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The A-Pillar Problem

Q: I recently had a close call with a pedestrian. I looked both ways before pulling into the intersection, but he seemed to appear out of nowhere, right in front of my car. How is that possible?

A: Back when I went through driver’s ed . . .  I know this sounds like a setup for a story where I teach the next generation about life by telling them about walking to school up hill both ways barefoot in the snow, but its’ not; stay with me. Back when I went through driver’s ed we were taught about blind spots. We know blind spots are the areas just behind the driver, on either side of the car, where a car, bike or pedestrian could be invisible due to a poorly adjusted mirror and a failure of a driver to turn and look. Continue reading “The A-Pillar Problem”

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Should School Buses Have Seatbelts?

Q: Why are there no seatbelts in school buses, public transit buses, or private transportation vehicles like charter buses? In regard to these transportation types, we still seem to be in the “let ‘em fly” era, when car occupants – kids and all – were just loose cargo going every which way in the event of a crash.

A: You just brought up a four billion dollar question. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, the good news for seatbelt advocates: In 2013, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that commercial carrier buses (the ones you hire or buy a ticket to ride on) would be required to have seatbelts, starting in 2016. The rule only applies to new buses, and does not apply to public transit buses or school buses. Continue reading “Should School Buses Have Seatbelts?”

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Avoiding High-Beam Blindness

Q: What are the rules and regulations about headlights? It seems like the low-beam headlights on some new vehicles are as bright as an older car’s high-beams. What about the height of headlights on big trucks and SUVs? What’s the best way to handle an oncoming driver that appears to have their high-beams on? Can I flash my high-beams at them?

A: Lots of people get annoyed over how drivers use (or misuse) headlights, and with good reason. I can’t think of any other driving behaviors have the potential to temporarily blind another motorist. Okay, maybe “blind” is hyperbole, but anyone who drives at night knows the experience of encountering an oncoming driver who fails to dim their high-beams, and how much that impacts vision. Continue reading “Avoiding High-Beam Blindness”

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Signs That Don’t Make Sense

Here’s a one-question quiz: Are there more road signs on local, state and federal roads in America, or more Americans who admit to getting lost by not reading the road signs? I actually don’t know the answer to that, but I’m confident that the number is in the millions for both. Given that there are so many road signs, I’m actually surprised at how infrequently we encounter signs that cause confusion. However, thanks to reader submissions, this week we take a look at three signs that could use some explanation. Continue reading “Signs That Don’t Make Sense”

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White Lines and What They Mean

Q: What are the rules on crossing white lines? Solid white lines, double white lines, white lines on the shoulder of the road; some of you have been wondering about when it’s okay to make lane changes across white lines.

A: Let’s start with where white lines are found and the types of white lines you might encounter while driving. White lines are used to separate lanes traveling in the same direction or to mark the shoulder of the roadway. They can be broken, dashed, solid or solid double and each type has a reason and some rules. Continue reading “White Lines and What They Mean”

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How To Celebrate Secure Your Load Day

Instead of answering a question this week, I have a question for you. Can you name an event that happened on June 6th? Depending on your interest in history, you might answer that it was the day of the Great Seattle Fire in 1989, a memorable event in Northwest history. (In naming it “great” I’m sure they meant big as opposed to better-than-good.) Or you may bring up D-Day in 1944, a day that altered the outcome of World War II. The classic rock fans might remember that June 6th of 1965 is the day the Rolling Stones released “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” an anthem for a generation (or two). Continue reading “How To Celebrate Secure Your Load Day”

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Seat Belts: Everybody’s Wearing Them (Almost)

Q; I’ve seen a lot of commercials reminding us to wear seat belts lately. Is that really still a problem? Doesn’t everyone wear a seat belt now?

A: You’re close. Almost everyone in Washington buckles up. Seat belt use in Washington is at about 95 percent. That’s seven points higher than the national average. Given that the use rates are so high, it seems like we could call it a win and move on. However, there is a caveat. (There always is, isn’t there?) Continue reading “Seat Belts: Everybody’s Wearing Them (Almost)”

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Roundabout Refresher

I thought we had this whole round-about thing pretty well managed, but based on the abundance of email I’ve been getting lately I guess that’s just not true. That point was driven home recently by a comment from a reader. In an article about bike boxes, I wrote that we’ll learn how to navigate them “just like the roundabouts that most of us have figured out.”

In response, a reader commented, “Hah! I’m not sure if the author meant that as a joke or not, but you gave me a nice laugh on Monday morning.” Continue reading “Roundabout Refresher”

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U-turns: Mostly Legal, Sometimes Risky

Q: When driving on Meridian Street in the area of the mall, there are now those barriers keeping you from making a left turn. I see a lot of people making U-turns now when they get to the next intersection. Is this legal?

A: Before answering this question I took a drive down Meridian just to make sure I wasn’t failing to remember any “No U-Turn” signs. In Washington, U-turns are generally legal at intersections. The exception, and I’m stating the obvious here, is when there is a posted sign prohibiting U-turns. Continue reading “U-turns: Mostly Legal, Sometimes Risky”