Month: June 2016

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What’s a HAWK, and How Does It Work?

Q: More education appears to be needed regarding the “HAWKS” on Alabama Street. Two days ago, two police officers in Bellingham patrol cars were observed traveling in opposite directions on Alabama. They both stopped at an activated hawk and were each first in line in their respective lanes. Once the hawk began flashing red and the pedestrians had cleared the crosswalk, the officers remained stopped until the hawk entered the OFF mode. Should they not have proceeded once the crosswalk was clear and the hawk was flashing red?

A: Clearly, if some of our local officers are unsure of how to proceed through HAWK signals, the message of navigating the HAWKs has not penetrated deep enough into the community. The City of Bellingham has some great HAWK-related resources on their website, but I’ll try another way of explaining it that helps me remember what to do at a HAWK. Continue reading “What’s a HAWK, and How Does It Work?”

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How Dark is Too Dark?

Q: How dark can window tint be on a car?

A: Maybe it’s about the heat. Maybe it’s about the style. Maybe it’s about the privacy. Whatever the reason, many people choose to tint the windows on their cars. Proponents of window tint point to several benefits; big surprise, I’ll start with safety. Window tint is a thin plastic film that goes on the inside of the glass. In a crash, this film can hold together broken glass that would otherwise fly through the car. By design, auto glass breaks into small chunks that are less likely to cause injury compared to jagged shards of glass from, say, a residential picture window, so while the tint film may help, it’s not as significant a safety feature as it first seems to be. Continue reading “How Dark is Too Dark?”

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Traffic Control for Private Organizations

Q: Is it legal for a rent-a-cop to stop traffic on Northwest Road to allow the cars from that big box church to enter Northwest? Just last Sunday, I was stopped to allow two cars to enter the road.

A: First of all, when you used the term “rent-a-cop” I’ll assume you meant “fully commissioned law enforcement officer hired by a private entity for traffic control.” Businesses and organizations often hire law enforcement to provide traffic control services for a limited duration. Marathon organizers hire law enforcement to direct traffic around the running course. House movers hire officers to block intersections as the house moves along its route. In the situation you described, the church generates enough traffic on Sunday morning that it needs traffic control to allow drivers to safely enter the street. If that level of traffic occurred throughout the day, all week long, a permanent traffic signal would be appropriate, but since it’s only for a few hours a week, the church hires a deputy to manage the traffic. Continue reading “Traffic Control for Private Organizations”

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Tunnels and Sunglasses

Q: As an eyesight-challenged person, my license requires that I wear corrective lenses. I have either my prescription glasses or sunglasses at all times. Recently I was driving on one of the few gorgeous sunny March days, and I came through a tunnel. A sign read “No Sunglasses”. It seemed like the lesser of three evils to wear the sunglasses. I could A) keep wearing my sunglasses, B) search for my glasses which would distract me from driving or C) take them off and not be able to see at all. My question is did I do what is right/legal?

A: Your question is actually two questions in one: “Is it right?” and “Is it legal?” The legal one is the easiest to answer, so let’s start there. Continue reading “Tunnels and Sunglasses”

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Pets on Laps and Negligent Driving

Q: Is it illegal to drive with a pet on your lap?

A: Maybe I should first ask what kind of pet. Are we talking about a sleeping kitten or a Bernese mountain dog that wants a walk? Washington doesn’t have a law that specifically prohibits someone from driving with a pet on his or her lap. I thought maybe I could stretch the “embracing another while driving” law to include pets, but it refers specifically to “another person.” Instead of a pet-specific law, we have a negligent driving law. The negligent driving (second degree) law is the state’s way of saying, “Don’t do dumb stuff while you’re driving.” Continue reading “Pets on Laps and Negligent Driving”