Why I stopped using the express lane on the 101 freeway

Was on the 101 in Phoenix last month. Every day I'd sit in the express lane paying $3-4. Thought I was saving time. Then one Friday I saw an accident blocking the express lane. Ended up stuck for 35 minutes. The regular lanes moved fine. Checked my GPS history for two weeks after. The express lane saved me 4 minutes average. Four minutes. For $60+ a month. Now I just stay in the regular lanes and listen to podcasts. Anyone else find the math doesn't work on these paid lanes?

3 comments

3 Comments

murphy.abby2d ago

Four minutes average" - that's basically nothing in the grand scheme of your commute. I get the frustration but people act like they're being robbed when they pay a couple bucks to skip traffic. You probably spent more mental energy tracking the GPS data than you actually lost sitting in that accident.

claire_gibson2d ago

...and honestly @murphy.abby I'm the worst offender of this. I timed myself once getting mad at a red light and it took me longer to get over being mad than the light actually took. I think half the battle is just admitting we all like to complain about stuff that barely matters. But listen I'm not saying I wouldn't pay the couple bucks either - I'd probably do it and then spend the whole ride wondering if I just got scammed by a robot.

jasonf1721h ago

You know what, I used to be one of those people who would get irrationally mad about the little stuff like that. But now I'm kind of rethinking it. Four minutes really is nothing if you step back and look at it.