The Govt says it is trying to deal with the tremendous traffic problem on the N1 between Johannesburg and Pretoria. So they introduced the high occupancy lane experiment. I do not travel between the two cities so I cannot comment. We don’t really have much in the way of public transport here so people are used to travelling in their cars.

One woman at work says that there is a bus service that was introduced but that she was the only person on the bus this morning. The bus cruised down the high occupancy lane and she said it was great.

Another co-worker who lives in Pretoria says the traffic on the N1 is now even worse since they started this experiment. He says he uses the R21 which goes past the airport. Its a slightly longer drive but he says it is much better.

So the experiment seems to have some merits. The question is how well will it be run.

Now for the funny part of the story. Highveld Stereo decided to “test the high occupancy theory”… The following photos are REAL. They show Highveld Stereo™s Darren Simpson on the freeway yesterday morning around 7h15am. He very nearly got himself arrested (live on radio) and ended up getting a fine for talking on the cell phone (to his team in the studio)!

Take a look at his “passengers”. Jan