Q: Can you please remind us on the laws governing school buses with flashing red lights and stop signs? Drivers often ignore them. … As you exit Highway 237 onto North First Street , there’s a school bus stop near Holger Way. Too often I have seen a bus stop, the “Stop” arm/sign pivot out, the lights start flashing — and cars continue on their merry way in all lanes. Please remind people that “Stop” means STOP!
Mike Buncic, Stuart K. and others
A: Police recently ran crackdowns on this in Hayward and in Santa Clara County. Here are the rules: When school bus red lights and stop signs are activated on an undivided roadway, all drivers in BOTH directions must stop. If there is a median divider, drivers must stop ONLY when traveling in the same direction. The fine for not stopping is $1,000.
Q: Mr. Skyshow: The air above Mountain View has become a veritable highway. So many loud planes create an almost constant barrage of noise, especially if it is gloomy weather.
Alex K.
Mountain View
A: It is louder. Planes bound for San Francisco International Airport over the South Bay are taking a different route to ease congestion in the skies, moving to less than a half-mile further east over Mountain View. The Almanac Express reports that these planes go into glide mode, rather than having to throttle back to slow. And it creates more noise.
Q: If San Jose turned all these bike paths into electric scooter lanes, traffic would be reduced. I would certainly do the 21 miles to work on an electric scooter, but not in traffic.
Tim O’Brien
Sunnyvale
A: San Jose does not permit motorized vehicles on its trails unless a person has a mobility disability issue. But state law allows E-bikes along trails and limits them to 15 mph.
Q: When I was going to Willow Glen High School in the 60’s, the big thing to do was drive to Santa Cruz over Highway 17 and back during our lunch hour, and get to class on time.
David Young
A: Oh, this brings back a painful memory of my high school days. A friend was the star quarterback with a cool red Mustang. He and I would cut a study hall and drive to a burger place for lunch and return in time for our next class. Did it almost every day. I could not go one time, he did and was caught and after-school detention made him miss practice. He was benched for the next game against our arch-rival.
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