Month: September 2023

Q: Seems to me, it’s far more common to hear a motorcycle (and sometimes cars or trucks) from what could be a mile away, than to see one. I don’t think any agency uses decibel meters anymore. I believe the law prohibits modifying the exhaust from stock. So my question is: what enforcement, if any, is afforded to vehicles whose noise rattles the glasses in the cupboard?

A:  You have my sympathy. Once I had a neighbor who “upgraded” the muffler on his motorcycle. It might not have been so bad, except that he worked an early morning shift and left around five a.m. Soon it became the talk of the neighborhood, and not in a good way. People get grumpy (and I’m the worst of them) when they don’t get their sleep.

Continue reading “Traffic Enforcement and Loud Mufflers”

Q: Is it legal to drive on private property if I have a suspended license?

A: A few weeks ago, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch got his license suspended in his home state of North Carolina after driving 128 mph in a 45-mph zone. Pause for a moment and re-read that. Yes, that’s almost triple the posted speed limit. Normally speeding won’t get you a license suspension, but those kinds of speeds move things into reckless driving territory, and that’s what got him a suspension.

That 45-day license suspension didn’t stop Kyle from driving (and placing 7^th) in a NASCAR race in Florida three days later. In both North Carolina and Florida, the suspended driving laws prohibit a person from driving on state highways. So far, there are no NASCAR tracks that double as public highways, although some states (I’m looking at you, Texas) are pushing their top speed limits into racing territory.

Continue reading “Private Roads are not NASCAR Tracks”

Q: What are the rules about electric bikes and electric scooters?  We have them riding down the roads and sidewalks and now some of them are doing 45mph. Do riders need a motorcycle endorsement and vehicle registration? What about safety equipment?

A: An electric bike that can go 45 mph is a fictional vehicle. At least according to the law. Here’s what I mean: Washington law classifies electric bikes in three categories. Class three (the fastest category) is limited to a top speed of 28 mph. Any two wheeled vehicle that is capable of speeds greater than 28 mph is not an electric bike (by law).

Continue reading “Is it Really an Electric Bike?”

Q: How should cars and horses share the road? Some horse people say drivers should slow down to five mph and give a wide berth to the horses so they don’t freak out and throw the riders. I was told by someone else that drivers can be ticketed if they move into the opposite lane of travel to give room to horses although I’ve never heard of that happening.

A: I used to live in a semi-rural area, and occasionally I encountered folks riding their horses on the road. Whenever I passed them, I got a particular hand gesture. No, not that one. The one where you hold your arm straight out, hand facing palm down, and repeatedly motion toward the ground. You probably already know what it means, so it’s probably safe to declare it the universal hand sign for “slow down.” Or maybe not, since American Sign Language has an official sign for “slow down” (but it wouldn’t work very well for a vehicle approaching from behind).

Continue reading “Passing Horses on the Road”