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Too Blinky, Too Bright

Q: What kind of lighting is required to ride my bike at night? Are strobe lights legal?

A: At the minimum, the law requires a white headlight on the front of the bike, visible from at least 500 feet, and a red reflector on the back, visible from at least 600 feet. But this is America, and if a little is good, then more is better, right? Not always. There seems to be an arms race for the brightest headlights on both cars and bicycles, and the bikes might be winning. Continue reading “Too Blinky, Too Bright”

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Travel With Care – A Local Traffic Safety Project

This week’s column is less of a question and more of a plea: Can’t we all just get along on our roads? I’ve received questions from drivers who are angry about cyclist and pedestrian behavior, pedestrians who are terrified of drivers and nervous about cyclists, and cyclists who fear for their lives because of drivers.

Many of you have sent questions asking about why a driver or cyclist or pedestrian would do ____. (Fill in the blank with the dumb action of your choice.) I’ll continue to work through the questions, but for today I’d like to address a common question that often follows the first question: What are we going to do about it? Continue reading “Travel With Care – A Local Traffic Safety Project”

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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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Teens Raising Awareness About Awful Parent Driving

This isn’t an actual PSA, but it probably should be. I spent the last couple of days on Western Washington University’s campus talking with students about safe driving. Many of them said they were the careful drivers in the family, and that they had to constantly remind their parents about things like leaving the phone alone, paying attention, tailgating, and driving at the speed limit.

Here’s Saturday Night Live’s version of a traffic safety PSA, addressing that issue: Continue reading “Teens Raising Awareness About Awful Parent Driving”

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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?””