DOUG DAHL

September 22, 2022July 18, 2024

What Does That Whistle Mean?

Q: I’m curious about why trains use a Morse code signal when approaching crossings.

A: For anyone confused by that question, next time you’re waiting at a railroad crossing listen to the train’s horn. It’s a long-long-short-long signal. That corresponds with the letter Q in Morse code. What’s the connection? Probably none, but that’s not interesting, is it?

The most common of several explanations (none of which I believe) is that back in the 1800s, whenever Queen Victoria rode in a steam ship, the captain would use a horn equivalent to the Morse code Q to warn other ships to yield the right-of-way to the queen. When trains started using whistles, they adopted the signal for Q when crossing roadways. Given that America was barely past half a century since rejecting England’s authority when Queen E took the throne, didn’t have a queen of their own (to state the obvious), and at least until 1915 used a different signal, I find this explanation highly suspect.

September 15, 2022July 18, 2024

Collector Plates are not a Top Crash Factor

Q: As I understand it, cars with collector vehicle license plates cannot be used for regular transportation, commercial purpose or carrying a load. I regularly observe collector plated vehicles at grocery and home supply stores. Last week I camped next to a Collector plated VW van. Is this a no priority enforcement situation?

A: My first brand new car was a 1991 Toyota Tercel. It gave us many affordable, reliable miles and ran beyond its expected lifespan. If it still had it, I could register it with collector plates. That doesn’t make it a classic.

The law allows vehicles that are at least 30 years old and in good running condition to be licensed as collector vehicles. The upside of registering your car as a classic is that collector vehicle plates are valid for the life of the vehicle. Yep, you read that right. You never have to pay for your tabs again.

September 8, 2022July 18, 2024

Navigating Traffic Signals when the Power is Out

Q: Can you explain how drivers are supposed to proceed at a busy intersection when there is a power outage? On Wednesday there was an intersection with all the lights out, and I witnessed a significant number of potential crashes from drivers not yielding when they were supposed to. How can we make sure that there is less of a risk for traffic collisions?

A: We should install illuminated signs at intersections so that when the power goes out they light up with instructions on how to proceed without traffic lights. Wait, I see a problem with that idea.

September 1, 2022July 18, 2024

Right Turns on a Red Arrow

Q: Is it legal to turn right on a right red arrow after stopping? I often see drivers doing this, but it seems that if it were legal to turn right after stopping, there would just be a red light and not a red arrow.

A: The steady red arrow feels much more personal, doesn’t it? Like it’s there specifically for you. Actually, it is. But it’s no more restrictive than a steady red light. It’s just more particular.

August 25, 2022July 18, 2024

Walkers and Riders (and Robots) on the Sidewalk

Q: Since pedestrians and bicycles share sidewalks who has the right-of-way? I was at a sidewalk intersection and almost didn’t see the bicycle speeding toward me. At 80 years it is not easy to make an abrupt stop. When I chided the rider as he swept past me his reply indicted he thought he had right-of-way. If bike riders want to tangle with a car, truck or bus that is their problem. If they hit me, I will probably break something and that could be very serious for me.

A: The bigger and faster you are, the more responsibility you have for safety. That’s not in the law, at least not officially, but it’s a good principle to keep in mind, especially if you’re the bigger, faster one on the sidewalk or road. Building on that concept, I’d like to introduce you to something called “hierarchy of right-of-way.” That’s a term I just made up, so again, not in the law. Stick with me for a minute though, and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

August 18, 2022July 18, 2024

Passing (and Not Passing) School Buses

Q: If a northbound school bus on a four-lane road stops to drop off kids before an intersection and I’m traveling south and intending to turn west, do I have stop for the bus What if it’s raining and I’m parallel to train tracks? And how many 3^rd graders does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: Okay, no one sent that question, but I’ve received many oddly specific questions about passing school buses. However, they all fit into the categories of either “I’m confused” or “other drivers are confused.”

August 11, 2022July 18, 2024

Impairment and the Mellanby Effect

Q: I’ve seen “plan ahead” messages to prevent impaired driving. They suggest having a designated driver, calling a cab, or letting someone sleep on your couch, which are all good, but might not be an option. Why don’t they suggest sleeping it off in your car?

A: I have an additional question that I think can get us to an answer: How much do you trust drunk you? Of if this doesn’t apply specifically to you, how much do you trust an impaired person to make a sound decision? If after drinking alcohol or consuming other drugs a person truly only had the option of either sleeping in their car or driving home, sleeping it off in their car is clearly the better choice. But that doesn’t make it a good choice (or a legal one).

August 4, 2022July 18, 2024

Insurance for New Drivers

Q: My son has his learner’s permit. Do I need to get him an insurance policy now, or do I wait until he has his driver license?

A: There’s actually a simple, law-based answer as to who needs insurance: everyone who drives*. The law states (edited for readability and brevity), “No person may operate a motor vehicle subject to registration in this state unless the person is insured under a motor vehicle liability policy, is self-insured, is covered by a certificate of deposit, or is covered by a liability bond.” One way or another, if you drive a vehicle with a registration, you need proof of financial responsibility. *There are a few exceptions: mopeds, ATVs and some collector vehicles.

July 28, 2022July 18, 2024

Do Group Motorcycle Rides Get Special Rules?

Q: I recently ran into a horde of motorcyclists, and by horde I’m talking 50-60. At cross streets, one motorcycle would block the intersection and the rest would drive through. Red lights were ignored. What’s the police ruling on this?

A: I wonder, do groups of motorcyclists like being referred to as a horde? (The one sure exception being a motorcycle club called “The Horde.”) In one sense, it’s the right word – the dictionary definition includes a large group, a nomadic group, and a moving pack of animals (assuming we include humans as animals.) However, “horde” has a sense of chaos attached to it, as in a horde of stampeding bulls or a horde of attacking zombies. Group motorcycles rides, when done properly, work hard to avoid chaos.

July 21, 2022July 18, 2024

The Problem With Angle Parking

Q: Backing out of angle parking is tricky. Without the aid of backup cameras (or even with them), if the person backing up is hit by oncoming traffic, who would be at fault? This assumes oncoming traffic is not speeding, texting, or otherwise doing something that could contribute to the crash.

A: Before we get to the “Whose fault is it?” part, let’s take a moment to acknowledge that most angle parking has a fundamentally flawed design. Pulling into a parking spot is easy, but the problem becomes apparent when it’s time to leave. Depending on who parked next to you, you might need to back half your vehicle out of the parking spot and into the lane of travel before you can see if there’s another car coming. At the risk of stating the obvious, that’s a bad thing. The problem is that when backing out of an angle parking stall, the driver is positioned at the wrong end and wrong side of the vehicle to see oncoming traffic.