LEO in the carpool lane

[NytWolf]

On numerous occasions I have seen different law enforcement agency vehicles cruise along in the carpool lane when traffic has slowed or come to a crawl. I'm pretty sure it's not code 3, because one time I saw one stopped with traffic came to a stop (he would have turned on his lights to get people to move over so he can pass), and one PD cruising within another city limit.

This is in Sacramento, where the carpool lane is not 24-7 like L.A., and these are vehicles, not motorcycles.

What thoughts do you have when LEO's drive in the carpool lane and they're not running a call?

[HK4113]

Well its not like they are going to get a ticket....

[MXRider]

Well its not like they are going to get a ticket....

This ^^

[five.five-six]

I think the law exempts emergency vehicles

[RazzB7]

I think the law exempts emergency vehicles

I think five.five-six is right. And I think an emergency vehicle is always an emergency vehicle whether it is going to a call or not. But I don't have anything to back that up.

[strangerdude]

Emergency vehicles can pretty much do whatever they want as long as they drive with due regard. I do it all the time.

[SmokinMr2]

Interestingly enough it depends on the agency. I got a ticket driving an ambulance many many years ago. Chippies....
Oh well. Different rules for state agencies I guess...

[NytWolf]

I think the law exempts emergency vehicles

Emergency vehicles can pretty much do whatever they want as long as they drive with due regard. I do it all the time.

False. And that's why it irks me.

21055. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle is exempt from Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 21350), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 21650), Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 21800), Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 21950), Chapter 6 (commencing with 22100), Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 22348), Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 22450), Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 22500), and Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 22650) of this division, and Article 3 (commencing with Section 38305) and Article 4 (commencing with Section 38312) of Chapter 5 of Division 16.5, under all of the following conditions:
(a) If the vehicle is being driven in response to an emergency call or while engaged in rescue operations or is being used in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or is responding to, but not returning from, a fire alarm, except that fire department vehicles are exempt whether directly responding to an emergency call or operated from one place to another as rendered desirable or necessary by reason of an emergency call and operated to the scene of the emergency or operated from one fire station to another or to some other location by reason of the emergency call.
(b) If the driver of the vehicle sounds a siren as may be reasonably necessary and the vehicle displays a lighted red lamp visible from the front as a warning to other drivers and pedestrians.
A siren shall not be sounded by an authorized emergency vehicle except when required under this section.

21350: Placement of new signs.
21650: Driving on the right side of the roadway.
21800: Yielding right-of-way in an intersection.
21950: Yielding right-of-way to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
22100: Lane choice when making turns.
22348: Maximum speed limit.
22450: Stop sign.
22500: Leaving a vehicle unattended in traffic.
22650: Removal of unattended vehicle.
38305: Driving an offroad vehicle at high speeds.
38312: Driving an offroad vehicle.

So CVC 21055 provides for exemptions when an emergency vehicle can disregard laws and which laws they can disregard, none of which says they can drive in the carpool lane. The only one which is anything close is 21350. The exemptions provide that disregard for the listed laws must be done "while engaged" and with lights and sirens.

Even a responder to a "silent response" must obey laws.

[Samuelx]

Here we go again...

Unless you're in that car, you have NO FREAKING IDEA what is going on...

Mods, the OP already has his mind made up and this thread is just an invite for the idiots to come in and bash - I see nothing productive coming out of leaving this one open...

[AAShooter]

Here we go again...

Unless you're in that car, you have NO FREAKING IDEA what is going on...

. . . and maybe not even then.