Lane-splitting, not paying tolls is not OK with these readers
Q Gary I am confused. You told the lady who’s mirror was ripped off by a lane-splitter to just ignore it. Ripping off someone’s mirror is considered an accident and leaving the scene of an accident is a crime. Following the lane-splitter to get his license number would make sense or are you suggesting that lady was at fault? — Dennis Meidinger, San Jose
A A lot of heat headed my way today.
Q In your response to Mary Johnson and the lane-splitting incident, you stated it was not OK that the friend followed the lane-splitter.
The lane-splitter “ripped off her outside mirror, didn’t stop.” Isn’t this considered an accident and that the lanesplitter left the scene of an accident? Should the victim of this accident have just ignored this? — D.K. Jacob
A Yes. I’m saying the perils of chasing down a lane-splitting motorcyclist are not worth the risks of a road con- frontation. Remain calm and keep your cool.
Q Readers were right to chastise you a bit about not using their horns at a lanesplitting motorcyclist. I give a little tap at distracted drivers waiting for a formal invitation to proceed through a green light all the time. People who surrender their right of way get one, too. Those that flagrantly disobey the law, turning into my lane on the freeway going 70 while I’m still there get considerably more than a tap. Afterall, I would assume that’s why car manufacturers put horns there. I have never encountered an incident of road rage yet. — Kathy Furtado, Campbell
A Be thankful for that.
Q I was surprised at your answer to the person who bought a new car and asked if it was OK to drive over bridges without paying the toll. You still don’t understand the issue. Unless there’s a law I don’t know about, it’s not legal or OK to avoid paying a toll, even if the lack of a temporary license plate means you probably won’t get caught. Shame on you, Gary! — Gary Soots, Moraga
A More shame en route.
Q Gary, you still don’t get it. It’s illegal to go through the toll plaza and not pay the toll. Just because you haven’t been issued license plates for your new car doesn’t mean you get a free ride. New car owners don’t get a 90- day unlimited free pass on tolls just because it’s hard to catch them without license plates. They are required to stop and pay the toll just like everybody else. You become an accessory to the crime when you encourage drivers without plates to sail through the toll gates. — Michael McMillan, El Sobrante
A I’m not riled up by this because in 2019 paper plates on new vehicles will be replaced by temporary metal plates.