Precision driving: Rites of spring bring rights of spring

Ancient Rites of spring were celebrations of the season with episodes of human sacrifice to the God of Spring to gain his benevolence. As we celebrate the arrival of spring, let’s keep human sacrifice out of it.

Across the country, there are many Rites of spring events held about now, from a giant party in Birmingham, a music festival in Nashville, to a celebration of the sacred nature of Earth in the Berkshire Hills.

The common theme here is that as we emerge from winter, a celebratory mood sets in. This means that the presence of pedestrians, bicycles, and motorcycles on our streets in larger numbers than winter’s norm, is inevitable.

For this emergent group, many of whom are children, to mix successfully with auto and truck traffic, drivers must be extra vigilant. Vehicle operators must recognize that with Rites of spring come rights of spring for these fair weather folks.

Pedestrians

While this collective bunch includes all ages, and watchfulness has to be shared about 50/50 between drivers and adult “on-footers,” drivers must take full responsibility in accommodating children. Kids’ main focus is to enjoy the weather — drivers need to be on constant alert for them.

If you see another vehicle stopped ahead of you, they most likely are stopping for a pedestrian, so approach with care rather than trying to get past them.

I trust we all know that we must stop for a pedestrian using a marked or unmarked (intersection) crosswalk. Remember though, since a vehicle/pedestrian contest is a lopsided mismatch, Washington State RCW 46.61.245 protects the pedestrians. That provision, titled aptly, “Drivers to exercise care,” states, “Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this chapter every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian upon any roadway and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway.”

Bicycles

Much to the chagrin (from what I hear) of many, bicyclists have a right to use the roads. As a starting point, the Washington’s RCW 46.61.770 states, “Every person riding a bicycle on a roadway at a speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place shall ride as near to the right side of the right through lane as is safe except as may be appropriate while preparing to make or while making turning movements, or while overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction. A person operating a bicycle upon a roadway or highway other than a limited-access highway, which roadway or highway carries traffic in one direction only and has two or more marked traffic lanes, may ride as near to the left side of the left through lane as is safe. A person operating a bicycle upon a roadway may use the shoulder of the roadway or any specially designated bicycle lane if such exists.”

As with the pedestrian population, the assemblage of bicyclers contains many kids having fun — please give special consideration to those youthful peddlers.

Motorcycles

This topic is especially dear to me, as my own riding season approaches. The common collision that kills motorcyclists is when oncoming vehicles turn left into their paths — please notice and yield motorcycles as if they were cars or trucks.

Just so everyone reading this knows, applicable RCW 46.61.608 sets forth, “(1) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle of the full use of a lane. This subsection shall not apply to motorcycles operated two abreast in a single lane. (2) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken. (3) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles. (4) Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a single lane.”

Let’s all join in the Rites of spring, and let the presence of street sweepers, along with other signs of the season serve as a reminder to honor the rights of pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcycle riders.

Thanks for your stories, opinions, and comments — please keep them coming!