Month: January 2024

Q: There are some intersections, usually in neighborhoods, that don’t have any traffic control: no stop signs or yield signs. How are you supposed to handle those? Who yields to whom? And how do the road engineers decide when to use stop signs, yield signs, or no signs?

A:  What if, instead of limiting uncontrolled intersections (ones without signs or signals) to neighborhoods, we pulled out the signs and lights at intersections all over our cities? What would happen? Mayhem? Anarchy? You might be surprised.

Continue reading “Do We Really Need Traffic Signs?”

Q:  Horns are supposed to be safety equipment, right? When everyone honks their horn locking their cars, is this misuse of safety equipment? I’m thinking of a neighbor that honks their horn multiple times every time they park. By law, should car manufacturers be using a different sound so that we still pay attention to horns? When I hear a horn now, I just figure it’s somebody parking their car.

A: You’re so close to being right about this. Yes, a horn is intended to give an audible warning to other drivers “to insure safe operation.” The law states that drivers “shall not otherwise use such horn when upon a highway.” Those last four words are what you’re missing.

Continue reading “Car Horns: Safety Equipment or Security System?”

Q: My neighbor has been driving a tiny pickup that doesn’t have a license plate. It looks like the kind of truck you’d see driving around inside a factory. I don’t think he has a driver license. Is it legal to drive those on public roads?

A: I’m going to change your question a little bit to make this easier. The answer to your question is, “It depends.” Let’s reframe it as, “Is it legal for my neighbor to drive his vehicle on public roads?” And the easy answer is, “Almost certainly no.”

You might occasionally see a tiny truck on the road. These are usually imported from Japan and called kei (short for keijidōsha – Japanese for light vehicle) trucks. Because they were never built for the US market, they don’t meet the federal safety standards for motor vehicles, and it’s not legal to register a vehicle that doesn’t meet US safety standards for use on public roads.

Continue reading “Tiny Trucks Still Require License and Registration”

Q: If a cop is driving their police car home, but they aren’t on duty, can they make a traffic stop? And can a cop from one city make a traffic stop in a different city?

A: Why does this sound like it’s not just a theoretical question? The short answer: yes, and yes. At least since 1983 and 1985, respectively. But don’t take my word for it. The Washington Court of Appeals and the Revised Code of Washington provide the source material.

In 1982 a Lynnwood police officer asleep in his home at 2:30 am woke up, looked out his window, and saw someone prowling around his neighbor’s car. The officer went out, dressed only in a pair of pants, identified himself as a police officer, and attempted to arrest the prowler. Skipping ahead in the story, the Court of Appeals was faced with the question of whether an off-duty officer has the same authority to make an arrest as an on-duty officer. In 1983 the court concluded, “We are convinced that he does.”

Continue reading “Off-Duty Traffic Stops”