Why, in Califonia,is t he fine $341.00 for driving in the Car Pool lane without two people?

I believe it is $371.

California is just “odd” I guess….

It’s an odd number to remind you that you should have an even number of people in the car next time you do that.

it’s actually just $340. the cop just wanted a tip.

I too believe it’s $371.

Okay, fine, it’s $371.00 still an odd number. Anyone know why?

Well, actually $371.00 is even. Now if it was $371.01, then…

I think they do that so it stands out and you remember how much it is.

By posting this, its a hypocritical statement, but I like how not a single person has offered a real answer.

Its starting to seem more like amateur comedy night around here more than a resource of information and answers.

High-Occupancy Vehicle Guidelines, 2003 Edition
How the $271 Minimum Fine is Derived
The Judicial Council of California (JCC) sets the fines and maintains the Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule
(UBPS) for traffic violations. In that schedule the fine is $270 for an occupancy violation per Section 21655.5(b)
or a buffer violation per Section 21655.8(a) of the CVC.
The $270 set by the JCC, a minimum, is comprised of:
(1) Section 1464 of the Penal Code setting $170 and
(2) Section 42001.11 of the CVC setting a $100 minimum to $150 maximum for first offense,
$150 minimum to 200 maximum for second offense within 1 year,
and $250 to $500 for third offense within 2 years.
The additional $1 assessment is under Section 42006 of the CVC for counties that have night court.
In addition, the counties can assess and additional $10 for administration, at the discretion of the county’s Board
of Supervisors, under Section 40508.6 of the CVC. Also, Section 1463.28 of the Penal Code provides for 30
counties to exceed fines scheduled in the UBPS. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the only county that can do this
is Contra Costa.
All of the counties that have HOV lanes also have night court, so this is why the posted sign shows
$271 minimum.

I’m guessing this, but there probably is no real answer. It’s probably just an arbitrary number that the fine-makers made up. I think it started at less and then was gradually raised as the lawmakers released it wasn’t working (and also a source of revenue, let’s face it). It most likely is some form of what susan is teasing about, an off standard number to make you notice it. In 2007, most of the other fines were rounded dollar numbers. The most common posted along the freeway are for littering and carpool lane. I believe the littering one is $1000, and the carpool lane is a hot button issue and I think by the off standard amount, they are just calling attention to it. Like I said, it is just a guess.

I know for a fact that in between the cities of Monte Sereno and Saratoga, California there is a road that curves and winds. To slow people down and call attention to the dangers of the road, the speed limit varies up and down as you drive it with posted speeds at 19, 22, etc. mph. I used to use this road as a shortcut to my mom’s house and it caught my attention each and every time.

Someone with the time, might want to contact one of the road column reporters on one of the newspapers and ask the question, though, and maybe get a definitive answer.

Looks like cheepdragon has a calling as a road reporter, congratulations. It’s still an attention graber, though. I stand corrected. Good work! but a $1 for night court, maybe that’s on purpose to catch the eye

Correction guys. In California the carpool fine is $271 not $371.

In 2003 it was $271, there was a $100 increase since then.

That I read, but the signs on the highway in my area say $271.

it probably depends on the county then…

so you can read the signs on the freeway in your area? That must be nice….
all the signs around here, look like they were a kindergarten art project because of all the tagging.