As Bumpers Keep Getting Higher, So Does Motorist’s Anxiety Level
Dear Street Smart:
I drive a small, environmentally wise Honda Civic. A source of constant minor terror to me are the bumpers I see around me on trucks, vans and those “urban assault vehicles” (4-by-4, all-terrain, monster tires, etc.). Most of these bumpers, fore or aft, appear to be at just about throat level to me. I shudder to think of my fate if I were to be rear-ended by one of them, or worse, sandwiched between two of them.
My question: Are there any regulations regarding the height of bumpers above the street? And, since the headlights of these monsters provide a blinding experience, how about the height of the headlights above the street?
Deane Bottorf
Corona del Mar
The California Vehicle Code requires headlights to be 22 to 54 inches above the surface of the street as measured from the center of the light. The floor of a passenger vehicle can be no more than 23 inches above the street, and bumpers are generally 8 to 20 inches above that.
Virtually all cars manufactured or sold in the U.S. fall within those ranges, according to Sam Samra, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.
The problem, though, is that some owners illegally modify them. “It’s a problem that rears its ugly head quite often,” Samra said.
If you see a car or van you think has been modified, he said, you should provide a local law enforcement agency with the license plate number and a description of the driver and vehicle, as well as the date, time and place where you observed it. If possible, officers will check it out and issue a citation requiring the owner to get the problem fixed.
In the meantime, Samra said, your concerns are valid. Studies have shown that high bumpers are more likely to cause serious injuries during an accident. His advice: When you see such a car, stay well behind it.
“I always use the bowling alley analogy,” Samra said. “If you’re the pin and you put yourself in front of these people, you’re at their mercy. If you get behind this unsafe vehicle and stay at a safe distance, however, you’re at a place where you can react defensively and properly to whatever they do.”
Dear Street Smart:
Many bridges which pass over the Santa Ana and Riverside freeways have been reconstructed or are under reconstruction for the widening projects.
I’m concerned because the newer overpasses don’t seem to be built as strong and as durable as many of the older ones. In the event of an earthquake of large magnitude, it seems like many could collapse.
The older-style bridges that cross many of our freeways are constructed of heavy-duty metal “I” beams. My guess is that they are probably much stronger than the newer overpasses.
The bridges that are now under construction are usually longer, due to the expansion of the freeways and the addition of more traffic lanes. I’m a little troubled because they seem like they would have a greater proclivity toward structural failure due to an earthquake.
Can’t the bridge construction firms build them out of metal? Are they taking adequate precautions to make the overpasses safe?
Frank Waters
Anaheim
Just because you can’t see metal doesn’t mean it’s not there, said Albert Miranda, a spokesman for Caltrans.
The new bridges, he said, are being constructed with a variety of materials and in a number of designs that Caltrans researchers have determined offer optimum protection against earthquakes.
Much of that research is done at a Caltrans testing center in San Diego, where the new materials and designs are tested against high levels of stress.
“We are designing our bridges to withstand stronger earthquakes than any of the previously constructed bridges were able to withstand,” Miranda said. “We’re building bridges with the best design techniques and the best materials available.”
Often that includes parts made of metal but covered by other materials.
In addition to building new bridges to withstand bigger earthquakes, he said, Caltrans is retrofitting the existing ones in Orange County to meet new standards by doing such things as encasing them in steel and reinforcing their girders. So far, Miranda said, 51 bridges have been reinforced in this manner, with another 61 scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.
“If you look at an older bridge and compare it to a newer bridge,” he said, “you will see that the newer designs are stronger.”
Dear Street Smart:
Regarding the 91 Express Lanes, I wonder how many people know this: If you do not use the 91 FasTrak transponder for a month, you’re charged $1. I found out the hard way and don’t remember ever seeing it mentioned in their literature.
Needless to say, I canceled and bought a transponder for the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor, which does not charge if not used.
Beverly Brown
Irvine
You’re right, according to Dave Simpson, a spokesman for the California Private Transportation Co., which operates the 91 Express Lanes. Called a “non-use” fee, the $1 charge is assessed on all accounts that remain inactive for 30 days. The fee pays the costs for maintaining the account, said Simpson.
According to Simpson, you agreed to the monthly fee when you signed the application to open your account.
Street Smart appears Mondays in The Times Orange County Edition. Readers are invited to submit comments and questions about traffic, commuting and what makes it difficult to get around in Orange County. Include simple sketches if helpful. Letters may be published in upcoming columns. Please write to David Haldane, c/o Street Smart, the Times Orange County Edition, P.O. Box 2008, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, send faxes to (714) 966-7711 or e-mail him at David.Haldane@latimes.com. Include your full name, address and day and evening phone numbers. Letters may be edited, and no anonymous letters will be accepted.
