Road Rules – Page 26 – The Wise Drive

May 14, 2020July 18, 2024

Don’t Hit The Tow Truck – A Bare Minimum Driving Requirement

Q: So I was wondering, y’all write about things that are important, what about the Slow Down Move Over Law that NOBODY seems to adhere to? The reason I ask is because I am a tow truck operator and I was hit by a taxi cab while working. Drivers need to be aware of this law to increase emergency crew safety.

A: Let’s establish a minimum expectation for the emergency and work zone law: if you crash into a tow truck you’re doing it wrong. Actually, let’s establish a much higher expectation – that drivers know and follow the law.

May 10, 2020July 18, 2024

Biking – It’s Not What It Was When You Were Seven

Q: Does a bicyclist riding on the sidewalk have to get off of their bicycle when crossing a road with a signal? Or can they just ride straight across at cycling speed in the crosswalk if the light is green? Corollary question – can a bicyclist riding on the sidewalk ride faster than walking speed? I had a bicyclist riding against traffic on a one-way street on the sidewalk try to ride directly across in the crosswalk, in front of turning traffic. On top of it all, she was in the business district.

A: Most of us learned to ride a bike when our age could be measured in single digits. When you’re seven, advice like “always ride on the sidewalk” and “get off your bike when crossing the street” makes good sense. A beginning bike rider is pretty wobbly; not someone you want at the edge of a lane of traffic or crossing the street. The trouble with advice to our seven-year-old selves is that it doesn’t age well.

May 3, 2020July 18, 2024

There’s a Hitch (And it’s a Rack)

Q: What are the limitations on bicycle racks or other attachments that extend beyond the rear bumper when not being used? Especially when painted flat black and therefore difficult to see? This is an increasing problem on oversized, badly-parked SUVs and pickups in parking lots that have spaces marked for something the size of a Camry. Perhaps the installers should be encouraged to put reflective tape around all edges instead of leaving them flat black.

A: Your question brings up another question: Why is it that nearly every attachment you can buy for your vehicle, whether it’s a bike rack, a tow hitch or a cargo deck, only comes in black? I’ve banged my shin on enough trailer hitches (most of the time on my own vehicle) to believe that maybe they should be neon green. Or maybe I should pay more attention when I’m walking.

April 26, 2020July 18, 2024

Too Much of a Good Thing

Q: What’s up with the cars that have their tires tilted in on top and sticking out on the bottom? Is that supposed to help with performance somehow?

A: You know that expression, “If a little is good, then more is better?” This is not one of those situations. The folks who do vehicle alignments would call what you’ve described excessive negative camber. Camber, along with caster and toe, make up the three adjustments to your vehicle’s alignment. Each of them contributes to your car’s safety (or takes away from it if adjusted wrong.) Let’s take a look at what they all do.

April 19, 2020July 18, 2024

Driving in a Golf Cart Zone

Q: I live in Birch Bay, and we have a mix of fast drivers trying to get to work and slow golf carts in no hurry at all on the same road. How do you drive in a golf cart zone?

A: One bite at a time. No, wait. That’s the punch line to a different joke. But I feel like there should be a punch line to your question. Something about drivers or putters, maybe. Rather than try to think up what would inevitably be a lousy joke, I’ll explain the laws around golf carts on public roads. From there I think we can figure out how to drive in a golf cart zone.

April 12, 2020July 18, 2024

More Than Trains on the Track

Q: I was on a bike ride with friends along a route that included a railroad crossing. My friend, who has hearing aids, approached the railroad crossing, slowed down, and was almost in the crossing. He did not hear or see a truck coming along the rails. The driver sounded his horn, did not slow down, and went through the crossing. My friend stopped and no accident occurred. First of all, my friend should have looked both ways along the railway line before starting to cross. But also, he crosses at this place daily and knows a train is coming because there is a ringing bell, the boom gate is lowered and the train sounds its horn. Shouldn’t maintenance trucks adhere to these same standards?

A: That seems like a reasonable expectation but, in fact, the converted trucks that drive on the rails (called hi-rail vehicles) are intentionally designed not to trigger the crossing signals. We’ll get to that in a bit, but first let’s talk about the vehicle more commonly found on the tracks: trains.

April 5, 2020July 18, 2024

Driving Less, Driving Better

Q: Does the governor’s “stay at home” order allow driving places in order to hike, ski, walk, or bike? My understanding is that this is forbidden–driving is allowed for essential activities, while walking and biking are encouraged, but only close to home. Lots of people are convinced of the opposite–that the governor’s order allows driving without limits to allow recreational pursuits. Any degree of clarity would be welcome. And if you’ve got a direct line to the governor, maybe suggest that he or his staff clarify loudly and publicly.

A: You’re making this difficult for me. My go-to resource for traffic questions is the Revised Code of Washington, but that isn’t going help me here. And I don’t have a direct line to the governor, although that would be pretty cool. It’s probably for the best though. I’d probably bug him with all my questions and get it taken away from me anyway. And this question is certainly out of my area of expertise, or even general knowledge, but I’m curious too so let’s see if we can figure this out.

March 29, 2020July 18, 2024

Driving Faster Than Light

Q: I’m very concerned about the people on the roads who never seem to use their high beams. Out in the county there can be literally anything on the road and high beams are needed to see what is there. Can you give the stopping distance for a car traveling at, say 50 mph, for the average driver? And how far does the average low beam travel? We had one neighbor who said she never used her high beams “because the lights frighten the deer and cause them to run into the road.” Honestly. Have you ever heard this argument? Can you please rebut it for me? She won’t listen to us. Are there any laws for drivers who aren’t using high beam when needed?

A: I’ve heard plenty of criticism of drivers who fail to dim their headlights; this is the first time someone has written in with such passion demanding that drivers use their high beams more often. And it is a valid point. I think as drivers we often overestimate the effectiveness of our headlights and think we can see farther than we really can. So let’s work through the questions.

March 22, 2020July 18, 2024

E-Bike or Road Rocket?

Q: I am looking to join the world of electric transportation. As a former scooter rider I am looking for something with a little more power than your average e-bike. One company from California has a model with pedals but the vehicle can top out at 60 mph. It has a switch to limit the speed to 28 mph, but that switch can be flipped releasing the full power. Where does this fit into the e-bike/moped/motorcycle spectrum, or is it just a legal quagmire of advancing technology? It looks like fun, but I would rather be riding than sitting in a courtroom.

A: What? You don’t think courtrooms are fun? How did Judge Judy get so popular? Oh, wait, I think I’ve figured it out. Millions of us feel better about ourselves when we watch someone else struggle through a court proceeding because, no matter how bad our day is going, at least we’re not part of a Tupperware dispute on a courtroom reality show.

March 15, 2020July 18, 2024

What The HAWK?

Q: I was driving on Alabama Street when the flashing red light on the HAWK signal had turned off and the pedestrian had completed crossing the road. Cars coming from the other direction remained stopped. I continued through the crossing because a car on my left obscured my vision of a pedestrian waiting at the crossing. Are drivers obliged to stop or can they proceed through until the light for the pedestrian activates and the red light for cars comes on? Did I act illegally?

A: Back in the day when laws were printed on paper and bound in books (they probably still are but I rely on the internet version) the thickest title in the legal code was the part about motor vehicles and traffic. If I were forced to summarize that entire part of the law in two words, it would have to be, “Don’t crash.” That’s the motivation for nearly every law in Title 46. Speed limits, intersection controls, signs, vehicle equipment and lighting, impaired driving, licensing, bike and pedestrian rules; they all work together to create a shared system that road users hopefully understand and observe so that we can prevent crashes. There are a few laws, like car pool rules, that are more about efficiency than safety, but they make up a tiny slice of the giant pie of traffic laws.