Going nowhere fast

Re “Carpoolers’ free ride may be over,” Dec. 14

How is making carpool lanes into toll roads going to get more single-passenger cars off the road? If lone drivers can buy their way onto the diamond lane, they will. How is charging carpoolers a fee going to encourage carpooling? The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority needs to provide more public transportation and stop letting Sacramento raid those funds every time there’s a budget crisis. There’s always a budget crisis.

Jim Bean

Los Angeles

The MTA recently raised rates on the buses and trains. How was that supposed to ease congestion on the highways? Oh that’s right, by getting more people to ride the buses and trains. And now it proposes using the diamond lanes as toll roads. And how again is that supposed to reduce congestion? “Even the poor really need to get somewhere, and it will be worth seven bucks to them,” said Adrian Moore, vice president of the conservative Reason Foundation, which supports congestion pricing. “And even the rich aren’t always in a rush and will be willing to sit in traffic sometimes.” What? I would bet both of my cars that that prediction will never hold up. The wealthy will view the toll as an increased cost to travel, big deal. And the poor will be able to afford the toll because they don’t need -- what was that again about what they can do without?

Marty Mericka

Los Angeles

If everyone would acknowledge the folly of carpool lanes (as currently implemented), perhaps a reasonable set of alternative usages could be considered. Carpool lanes never have, will not and cannot reduce the number of cars on the road. The major justification for their existence is federal money.

To the list of possible useful alternatives, I add one seldom considered: Convert existing carpool lanes and some adjacent lanes to express lanes with limited in-and-out points.

William Stevens

Santa Ana

We already have a fair amount of mass transit in Los Angeles, but too many people do not seem to be interested in using it. Of course we need a more extensive system, but a great number of Angelenos would rather moan about our lack of mass transit than go to www.metro.net to find out how to make the existing system work for them.

If it takes a little longer than driving, it might be a good idea to bring along a book or to do some work on the bus. If there are problems with connections or service, maybe it would be a good idea to complain to the MTA or get involved by attending one of the service-sector monthly meetings. Service will improve and grow when people start to use the system and demand good service.

Congestion pricing just might be what it takes to pry a few people out of their cars.

Catherine Bator

Los Angeles