Precision driving: Readers pose driving queries

I enjoy hearing from thoughtful readers asking questions about driving subjects. A few of the latest inquiries cover topics we should all become familiar with.

P.M. has a question about a driver’s view, or lack of it, at intersections. She wonders, “Why aren’t people/businesses held responsible for keeping bushes trimmed so vision is not obscured. The intersection at Cascade and Division is an example — the traffic on Division is usually going over the speed limit — although going the speed limit enables you to go downtown and miss few lights — as our weather gets warmer and the bushes grow and grow, even at 6a.m. it is hard to see oncoming traffic coming from the North, in order to make a legal right turn on a red light.”

Many of us feel your frustration, P.M. The good news is that the property owner is responsible for that. It’s covered in the Spokane Municipal Code, Title 11 — Regulation of Building and Land Use, SMC 11.12.050. This law, concerning fences, vegetation, and structures at corners, states, “No person may erect, install or maintain a fence, hedge, or other improvement on the corner of a lot so as to obstruct the view of travelers upon the streets.”

Further, under SMC Title 17C — Land Use Standards, it states, in Chapter 200, section 040 (17C.200.040), “The Director of Engineering shall enforce a ‘clear view triangle’ which limits planting to afford clear driver views.”

The only catch is that citizens must act as the eyes of enforcement by contacting the city and/or county engineers when an infraction is spotted. Armed with published law, please make calls to the authorities when you can’t see around the landscaping.

Concerned driver D.A sent me a provocative question — it’s pertinent, too, considering proposed use of photo enforcement for red light compliance. He asked, “As I understand it, the law requires that a vehicle be completely clear of the intersection by the time the light turns red. Is that correct?”

There could be some gray area here, D.A. The Traffic Control Legend, RCW 46.61.055, is lengthy, but suggests that a vehicle may enter an intersection (defined as placing front bumper across the stop line, or the crosswalk in the absence of a line) upon yellow indication, but not upon red. This implies that you have the right to clear the intersection if entered upon yellow, but supposes you will do that unimpeded.

If you are impeded, and stuck in the intersection upon red, according to the law, you shouldn’t have entered. That’s where RCW 46.61.202 comes into play, which states that you must have sufficient space on the other side of the intersection to clear it before entering. To me, the gray area manifests itself when an unexpected obstruction delays your crossing, such as a driver who suddenly decides to stop in front of you without warning, and wait to make a left turn.

P.M. posed a second question, asking, “I am a person with handicapped signage — I see so many people driving around with it hanging from the rear view mirror — that is against the law and has a hefty fine. The few times I have mentioned this to people — they are very defensive and obviously do not want to hear it — however I feel this is a dangerous practice. With privileges come rules — any idea how many tickets are handed out for this practice?”

I can’t say how many tickets are doled out, P.M, nor can I find a law specifically forbidding the card hanging. I’ll bet the regulations are printed on the card, though, and I can certainly chime in about the general practice of hanging things from the inside rear view mirror.

There are plenty of laws on the books about drivers maintaining unobstructed views of the roadway. If you doubt it, just hang a collection of trinkets your mirror, and troll for the police. Anytime you have items on or in your vehicle that are deemed by authorities to obscure your vision, you are subject to a citation.

Forget the urban legend that supports hanging CDs from your mirror to jam police radar — it doesn’t work, looks stupid, might blind other drivers, and may get you a ticket.

Finally, D.S. asks, “Am I at fault if I hit the open door of a vehicle at the side of the road?” I would say no, D.S., in light of RCW 46.61.620. It states, “No person shall open the door of a motor vehicle on the side adjacent to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle adjacent to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.”