In Pointing Off Road, Arrow Gives Advance Warning

Dear Street Smart:

On the off-ramp from the southbound San Diego Freeway to Irvine Center Drive, an arrow is painted on the pavement showing a right turn on to Irvine Center. If a driver were to follow that arrow, he would plunge about 30 feet into a vacant field.

The light at night is poor at that point, so it is difficult to see that the actual turn is about 25 feet ahead. Can you check this out and maybe get the arrow painted nearer to the actual turn?

Mrs. George Keenan Laguna Hills

Caltrans spokeswoman Rose Orem said the arrow is where the agency intended it, to give drivers advance warning of the stop.

Caltrans field investigators also checked the light at the off-ramp and found that it was operating properly, Orem said.

It may appear dim because it is the only light near the unpopulated, agricultural area, she said.

Dear Street Smart:

Could the city of Huntington Beach install those little blue reflectors along the bike path on Newland Street between Hamilton Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway?

There is a particular curve that drivers cut the corner on, and since most cars are traveling about 40 to 50 m.p.h., they sometimes send runners and bikers flying out of the way. Thanks for your help.

Bettina Bordmeyer Huntington Beach

Jim Otterson, the city traffic engineer, said the city typically does not place raised reflective markers on bike lanes because they can trip joggers and create a bumpy ride for bikers.

An exception is the bike lane on Warner Avenue near Los Patos Avenue. Orange reflective markers were installed there because several accidents had occurred, some involving drunk drivers weaving into the bike lane, Otterson said.

The markers, which are placed four feet apart, produce a solid orange glowing line at night. They appear to have done the trick at this site, he said.

Otterson said he knew of no accidents on Newland Street between Hamilton Avenue and PCH caused by drivers straying into the bike lane.

Those blue reflective markers, by the way, are placed to help firefighters locate hydrants.

Dear Street Smart:

You may consider this to be a minor gripe but for many people, especially those whose eyes are extra-sensitive to light, it’s a big deal.

I understand the wisdom of using one’s headlights in daytime hours, especially for motorcycles. But why the high beams?

I thought that there was a law against using high beams in traffic. But it’s obviously not being enforced. Why? Half of automobile drivers, and virtually all motorcycle riders use their high beams, day and night.

Don’t people realize that those things hurt, even in daylight hours? If the interest is safety, the use of high beams in traffic day or night is counterproductive, dangerous and discourteous.

Lyn A. Sherwood San Juan Capistrano

Considering all the times my car has been flooded with enough high beam light to read my owner’s manual by, yours is not a minor gripe. Here’s the skinny on what drivers should already know about high beams:

According to the California Vehicle Code--and regardless of the time of day--a driver using high beams must turn them down whenever an oncoming car approaches within 500 feet, or whenever the driver is within 300 feet of the car ahead.

California Highway Patrol officers do cite drivers for illegal use of high beams, said Patricia Ryan, an agency spokeswoman in Sacramento. The catch is that the officer has to witness the violation.

In 1994, CHP officers issued 2,411 tickets to drivers statewide for illegal use of high beams.

“That’s really quite a few tickets,” Ryan said.