Car-pool lanes a complete waste

I am calling for an end to the HOV lane on U.S. Highway 95. I know the purpose of the lane is to encourage car pooling, but it is not having the desired effect.

The HOV lane, for the most part, remains unused while the other travel lanes become congested, especially during heavy traffic. When it is used, the HOV lane is mostly full of drivers in single-occupant vehicles who are willing to risk getting caught by the Nevada Highway Patrol while trying to avoid the more congested lanes.

People are being pulled over and cited, not for speeding or otherwise driving carelessly, but for not having two or more people in their car. While this is a financial boon for the city, county and state, it makes no sense to punish people who are just trying to safely get where they are going. The HOV lane would be better suited as an express lane for those traveling from one side of the valley to the other.

I recently saw state troopers staked out near the end of the HOV lane — not stopping people for speeding, or weaving in and out of lanes in an effort to get two more car lengths ahead, but for the sole purpose of stopping single-occupant vehicles. This was during morning rush hour. All other traffic lanes were at a crawl thanks to the poor highway design. I imagine most of the people stopped were just trying to get to work and saw the empty HOV lane as a way to cut some time from their travel.

I respect members of the Nevada Highway Patrol and the job they do. But I couldn’t help but marvel at the manpower being used to punish drivers for not having two or more occupants in their cars, while the rest of the freeway looked like a scene from “Death Race 2000.”

Tim Aiken

Las Vegas

Governor likes Kasich

I was surprised to see in Sunday’s Review-Journal that Gov. Brian Sandoval endorsed Ohio Gov. John Kasich for president. Doesn’t Gov. Sandoval understand the rules?

Rule 40 in the Republican National Committee handbook states that any candidate for president “shall demonstrate the support of a majority of the delegates from each of eight (8) or more states” before his name is presented for nomination at the national convention. Gov. Kasich has won one state.

Only candidates who meet the eight-state threshold required to receive votes that count on the first ballot can receive votes that count on subsequent ballots.

Does Gov. Sandoval’s endorsement of Gov. Kasich mean he is willing to break the rules? I am very disappointed that our governor is apparently willing to change the rules during this election.

As I see it, Gov. Kasich is staying in hoping that the rules will be changed. As it stands right now, if Donald Trump does not reach the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination, there are only two candidates, Mr. Trump and Ted Cruz, who are qualified to emerge from the convention in July.

Let’s all play by rules as they were writted for this election. If they are to be changed, it should not be during the current election but before the next process starts.

Kay Hopkins

Las Vegas