does anyone with a bladder disorder. Are we going to make it the "handicapped" lane now?

You're not legally alive until your born. If you aren't legally alive you can't legally be a 2nd passenger.. there's no argument to be made.

Not if I was the judge.

That lady is stupid for trying to fight it and use pregnancy as an excuse, and the news is even stupider for covering the story, and I feel a little stupider for even responding

 

At least it's a more interesting question than any of your moronic conspiracy theory threads, yo-yo.

 

Canadians

 

Where did this take place, 400$? She must be a repeat offender or something In because in Toronto they claim the fine to be 110$ as first offence.

Also just to comment on the issue. I would have to agree she was taking advantage of the situation. If she was about to go into labor it would be a different story, but otherwise it's obvious she was trying to go on the carpool lane with an arguable excuse.

I dont blame her though, if I was a pregnant woman I would try it too. and while getting pulled over I would put on a whole show pretending that the water broke and start yelling to "CALL AN AMBULANCE" while rolling on the ground.

 

It's something like $500-600 fine here in Arizona.

 

The article said $371 - That sounds about right for out here in california.

Practically, I agree - that it is taking advantage of the situation. But OTOH - legally, a fetus (hate that word) counts as a life at the end of the first trimester - at least that's my understanding. When my wife was pregnant, I always wanted to use the 3+ lane on the toll road (it's free), but she wouldn't let me.

 

You have forgotten, Yo-Yo, that you guys have such a big problem with abortion down there. That's what makes the question interesting.

The idea that a woman claims her unborn as a passenger is no dumber than the idea that a President can legislate what she can do with that unborn baby and when she can or can't do it.

 

I think using your unborn child as an excuse to be able to drive in the carpool lane is dumb, just like the parking spots for "expecting mothers"

 

I totally understand the parking spots for expecting mothers. It can't be easy to carry around all that extra weight.

 

You''ll change your tune, Andrea, after a few weeks of not being able to see your toes and having to pee everytime you cough

 

Unless she was going into labour or something then there really is no need for her to be in that lane. The idea is that you'd have someone else in the car with you that would otherwise be in another car taking up space on the roads. It's stupid to think otherwise. THat's why it's called a carPOOL lane for heavens sake!

Was she giving the a baby a lift somewhere?

 

That must be hard for you to live that way.


I think I should get to drive in the carpool lane, because everywhere I go I take a few million swimmers with me.

 

I would imagine she was giving the baby a lift everywhere...

 

Lazy fetus.

 

It was a joke Minstrel, hence the smiley that you conveniently chopped off in your quote before doing a "rolleyes" at me.

 

Well the entire abortion debate is also dumb. We live in what used to a free country we should have the right to chose - end of story.

If you want to make exceptions for pregnant women because they have to pee alot - then you have to make exceptions for all handicapped people who have an inconvenience.

If you want to make exceptions because she has extra weight to carry around - you'd have to make exceptions for the 2/3 of americans who are overweight.

where does the insanity ever end-the carpool lane has 1 purpose-to reduce the amount of cars driving on the road-this woman wasn't doing that so she got busted. Big deal.

 

Big deal! People lie to cops all the time.

"I was speeding because I'm three minutes away from going diarrhea in my pants and I need to get home....FAST!"

The excuses never work but it's always worth a try. Cops are idiots and don't really deserve my (or anyone's) honesty!

 

Where's the evidence it's doing that?

 

The people driving LEGALLY on the carpool lane