Category: Road Rules

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Does Your Driving Record Ever Really Go Away?

Q: I was at fault for a traffic collision for “failure to yield leaving a parking lot or alley.” How long will this be on my driving record?

A: As data expert Jeff Rothenberg said, “Digital information lasts forever, or five years, whichever comes first.” The only way to have a perfectly clean driving record is to never get a ticket. However, the real concern, and what I suspect you’re getting at in the question, is “How long will a traffic infraction or a crash affect me?” Continue reading “Does Your Driving Record Ever Really Go Away?”

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Getting On (And Off) The Freeway – With a Little Help

Q1: I drive I-5 daily, and I consistently see drivers enter I-5 at slower speeds that traffic is moving, causing a slow-down. I see the same with exiting drivers, who slow down to as little at 45 MPH before they even reach the off-ramp, causing another traffic backup. What are the rules for entering and exiting a freeway?

Q2: Who has the right-of-way when an on-ramp merges onto the freeway? The car on the on-ramp or the car already on the freeway?

A: Lately I’ve encountered a lot of questions about getting onto the freeway, and a few about getting off of it, and collectively these questions could be summed up with the two questions above. Sounds like it’s time for a refresher on how to get on and off the freeway, doesn’t it? We’ll walk (or drive) through the steps involved, and I’ll point out what the law requires as well as what a safe driver should consider. Continue reading “Getting On (And Off) The Freeway – With a Little Help”

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Riding Side By Side and Other Motorcycle Rules

Q: Is it legal for two motorcycle police officers to ride side by side down a city street?

A: Yes, and that is not an exception granted only to police officers. In section 46.61.608 of the Revised Code of Washington it states that “Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a single lane.” Officers or not, two motorcycles riding side by side is okay according to our state law. Continue reading “Riding Side By Side and Other Motorcycle Rules”

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Angle Parking: If it Sticks Out, It Doesn’t Fit

Q: What are the rules for a parked vehicle that obstructs the flow of traffic?  The area where I see this often is on Harris Street in the main part of Fairhaven. People with crew cab trucks and RVs park in diagonal spots, with their vehicles often extending well into the flow of traffic.

A: Wouldn’t it be nice if there was one rule that applied all over the state when it comes to some of these traffic issues? Of all the topics we’ve covered in these articles, parking in a way that obstructs traffic holds the dubious position of having the least consistency I’ve found so far in municipal codes. Here’s why. Continue reading “Angle Parking: If it Sticks Out, It Doesn’t Fit”

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Photo Radar – When Will We Get It?

Q: When can I expect freeway flyers to get costly fines in the mail from traffic cameras recording speed and license plate numbers?

A: To put this question in context, it was asked after describing a series of high-risk speeding situations that the question-asker has encountered repeatedly on his daily commute. To put it in historical context, Bellingham has experienced some controversy over traffic camera enforcement that makes this question a bit of a volatile topic. But I’m answering it anyway. Continue reading “Photo Radar – When Will We Get It?”

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School Zones – What Does “When Children Are Present” Really Mean?”

Q: I always wonder about what “when children are present” on school zone signs means. Does that mean just during school hours or any time you see children? Also does it apply during school hours during the summer vacation (and how are we to know the vacation times?)

A: I thought this would be easy to answer, but it turns out that reading the law about school zone speed limits confuses as much as it clarifies. There’s a good reason many school zones are getting updated with flashing beacons instead of the “when children are present” plaque. But let’s get back to the question.

Continue reading “School Zones – What Does “When Children Are Present” Really Mean?””
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The Myth of the Above-Average Driver

Instead of starting with a question this week, I’ll start with an answer: Ninety-three percent. Here’s the question: How many American drivers believe they are above average? When drivers were asked to rate their driving ability compared to an average driver ninety-three percent of us thought we were better. You don’t need a statistics class to realize that since only half of any group can be above average, many of us misperceive our driving ability. Continue reading “The Myth of the Above-Average Driver”

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Getting High, Getting a DUI, Getting Help

Q: Now that we’ve had a few years of legalized marijuana, do we know what impact that has had on impaired driving?

A: Before I answer that, I’ll point out that understanding traffic data is complex and we can’t always draw accurate conclusions from one set of data. But let’s look at one set of data anyway, because it’s pretty compelling. This chart covers traffic fatalities involving marijuana impaired drivers from 2011 to 2016. That gives us three years prior to legalization and three years since legalization. Continue reading “Getting High, Getting a DUI, Getting Help”

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The Trouble With Exit 250

Q: Who has the right of way when exiting northbound from I-5 at Old Fairhaven Parkway; the turning lane trying to get on the on-ramp or the vehicles at the stop sign up the road on the off-ramp?

A: Based on the emails I’ve received about this location, lots of people have opinions about who has the right of way, and they don’t all agree. These emails include stories of angry honking, excessive hand and finger gestures, near-crashes, and a general sense of confusion by people trying to do the right thing, but not knowing for sure what that is. Continue reading “The Trouble With Exit 250”

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Different Symbols – Same Meaning

Q: In downtown Bellingham at certain corners of sidewalks there is one of two symbols. The first is a circle in green with a person standing next to a bicycle. The other is a circle in red with a line through the circle showing a person on a bicycle. What do these mean? Does the green one mean that a bicyclist is allowed to ride on the sidewalk, but must get off at the corners? Does the red one mean no bicycling on the sidewalk whatsoever? They are confusing signs since the two seem to be saying two different things; Please explain. Thanks.

A: You’d expect that if you saw two different signs, each of them would have a different meaning. That’s probably where the confusion lies. These two signs each take a different approach to explaining the same law. If we start by examining the law, both the signs should make more sense. Continue reading “Different Symbols – Same Meaning”