Interesting. They do change the language if you're purchasing a FareLock:
FareLock: Purchase of FareLock means you understand and agree to all of the program rules. If you choose to purchase this reservation, you understand and agree to all of the fare rules associated with this non-refundable ticket, United’s dangerous goods policy, and the terms and conditions in United's Contract of Carriage, and the collection, processing and transfer of your information to the United States for handling in accordance with our privacy policy.
Ticket: Purchase of this ticket means you understand and agree to all fare rules associated with this non-refundable ticket, United’sdangerous goods policy, and the terms and conditions in United'sContract of Carriage, and the collection, processing and transfer of your information to the United States for handling in accordance with our privacy policy.
That pretty clearly says the CoC
doesn't apply... they're saying '
Purchase of FareLock means you understand and agree to all of the program rules.' and then '
If you choose to purchase this reservation'...
Said another way, the contract of carriage applies
if you chose to purchase this reservation. Until you make that purchase choice, you are not bound by the CoC, only by the
Terms of FareLock, as well as the general terms of the website. The Terms of FareLock mention nothing about it being illegal to purchase two overlapping reservations.