Month: October 2017

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Flashing Hands And Countdown Timers

Q: I have a question on traffic signals for pedestrians. My understanding is that when a pedestrian comes up to the corner to cross the street and the red hand light is flashing, they are not supposed to start across. I see pedestrians constantly starting to cross when the red hand is lit and the seconds are showing. They seem to think that they are okay to start across as long the seconds are showing. Who is right on this?

A: By a show of hands, how many of you, when you see a pedestrian traffic signal with a countdown timer, look at the remaining seconds, calculate whether you can cross the street that fast, and then make a run for it? You can all put your hands down now. Continue reading “Flashing Hands And Countdown Timers”

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Is it Right to Pass on the Right?

Q: Is it legal to pass on the right on two lane streets where there is no fog line and the person in front of you is turning left?

A: I feel like you’ve nearly answered the question for me. In your question you actually listed one of only two situations where it is legal to pass on the right. To quote from the Revised Code of Washington, a driver may pass on the right “when the vehicle over taken is making or about to make a left turn.” We’ll get to the second situation a little later. Continue reading “Is it Right to Pass on the Right?”

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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?”