Q There’s a disturbing trend: The Google, Genentech and Apple chartered white buses drive slowly in the carpool lane, regardless of the flow of traffic. Aren’t these vehicles restricted to lanes three and four? Regardless, am I the only one who is irritated by this behavior?

Scott Mitchell

Redwood City

A Oh, others have complained about this as well. But buses can use any lane, including the carpool lane, if there are passengers on board. The vehicles restricted to the far-right lanes are the big rigs and 18-wheelers that have a 55 mph speed limit.

Related Articles Roadshow: Longer carpool hours may be coming to 237-880

Roadshow: Caltrans makes prompt fixes — but responds six years later

Roadshow: ‘Messages from Mom’ line Oregon’s Interstate 5

Roadshow: Hey, Tom Hanks, it’s NOT ‘The 101’ Q Why have they put a “No Right Turn on Red” sign in San Jose on Alexander Avenue and Alum Rock Avenue where the new — and unneeded — express bus lanes are? I can easily wait four minutes and not see one car pass by me, yet here I am waiting at a red light. It’s ridiculous. We didn’t need one for 30 years and now we do?

A.G.

San Jose

A The Valley Transportation Authority took this for review to the San Jose Department of Transportation, and those folks concluded that the “No Right Turn on Red” signs are needed because there are bus stops on both directions along Alum Rock at this intersection. This could block views for vehicles behind buses, resulting in inadequate sight distance to spot cars turning from side streets. So the signs will remain.

Q I bicycled from downtown and had not realized how many buffered bike lanes San Jose had installed. I found them on Hedding Street, Ocala Avenue and 10th and 11th streets all the way from Tully Road to downtown, and on Fourth Street downtown. Great work for active transportation in San Jose.

Then the county bikeway map suggested Paseo de San Antonio across downtown connecting to Park. Yikes, not really a good choice, with all the pedestrians, plus the 10 mph light rail with no barriers. Will VTA ever try to control access to the tracks so the trains can go faster? It seems crazy that the light-rail system is 55-plus mph south of Interstate 280, but grinds to a near-halt in downtown.

R.N.

San Jose

A Yes, faster trains are being looked at for north of downtown on First Street to Tasman Drive. But when is anyone’s guess.

Q Gary, Teslas do come with front license plate mounts. Ours was in the lower trunk area, and the service center gladly installed it. Many owners choose not to install the front plate and later suffer the consequences. It is well known among many owners that by parking your car on the street in San Francisco, you are just asking to get a ticket for having only one plate.

Tom Clark

San Jose

A The fine for having just a rear plate is $150.

Q I suggest Tesla owners call their local Tesla store. When I called them, they told me to bring the car in and they’d install the front plate for me. They did, and the front bracket looks just as if it were standard factory equipment. No need to drill holes yourself.

Stan Drobac

Atherton

A Good advice.

Follow Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com.