The HOV Lanes, or at least in Virginia, always have some controversy surrouding them. Here the lanes are not simply restricted to having more than two or three persons in the car at one time. A new rule was added recently stating that a hybrid car can also be allowed on the lanes, with only one person in the car. This is causing quite a stir in the metropolitan area because hybrid cars do save gas, but if there's only one person in the car at the time it defeats the purpose of "High Occupancy Vehicles." And we're all a slight bit jealous that they get to travel alone.
The past controversy was over people using blow-up dolls and putting them in the passenger seat to be "qualified" in the HOV lanes. But our tricky police caught on and now are checkpointed at various spots on the highway and freeways to check for that type of thing. That sort of thing has calmed down by now, most likely because explaning to the cop why you why a blow-up doll in your passenger seat isn't the most tact one.
Most of the time the HOV lanes are as crowded as the rest of the lanes, but there's some superior feeling you get from riding in them. Maybe it's just when the theory of HOV lanes works and you can zoom past the other cars, and simply laugh because you'll for once be home in time for dinner.