Good Questions: Prom, Birds & The HOV Lane
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Every Friday, Heather Brown tackles some of our viewers' burning questions. This week, she'll tell you how "prom" got its name, where birds go in rainstorms, and how police enforce the HOV lane on the highway.
Paul and Terri from Woodbury want to know: Why is prom called prom?
Prom is short for promenade, which is a public space where walks take place. The tradition started back in late 1800s at Ivy League colleges, where students would have a dance and a promenade concert. Basically, it was music without seating.
By the 1900s, the idea trickled down to high school. Over time, it went from a simple dance to a banquet to, by the 1950s, what it is today.
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Gail from North Branch: Where do birds go during rainstorms?
They hide. They look for any kind of shelter they can, whether it's inside shrubs and bushes or hollowed out parts of trees. They look for shelter which protects them from wind.
Birds are also built for this cold and rain. Their feathers insulate them and their feet lose little heat to the ground.
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Ed from Eden Prairie: How is the HOV lane enforced?
Drivers can carpool or motorcycle in the HOV, but if you want to drive by yourself, you need to pay with a transponder.
According to MNDOT, the state patrol puts one trooper on 394 and two troopers on 35W during every rush hour. Those troopers have a sensor that can detect a transponder when a driver goes by. If the trooper doesn't sense it, he or she visually checks and the driver can get pulled over. MNDOT estimates each trooper stops about 10 drivers a day.