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Crossing the Street for Angled Parking

Q: Is it legal to pull into an angled parking space on the opposite side of the street (in front of the Bellingham Public Library, for example)?

A: I’ll begin by assuming that in this scenario, the driver pulls nose first into the parking spot rather than backing into it. If my assumption is incorrect, this is a simple question to answer. RCW 46.61.575 requires that drivers park “in the direction of authorized traffic movement.” Backing into angled parking on the opposite side of the street would be a violation of the law. But nose first, that’s a different story. Continue reading “Crossing the Street for Angled Parking”

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Navigating Through Construction Zone Signs

Q: Are there any requirements for the use and/or placement of signage to warn drivers when construction affects the flow of traffic? Who is responsible for setting up the signs?

A: Oh yes, there are requirements. Pages and pages of requirements. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which Washington has adopted as its rule book for signs, signals, road markings has nearly 200 pages devoted to what it calls Temporary Traffic Control (TTC). That’s the official term for signs used during construction or other scenarios that require a short-term change in traffic patterns, such as a crash that blocks traffic or a truckload of salmon that spills onto the highway. Continue reading “Navigating Through Construction Zone Signs”

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Can I Get a DUI On My Bike?

Q: With the upsurge of breweries in town I have seen more clearly intoxicated bike riders leaving local breweries. Is there a rule about riding your bike while intoxicated?

A: This is a great example of, “Dumb is not the same as illegal.” In Washington, it is not a crime to ride a bike while drunk. The Revised Code of Washington specifically addresses this issue, making it clear that the role of law enforcement is limited, in most instances, to offering assistance to the impaired cyclist. Some states make it a crime to cycle impaired, but not us. In ascending order of intrusiveness, I’ll list the options available to an officer who encounters a drunk cyclist. Continue reading “Can I Get a DUI On My Bike?”

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How To (And Not To) Handle Tailgaters

Q: What is the best way to deal with tailgaters without rewarding them for their dangerous behavior?

A: By “reward” I’m assuming you don’t mean a trophy or a ribbon. Does getting out of the way of a tailgater feel like rewarding them for their behavior? If so, let’s change the question a bit. How about this: What is the best way to deal with tailgaters so that I am more likely to have a safe outcome? Continue reading “How To (And Not To) Handle Tailgaters”

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The World’s Craziest Roundabout

If it took some time for you to get used to the roundabouts we have here in northwest Washington, just take a look at this one in Swindon, England. Seven traffic circles combine into one roundabout, and you get to pick which direction you want to go. You’d think it would be a crazy mess, but apparently it works. Take a look at the video from Wired Magazine to see an animation of how this roundabout functions.

Traffic engineers have to balance safety and expediency when they design roads and intersections. Their goal is to get people to their destination as fast as safely possible. According to the data, this  roundabout achieves that goal. It reduce crashes and it improves traffic flow. Anyone interested in a road trip to go try it out?

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Speed Versus Survival

Q: You say that the Whatcom County Traffic Safety Task force has a vision to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries to zero by 2030 but what exactly is being done to achieve that goal? Every day, as I drive around the county, I see worrisome traffic infractions but I seldom see a police presence or “speed traps”. I am constantly harassed by aggressive drivers who seem to believe speed limits don’t apply to them or are just an annoyance. The recent spate of fatal accidents caused by irresponsible drivers is frightening. I know that at any time I could become a statistic. Isn’t it time to get tough with those people and send a message that driving is a privilege, not a right, and with that privilege comes responsibility and serious consequences for flouting the law? Continue reading “Speed Versus Survival”

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Learning to Merge

Q: How are drivers supposed to merge onto the freeway? It seems like most drivers in Bellingham expect to merge into traffic immediately when they enter the on-ramp instead of getting up to speed and “zipper-merging” near the end of the on-ramp lane. Entering drivers seem to think its their right to merge into traffic before getting up to speed and expect other drivers to slow down or change lanes to make room for them, creating hazardous conditions for all drivers in their area. What is the law?

A: With increased summer-time traffic, along with more freeway lane closures as road crews maximize the good weather, summer is the season of merging frustration. Although, as traffic has increased in the Northwest, any day can include merge-induced headaches. We might be able to alleviate some of those headaches if we could all agree on the best way to merge. Whether it’s merging onto the freeway from an on-ramp, as this question poses, or merging due to a lane closure, research shows that there really is a best way. Continue reading “Learning to Merge”

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What To Do About “The Wave”

Q: Would you please address the fact that politeness should not trump correct driving rules? I appreciate that people in Bellingham are usually so polite on the roads, but this can also drive me crazy at times. There are so many times that the other driver on the road has the right of way, but stops and tries to get me to move first by waving me on.

A: I’m all for polite and courteous drivers. The last thing we need on the road are drivers that take every perceived error from other motorists as a personal insult and then react as if defending five generations of their family’s honor. That being said, the most polite thing a driver can do is follow the rules of the road. Think of traffic rules not just as a law put in place by the government, but as a shared set of values that drivers rely on to understand each other. Some drivers, intending to be polite, violate these shared values with “the wave”. Continue reading “What To Do About “The Wave””