Last week the Vatican issued a list of Ten Commandments for drivers, an apparent bid to expand on Moses’ franchise to help steer us straight as we drive through our curvy lives.
Be charitable to your fellow drivers, commune with them when you can and help them out if they get in a jam were the themes. The traditional requirement to not kill or hurt anyone was in there, too.
Instead of reciting the Vatican’s list here, I decided to script out my own Ten Commandments for drivers.
1. Thou shalt not kill anyone and all of that morally responsible Vatican stuff.
2. Thou shalt not make thyself pretty while driving.
3. Thou shalt not let one’s self turn into a road-raging beast or take anyone’s name in vain or use one’s fingers to do the same.
4. Remember to drive fast in the fast lane, and to keep it holy (yes, yes, at the posted limit).
5. Honor thy carpool lane. Thou shalt not use it as your personal passing lane. It is only for those communing in their vehicles with another human soul.
6. Thou shalt not stop at a freeway onramp. Thou shalt flow smoothly in line with the rest of the flock. Thou shalt not back up or make U-turns on freeways.
7. Thou shalt use a hands-free device while talking on the phone. Follow the spirit of the law, which starts next year.
8. Thou shalt not break bread, or hamburgers or fried chicken, or any part of a six-pack, while driving.
9. Thou shalt not attempt to go forth and multiply while driving.
10. Though shalt not covet thy neighbor’s lane position without signaling.
Did I leave anything out? You know where to find me.
Highway 530 widening?
Question: I drive Highway 530 from Darrington to Arlington and back five days a week. Are there any plans to widen this section of highway? It seems there are more large trucks than ever going back and forth on this highway now. Very few large trucks stay on their side of the yellow line.
Kathy Gatherer, Darrington
Answer: We do not have plans to widen Highway 530 in that area.
Widening a highway is extraordinarily expensive and the state has limited money for this type of improvements.
In Snohomish County, most of our construction funds are directed at I-5, Highway 9, Highway 522 and Highway 532, the most congested and accident-prone choke points.
Travis Phelps, state Transportation Department spokesman
No turns in ‘transit only’
Question: When going south on 19th Avenue SE just prior to 121st Street SE there is a right lane marked “transit only.”
Is it OK to use this lane as a right-hand turn lane when there are no buses present?
I witnessed a situation where one driver was using this as a turn lane and another driver was not. Both drivers were turning right at almost the same time and an accident almost occurred.
Rick Oates, Everett
Answer: The bus stop pullout is restricted for transit use only. Private cars cannot use this as a right-turn lane. We will review and make changes to discourage private cars from using it.
Dongho Chang, city traffic engineer
Ask us about traffic
Have a question about traffic or street rules around Snohomish and Island counties? We can help find an answer. E-mail stsmarts@heraldnet.com.
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