February 2020 – The Wise Drive

February 23, 2020April 1, 2020

Parking Lots Are Not Base (And Traffic Enforcement Is Not Tag)

Q: Can an officer give me a ticket if I’m no longer on the roadway and have parked in the parking lot of a store?

A: Remember playing tag as a kid? We used to have a “base”; as long as you were touching it you couldn’t get tagged. In my yard that was the apple tree. Now just imagine what traffic enforcement would be like if there was a base for drivers who committed traffic violations. Everyone who ran a red light would be looking for the nearest convenience store parking lot to avoid a ticket. It reminds me of the Dukes of Hazzard. On Friday evenings I watched Bo and Luke Duke race across the county line as Sheriff Roscoe P Coltrane skidded to at stop at the edge of Hazzard County, foiled by the Duke boys again. Great to watch on TV when you’re ten, but not how it actually works.

February 16, 2020February 15, 2020

Angling for Parking

Q: What are the rules of right of way when someone is backing out of an angled parking spot?

A: This is one of those situations where you have the rules, and then you have reality. Let’s start with the rules. I can’t find a law that describes how to back out of an angled parking spot, but there are a couple of laws that address moving a stopped vehicle and backing up.

February 9, 2020February 6, 2020

Rideshare – Safer Than What?

Q: Are rideshare companies a safe choice? Are their drivers any better than the rest of us? How can I know if I’ll be safe taking an Uber or Lyft?

A: Safety is a relative term, isn’t it? Usually when we talking about being safe, it’s in comparison to something else. Safe choices don’t guarantee absolute safety, but reduce the risk compared to the alternative. Wearing a seatbelt, obeying the speed limit, driving sober, skydiving with a parachute; all of these are safer than the alternative.

February 6, 2020February 6, 2020

Donuts and Traffic – Episode 1

In what I hope becomes a continuing series, this is the first episode of Donuts and Traffic – a show where we eat donuts and talk about traffic. In this episode I talk with new driver Odelia Dahl about what it’s like to hit the road for her first solo trip, the ups and downs of driving, and her dad’s bad driving habits.

February 2, 2020January 30, 2020

Yielding at an Alley

Q: I know you’re supposed to yield to pedestrians crossing the street at an intersection, but does an alley count as an intersection?

A: An alley does not count as an intersection, but I don’t think that gets to the heart of your question. If I can take the liberty to interpret what you’re asking, I’d guess that what we’re getting at is, “Who yields to who (or is it whom?) where an alley meets a street?” And yes, it’s whom. I just checked.