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You Should Signal In Roundabouts (But Is It The Law?)

Q: I’m wondering about the rules for signaling when your car is exiting a roundabout. I rarely see people do this and so I went to the WSDOT website. The written instructions don’t mention signaling nor do the drivers in the instructional videos signal when exiting. Do you know why this is?

A: Do you want my opinion, or do you want the law? I just asked a dumb question; of course you want the law. But I’m going to give you my opinion anyway. I think you should signal your intention to exit a roundabout. However, as we all know, there is a big difference between “think you should” and “required by law.” Are you required by law to signal in a roundabout? That’s where things get tricky.

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Blocking The View

Q: Is there a rule or law about the distance of visibility delivery trucks must leave for motorists entering a road from adjacent roads when they are parked delivering goods? I’ve encountered delivery trucks that block the view of oncoming traffic making it difficult to pull onto the highway without cutting someone off.

A: I’ll start with what I already know: Obstructed views contribute to traffic crashes. Obvious? Yes, but also supported by data. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studied various contributing factors to collisions in intersections and confirmed what is clearly evident. But they were able to express it in a percentage. In an analysis of a nationally representative sample of 787,236 intersection collisions, turning with an obstructed view contributed to 7.8 percent of the crashes.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Thank You – An Attentive Driving Message

Across Washington fatalities from distracted driving are down. In 2019 there were 33 fewer distracted driving deaths in our state compared to 2016, the year before our new distracted driving law took effect. Drivers are paying more attention to the road, and it’s making a difference, so thank you.