Dear Street Smart:I can be (and have...

Dear Street Smart:

I can be (and have been) cited for failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign. Why do bicyclists seem to have complete immunity from this law? I am constantly seeing them zoom through stop signs without even slowing.

In one case, two bicyclists sailed out of the cross street as I was about to pull away from a four-way stop, and one of them had the gall to hold up his hand to indicate that I should stop again. This occurred at the very intersection where I had been cited a few months previously.

Your thoughts?

Richard A. Pierce, Burbank

Dear Reader:

Let your letter be a warning to bicyclists everywhere that they are not exempt from halting at stop signs just because they drive two wheels instead of four.

“They are susceptible to the rules of the road just like everyone else,” CHP Officer Glen Dominguez said.

After stopping at the stop sign, though, bicycle riders have two options. They can cross to the other side on their bike with the rest of traffic as long as they do not veer within the lines of the marked crosswalk. Or they can join pedestrians and use the crosswalk--but to do that, they have to dismount and escort their bikes across on foot.

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Dear Street Smart:

In traveling through the Valley during the weekends, I have noticed that the freeway on-ramp control lights are in operation even though the freeway traffic is light. I have seen this on many of the on-ramps, but two in particular prove to be particularly annoying. These are the westbound on-ramp to the Ventura Freeway on Balboa Boulevard and the eastbound on-ramp to the Ventura Freeway at Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

I was under the impression that the purpose of these lights was to control access during peak traffic times. I feel that they should be turned off completely during the weekends and on holidays. What can be done to eliminate the lights?

Murray S. Levine, Los Angeles

Dear Reader:

Your tax dollars at work: In response to your letter, Caltrans inspected both signals and determined that the Topanga Canyon Boulevard light is working properly. The Balboa Boulevard signal, however, might need an adjustment.

The problem you describe is caused by the way the signaling system is designed. Caltrans spokesman Russ Snyder said the signals are designed to sense traffic already on the freeway and to control the flow of cars waiting to enter.

The lights are supposed to shut off in the evening and on weekends. But if the system detects heavy traffic, it will turn itself on. Because it senses traffic downstream on the freeway, drivers farther away may not notice heavy traffic.

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Dear Street Smart:

Regarding the recent question (Feb. 28) as to who has the right of way if a police car, ambulance, firetruck and a mail truck all arrive at an intersection:

I am glad that it was established that the mail truck would not even be in the running, but I am disappointed that it was not pointed out that Section 21806 of the California Vehicle Code makes that clear.

Section 21800 answers the question of which of the remaining three vehicles has the right of way. To make it short, the vehicle to the left of the mail truck has the right of way.

Since everybody has to yield to the vehicle on his right, whoever sees the mail truck on his right gets to go first.

Easy, huh?

Jim Rogers, Granada Hills

Dear Reader:

It sounds plausible enough, but there are a couple of caveats to add to this heady debate.

Your answer is predicated on the assumption that the police car, ambulance and firetruck are all responding to an emergency and have their sirens blaring. In that case, Section 21806 of the Vehicle Code indeed specifies that “every other vehicle”--such as a mail truck--”shall yield the right of way.”

Of the remaining vehicles, though, it’s harder to say exactly who has the right of way, partly because the rules of the road are largely suspended for emergency vehicles responding to emergencies. Technically, they do not even have to stop at the stop sign if it’s safe to go on through, according to the California Highway Patrol.

So if all three are rushing to emergencies, it may well be up to the dispatchers to sort it out, as we said last time.

Now say there’s no emergency at all, and all four vehicles, including the mail truck, arrive at the intersection at the same time. At this point, it makes no difference whether you’re driving a firetruck or a Tonka truck; everyone is equal.

So who goes first, since there is someone to the right of each driver?

“There’s no real correct answer to that,” said CHP Officer Tito Gomez. “There you just have to use your best judgment. . . . If you proceed through the intersection, you should do so in a safe manner.”