Everything Traffic Safety
Q: I recently rode on a Washington State ferry and noticed that they sell alcohol on the ferries. At first I didn’t think anything of it, until I realized that except for the walk-aboards, everyone else has to drive to get off the ferry. Why does the state sell alcohol to people they know have to drive right after drinking?
Q: Is it legal to ride an electric scooter or an electric skateboard in a bike lane? Some of them can go 20 mph, so it seems like it would be dangerous to ride them on sidewalks around people.
Continue reading “Electric Scooters And Skateboards – Where Should They Ride?”
Q: Is it illegal to obstruct the view of the driver out the side windows? On my bicycle I have been nearly hit more than once by mail delivery drivers. They have right hand drive and stack mail on a shelf opposite them blocking their view out the left window. When they are making a right turn they can’t see me on my bike and pull out in front of me. If not illegal it’s dangerous.
This coming week, our local law enforcement agencies will be conducting speed patrols focusing on the routes that kids and families take to get to and from school. Here’s a PSA for the event made locally with some kids in my neighborhood:
Q: Over mountain passes and other highways, drivers encounter a sign stating “Delay of 5 vehicles Illegal Must Use Turnouts”. This relates to the law that requires slow-moving vehicles to pull off roadway. The law states a vehicle must pull off to let others proceed if the slow-moving vehicle is traveling at “a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place”. This implies that the slow-moving vehicle could be traveling the speed limit and still be required to let others pass, thereby enabling others to drive above the speed limit and break the law. I understand normal citizens are not to enforce traffic law but I thought it odd there is a law designed to allow others to potentially break the law. What is your interpretation?
Continue reading “Does The Law Allow Speeding? No (Well, Maybe A Little)”
Q: I know we should always wear our seatbelts, so what should we do if there are more people in a car than seatbelts? Is it a good idea to buddy buckle?
Q: Would you please explain the reason why the right turn onto the freeway on-ramp must yield to the left turning vehicle? Example: Bakerview and I-5 southbound on-ramp.
Summer in Washington is like a good nap; amazing while it’s happening but never long enough. One of the first signs that summer is wrapping up? The school buses that are on the roads starting this week. We’ve covered the topic of school buses before (and you can find those articles at TheWiseDrive.com) so I’m not going to repeat myself here. Instead, let’s hear from an actual school bus driver. I had the privilege of talking with a local bus driver and asked him about some of the things he sees, both good and not so good, as he’s driving kids to and from school. What follows are some of my questions (in italics), followed by a loose paraphrase of his accumulated bus-driving wisdom.
Q: If the legal limit for getting a DUI is .08, how can someone get a DUI if they blow less than .08? Wouldn’t they not be legally drunk?
Continue reading “The Difference Between Drunk and Impaired”
Q: I’ve seen diesel pickups spewing out black smoke on command, or “rolling coal”. It seems like sometimes they do it intentionally to irritate other drivers or cyclists. It that legal?
Continue reading “Rolling Coal: What It Is- And What’s The Point?”