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A Quick Answer to a Quick Poll
By Jonathan | June 10, 2008 at 8:54 pm
In my last post I ranted about people not understanding some simple traffic laws, but still being allowed behind the wheel of a 2-ton motor vehicle. Specifically, I was referring to the action drivers should take when the traffic light is not functioning at a three or four-way intersection. Reading into the Ohio Revised Code, Title [45] XLV Motor Vehicles — Aeronautics — Watercraft, Chapter 4511: Traffic Laws — Operation of Motor Vehicles, Section 132: Operation at intersections with malfunctioning traffic control signal lights, drivers should *insert paraphrase here* treat the intersection as a four-way stop. ie:
Stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, stop before entering the crosswalk on the near side of the intersection, or, if none, stop before entering the intersection;
Therefore, the correct answer to last week’s poll was: #3, Four-way stop.
Thanks to everyone who played. Whoever voted for bumper cars…I know you know better. My loyal readers are very bright.
Before we conclude for today, there is one other traffic pet peeve that I’d like to clarify. The main road connecting my place of residence and the freeway is a four-lane road with a double yellow line. During the school year there are many times that school busses drive down this road. This, as you may have guessed, also results in them stopping to pick up/drop off kids. On more than one occasion I have seen traffic in both directions come to a complete stop when the bus is stopped. My argument is the following:
When a school bus is stopped on a four-lane road in the state of Ohio, oncoming traffic need not stop.
According to the Ohio Revised Code Title [45] XLV Motor Vehicles — Aeronautics — Watercraft, Chapter 4511: Traffic Laws — Operation of Motor Vehicles, Section 75: Stopping for a stopped school bus, I am correct.
Where a highway has been divided into four or more traffic lanes, a driver of a vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley need not stop for a school bus approaching from the opposite direction which has stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging any school child, persons attending programs offered by community boards of mental health and county boards of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, or children attending programs offered by head start agencies. The driver of any vehicle, streetcar, or trackless trolley overtaking the school bus shall comply with division (A) of this section.
I hope that this has been educational. Actually, I hope you already knew this. Consider this a refresher course in basic drivers’ ed. Please note that driving laws may differ from state to state. It is the driver’s responsibility to familiarize himself with state driving laws while traveling. Did you know that in Texas if there is an emergency vehicle on the side of the road you must move over or slow down to 20mph below the speed limit?
June 11th, 2008 at 9:52 am
I see your thesis has taken a back page.
June 13th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Since you are ranting/raving on traffic laws. Can you explain why Ohio Drivers don’t seem to know when they should use that little lever on the left side of the steering column?(affectionately called a ‘turn signal’)
I wonder if many even know of its existance.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Just Ohio drivers? I’m not sure anyone uses a turn signal much these days.
June 14th, 2008 at 11:51 am
sms