Brighter headlights are a glaring nuisance to drivers
QIs it me, or are there a lot of people driving with their high beams on these days? High beams are to be used in poorly lit rural areas, not on our major roads and freeways. But it seems every morning I have to deal with someone driving behind me with high beams on. Are these people that ignorant that they don’t know the courtesy rules for the use of high beams, or are they just arrogant and don’t care?
Maybe your readers have some opinions. — Tom Kapushinski, Fremont
AI’m sure many do. This irritates a lot of others, though I think today’s brighter lights often make it seem that high beams are on when in fact they are not.
QAlong steep dirt hillsides on highways 9 and 17 near Santa Cruz that slid last winter, workers have sprayed some bright green matter. I’m assuming it’s to help keep the hills from sliding in the next heavy rain, but I can’t tell what it is. Do you know? — Peter Gelblum, Boulder Creek
AIt is called Hydromulch, a mixture of seed, compost, fertilizer, wood fiber and tackifier to revegetate the slope. It helps with erosion but will not prevent a slide.
QWhat use is 10 minutes free parking at the SFO garage? Can anyone drive to their level, walk to the walkway and under the street to the terminal, then turn around immediately and return to their car, drive to the exit booth and pay within 10 minutes? I strongly doubt it. Al Williams, San Jose
ASo try this …
QThe cellphone lot at SFO is great. Three minutes from the terminal. Have the person you’re picking up send you a text when they grab their bag from the carousel and you’ll never have to navigate the insanity of taxis, Ubers, and Lyfts more than once. Y.P.
AThis may be the best way to deal with the SFO parking chaos.
QOne positive outcome of the Hedding Street road diet has been the change in the signal at Bascom Avenue, which now allows for simultaneous opposing left turns onto Bascom. But at Monroe Street, the three- way sequence of the signal is still in place and it’s causing huge backups. Is there any chance that the three- way sequence can be eliminated like it was at Bascom? D. J. Martin, San Jose
ANo. San Jose was able to modify the Bascom/Hedding signal because the signal poles were strong enough to accommodate a longer mast arm needed to support additional signals. Monroe signal poles, unfortunately, do not have a similar structural capacity. They would have to undergo a major upgrade to accommodate a longer mast arm and additional signals.