ManyairtravelersintheUnitedStatesgladlypayextra-sometimesalotextra-torideinfirstclassratherthancoach.Upfront,theyenjoyroomierseats,fasterboarding,andfreedrinks.Andnowthepay-to-be-pamperedideahascometoAmerica'sinterstatehighwaysaswell.Manyofthesehigh-speedroadsalreadyhavespecial,uncrowdedHOVorhigh-occupancy-vehiclelanes.Onlycarscarryingtwoormore,orsometimesthreeormore,peoplecanusethem.Theideaisthattheseless-crowdedHOVlaneswillenticeotherdriverstojoinacarpoolsothatthey,too,canenjoylifeinthefastlane.Butexperiencehasshownthatmostlonedriversjustwon'tgiveuptheircars.Andthey'regettingangrierandangrierattheluckydriverszippingalongintheHOVlanes.Sotoappeasethem,easetrafficcongestionintheregularlanes,andcreateanewrevenuesource,manystateshaveembracedaconceptcalled"HOTlanes.""HOT"standsfor"high-occupancytoll,"andhere'showitworks:AsinHOVlanes,driversofcarswithmultipleoccupantspaylittleornothingtozipalongintheHOTlanes.Butforasteeptoll,driverswithnooneelseintheircarcanusethem,too.Likefirst-classairplanepassengers,manylonedriverssaythey'llhappilypaythechargejusttocutsometimeandhasslesfromtheircommutes.Virginia,Georgia,andCaliforniaareamongthestatesbuildingHOTlanesalongsideexistingsuperhighways.TheyarguethattheextramoneysingledriverskickinforaccesstotheHOTlaneswillhelppayforothertransportationimprovements,suchaslight-raillines.ButwhatifsomanylonedriversjumpatthischancethatHOTlanesbecomejustasjammedandslow-movingasregularones?Americancapitalismhastheanswer.Ifsingle-occupancycarsstartplugginguptheHOTlanes,statesplantojustkeepraisingtheirtolls.Then,presumably,enoughdriverswillslinkbacktotheequivalentofthecoachsectionoftheroad,enablingtrafficintheHOTlanestomovebrisklyagain.
