Category: Road Rules

Q: I have a friend who is applying for his “right to conduct himself in his personal capacity,” also known as a State National. He’s convinced that once he jumps through all the necessary hoops, he’ll be able to get a new car from the dealership and that he needs no driver license, license plates, or registration. Help.

A: Good luck even getting a test drive without a license. If your friend is deeply invested in this idea, showing him this article probably won’t change his mind. But if he was willing to listen, here’s what I’d say:

People believe a lot of things. Not all of them are true. Some false beliefs are relatively benign. For example, unless you’re pursuing a career like astronaut or satellite engineer, believing the earth is flat probably won’t have much real impact on your life. You might get nervous about sailing too far in one direction, but other than that it’s mostly just enduring the flat earther jokes.

Continue reading “Your Driver License and The Right to Travel”

Q: Many states allow for a digital driver license (DDL). I checked with Washington Department of Licensing (DOL) over a year ago when I read about Arizona’s program allowing DDLs, and their answer was that there were no plans. Even Louisiana, not commonly a leader in digital matters, has it, but Washington seems hesitant. Do you know if DOL has thought about implementing this?

A: Or asked another way, I can put my credit card, my insurance cards (both car and health), my vaccination card, and a boarding pass on my phone. Why can’t my driver license be there too?

I was asked a similar question nearly six years ago, and I predicted that in the near future Washington drivers would have the option of a digital driver license. At the time, a few states were pilot testing the idea, and with Washington consistently ranking high in the tech industry, I thought it wouldn’t be long before our state would offer a DDL. Turns out though, that what holds a state back from issuing digital licenses isn’t the technology, it’s the law (and a few other concerns).

Continue reading “Where’s My Digital Driver License?”

Q: Seems to me, it’s far more common to hear a motorcycle (and sometimes cars or trucks) from what could be a mile away, than to see one. I don’t think any agency uses decibel meters anymore. I believe the law prohibits modifying the exhaust from stock. So my question is: what enforcement, if any, is afforded to vehicles whose noise rattles the glasses in the cupboard?

A:  You have my sympathy. Once I had a neighbor who “upgraded” the muffler on his motorcycle. It might not have been so bad, except that he worked an early morning shift and left around five a.m. Soon it became the talk of the neighborhood, and not in a good way. People get grumpy (and I’m the worst of them) when they don’t get their sleep.

Continue reading “Traffic Enforcement and Loud Mufflers”

Q: Is it legal to drive on private property if I have a suspended license?

A: A few weeks ago, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch got his license suspended in his home state of North Carolina after driving 128 mph in a 45-mph zone. Pause for a moment and re-read that. Yes, that’s almost triple the posted speed limit. Normally speeding won’t get you a license suspension, but those kinds of speeds move things into reckless driving territory, and that’s what got him a suspension.

That 45-day license suspension didn’t stop Kyle from driving (and placing 7^th) in a NASCAR race in Florida three days later. In both North Carolina and Florida, the suspended driving laws prohibit a person from driving on state highways. So far, there are no NASCAR tracks that double as public highways, although some states (I’m looking at you, Texas) are pushing their top speed limits into racing territory.

Continue reading “Private Roads are not NASCAR Tracks”

Q: What are the rules about electric bikes and electric scooters?  We have them riding down the roads and sidewalks and now some of them are doing 45mph. Do riders need a motorcycle endorsement and vehicle registration? What about safety equipment?

A: An electric bike that can go 45 mph is a fictional vehicle. At least according to the law. Here’s what I mean: Washington law classifies electric bikes in three categories. Class three (the fastest category) is limited to a top speed of 28 mph. Any two wheeled vehicle that is capable of speeds greater than 28 mph is not an electric bike (by law).

Continue reading “Is it Really an Electric Bike?”

Q: How should cars and horses share the road? Some horse people say drivers should slow down to five mph and give a wide berth to the horses so they don’t freak out and throw the riders. I was told by someone else that drivers can be ticketed if they move into the opposite lane of travel to give room to horses although I’ve never heard of that happening.

A: I used to live in a semi-rural area, and occasionally I encountered folks riding their horses on the road. Whenever I passed them, I got a particular hand gesture. No, not that one. The one where you hold your arm straight out, hand facing palm down, and repeatedly motion toward the ground. You probably already know what it means, so it’s probably safe to declare it the universal hand sign for “slow down.” Or maybe not, since American Sign Language has an official sign for “slow down” (but it wouldn’t work very well for a vehicle approaching from behind).

Continue reading “Passing Horses on the Road”

Q: Is it lawful for police vehicles to exceed posted speed limits without having their emergency signals activated?

A: Years ago in a former career I was a freshly minted deputy sheriff, ready to protect and serve, and set a good example of safe driving. I made a commitment to always follow the speed limit. It did not take long to discover that a few other drivers I shared the road with did not have that same commitment. My commute to work included a good stretch of freeway driving, and you can guess what would happen (but I’ll tell you anyway.)

I’d see a car approaching in my rear-view mirror and know the moment the driver figured out they were about to pass a patrol car. The nose of their car would dip as they hit the brakes and moved to the right lane behind me. After several cars stacked up, another one would come up in the passing lane and do the same thing, but now there was no room to move to the right. Eventually we’d have a convoy of cars traveling exactly at the speed limit.

Continue reading “Speeding Police Cars”

Q: Are there rules for where no-passing zones have to be placed? Is it just totally to the discretion of traffic engineers or are there regulations to follow? I ask because I find it rather odd that not all intersections are worthy of a no-passing zone.

A: If it turns out that the determination for no-passing zones was “just totally to the discretion of traffic engineers” would that be a bad thing? I’m wondering, who else would you prefer made that decision? Your barber? Your retirement planner? The quarterback from your favorite team? I have as much interest in watching a football game with team rosters made entirely of traffic engineers (I’m sure they’re great, really) as I do consulting with a roomful of NFL players on what zone to set up (assuming we’re talking about road design and not defensive strategies). Generally, I’m a fan of letting the pros do what they’re good at.

Continue reading “No-Passing Zones”

Q: Who has the right-of-way if one direction of traffic has a “right turn yield” and the opposite has “left hand yield on green”? People always act like they have the right-of-way going in both directions, often nearly causing crashes.

A. In life (and in driving) we’re in an ongoing pursuit of understanding. At the same time, perfect understanding is unachievable. A Sisyphean task, to be sure. I lead with that in order that we might have grace and patience for the people we share the road with when they fall short of understanding how to properly yield the right-of-way.

Continue reading “Dealing with Dual Yields”

Q: Is it legal to have a strobe light on the front of your bicycle? In my experience, the strobe light is distracting and dangerous, and cyclists need to realize that while the driver is distracted by the flashing light, everything else disappears. Like a moth to a flame, drivers are drawn to flashing lights and nothing else.

A: Do you want to be noticed, or do you want to be understood? I know, it sounds like some faux-philosophical question posed by an aspiring Instagram influencer. Really though, it’s a question about lights.

Continue reading “Flashing Headlights (on Bicycles)”