The Wise Drive

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.

April 1, 2020July 18, 2024

Donuts and Traffic Episode 2 – The Prosecutor

Yes, there is a second episode of Donuts and Traffic. Does that officially make it a series? Just to be sure, episode three is in the works.

In this episode I interview Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Miriam Norman. She’s an impaired driving expert with some information that may surprise you (and possibly change how you think).

Note: Even though this video was posted on April 1, the actual filming took place before social distancing was in place here in Washington. We don’t want to give the impression we’re disregarding the very important practices needed to keep us safe during this time.

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.

March 8, 2020July 18, 2024

Does a Fancy Car Make You a Jerk?

There are a lot of jokes about BMW drivers, and most of them depend on the premise that if you’re rich enough to drive a BMW, your wealth somehow entitles you to a greater portion of the road or less responsibility in how you use it. For example, if you ever feel like your job is meaningless, just think about the workers in Munich who install turn signals in BMWs. Or, if light travels faster than sound, why can I hear the horn of the BMW behind me before the light turns green?

Of course, if you drive a BMW, feel free to substitute the name of another premium automotive brand. The point isn’t about BMWs; it’s the stereotype that drivers of expensive cars are more likely to, well, be jerks on the road. And while in the past that may have been a presumption, a study recently confirmed it.

March 1, 2020July 18, 2024

Maybe Nobody Goes First

Q: If I’m making a right turn on a red light at an intersection and another person is making a U-turn to get into the same lane that I’m turning into, which one of us has the right-of-way?

A: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that depends. How’s that for non-committal? But I have a good reason, so let’s dig into the laws about both right turns and U-turns to figure out who gets to turn first. Just in case the geometry of the original question isn’t clear, here’s a graphic of an intersection to help explain what’s going on.

February 23, 2020July 18, 2024

Parking Lots Are Not Base (And Traffic Enforcement Is Not Tag)

Q: Can an officer give me a ticket if I’m no longer on the roadway and have parked in the parking lot of a store?

A: Remember playing tag as a kid? We used to have a “base”; as long as you were touching it you couldn’t get tagged. In my yard that was the apple tree. Now just imagine what traffic enforcement would be like if there was a base for drivers who committed traffic violations. Everyone who ran a red light would be looking for the nearest convenience store parking lot to avoid a ticket. It reminds me of the Dukes of Hazzard. On Friday evenings I watched Bo and Luke Duke race across the county line as Sheriff Roscoe P Coltrane skidded to at stop at the edge of Hazzard County, foiled by the Duke boys again. Great to watch on TV when you’re ten, but not how it actually works.

February 16, 2020July 18, 2024

Angling for Parking

Q: What are the rules of right of way when someone is backing out of an angled parking spot?

A: This is one of those situations where you have the rules, and then you have reality. Let’s start with the rules. I can’t find a law that describes how to back out of an angled parking spot, but there are a couple of laws that address moving a stopped vehicle and backing up.

February 9, 2020July 18, 2024

Rideshare – Safer Than What?

Q: Are rideshare companies a safe choice? Are their drivers any better than the rest of us? How can I know if I’ll be safe taking an Uber or Lyft?

A: Safety is a relative term, isn’t it? Usually when we talking about being safe, it’s in comparison to something else. Safe choices don’t guarantee absolute safety, but reduce the risk compared to the alternative. Wearing a seatbelt, obeying the speed limit, driving sober, skydiving with a parachute; all of these are safer than the alternative.