Over Memorial Day weekend, I embarked on a long drive to visit my family. During the bumper-to-bumper traffic, I found myself dealing with impatient drivers who sped up and halted abruptly, creating potential road hazards. To prevent a crash, I was forced to move into the underused carpool lane and received a ticket 10 seconds later. The fine? A staggering $490.

This penalty is not only unreasonable but disproportionate to the "offense". To put the cost into perspective, the fine I was saddled with amounts to a quarter of my rent. In contrast, the average speeding ticket in California costs less, but potentially endangers more lives. Ticketing for carpool lane violation seems to prioritize financial gain over public safety; an unmistakable disparity that indicates systemic mistreatment of California road users.

In light of this, I am making a call to all Californians affected by similar situations to rally together and demand a change. Our taxes fund maintenance for the state's highways, yet certain lanes are rendered inaccessible to most drivers, even at peak times when they sit empty. Not only does this discriminate against single drivers, but it creates additional traffic in other lanes, exacerbating the overall congestion issue.

We request that California authorities consider the undue burden their current policies impose on single drivers and reconsider the current carpool lane enforcement system. Sign this petition today to end unjust carpool lane fines and bring about a fairer commuting experience for all Californians.