December 2021 – The Wise Drive

December 23, 2021February 3, 2022

The Two-Way Turn Lane Is Not For Passing

Q: Imagine it’s another slow drive home and, as usual, you’re backed up in traffic, waiting for your chance to swing into the left turn lane and (hopefully) leave the congestion behind. Other drivers are obviously thinking the same thing, except they’re whizzing past you, using that long two-way left turn lane as a passing lane to get up to the light. Should you swing over there, too? And how soon is too soon?

A: It’s hard to resist the lure of open pavement, isn’t it? You’re stuck waiting two minutes at a time for the light to change, moving forward ten cars, and then waiting again, all while watching the scofflaws using the center turn lane to get ahead. Yes, those people whizzing past you using the two-way left turn lane as a passing lane are violating the law.

December 16, 2021December 15, 2021

Two Left Turns – The Dance of the Intersection

Q: Scenario: I’m making a left turn at an intersection (across oncoming traffic). There is an oncoming vehicle doing the same. (We’re now pointing at each other in the intersection.) Do we pass each other and then turn? Or turn before we pass? Sorry this is hard to describe — it’s also hard to deal with in real life, too!

A: If you’re going ballroom dancing, it helps if both you and your partner know the same steps. My own knowledge of the topic is limited to an introductory class taken in an attempt to not make a fool of myself at a wedding where I knew we’d be ballroom dancing. That was enough to know that getting out of step can result in some clumsy results.

December 9, 2021December 8, 2021

Sharing The Bike Lane With Walkers

Q: I live in an area where bikes lanes are present on both sides of the road, but there are no sidewalks. I was taught to always walk against car traffic. That also means walking against bike traffic. If I see a bike coming, I edge to my left to allow them to pass me on the right. I have had some experiences with bike riders not yielding any space, or worse, forcing me into the street. I have also seen a lot of walkers walking with traffic. What are the rules with regard to pedestrians and bicyclists using bike lanes in areas where there are no sidewalks? Also, what are the rules regarding pedestrian directionality with regard to traffic?

A: In the classic western movie High Noon, there’s an iconic scene moments before the villains arrive when Marshal Will Kane walks alone down the main street through Hadleyville, the sole person responsible for the safety of his town. Do you know which side of the road he walks down? It doesn’t matter, because the story takes place before cars and bicycles were invented. From a traffic safety perspective, we may long for those simpler times. In this modern era, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers sometimes share the same space, and there’s a clear imbalance in outcomes if it doesn’t all go well. Of course, in those simpler times we didn’t have penicillin and the average life expectancy was 42, so there are some tradeoffs.

December 2, 2021

We’re All Part Of The Impaired Driving Solution

This week I’m turning things around a bit. Usually you ask the questions, but this time I’m going to do it. Or more accurately, I’m going to repeat a question that Washington Traffic Safety Commission asked: “What have you done to stop someone from driving drunk or high?” Folks responded, and their answers are worth sharing.

Maybe you’ve been in a situation where an impaired person intended to drive and you knew it was up to you to make sure they didn’t. In that moment you might have felt like you were out there on your own. I hope that after you’re done reading this you’ll know that you’re not. These stories (and actual research data) show that when you prevent impaired driving, you’re part of a team that includes a lot of us. How many? A survey of Washington drivers found that 80 percent of people in a situation to intervene have taken action to stop someone from driving impaired. Here are a few of their stories.