Agreed. I don't like the shoulder lanes on I-66 either, though I will concede that as a general matter they've worked better there than the ones on I-95 did (no doubt due in no small part to the use of lane-control signals on I-66, compared to their reliance on white regulatory signs on I-95). Still way too many people driving in them illegally, and even when they're used properly, you still have a problem with relying on the "emergency pull-off" areas for breakdowns. Cars do not necessarily break down only at the designated spots.
"mtantillo" of this forum has noted in the past that the FHWA originally gave Virginia approval for the shoulder lanes as a temporary measure pending real improvements. That's obviously turned into an indefinite kind of thing, as just about anyone can recognize that trying to take away that sort of "lane" without providing a replacement will simply not work because the driving public won't accept it.