Mr. Roadshow Rescuing a pet from a hot car can be legal
Q Thank you for reminding people over the years about what can happen to pets in cars in hot weather. L. Walker San Mateo A I know it hasn’t been hot yet this spring, but there’s a new state law allowing people to come to the rescue of a pet left inside a vehicle.
The “Right to Rescue Act” allows good Samaritans to smash windows and break into a vehicle in order to save an animal from a hot vehicle, provided some conditions are met. Those include (1) checking to ensure the car cannot be opened; and (2) observing the animal is suffering harm or is in immediate danger. Q May I suggest an awareness test for pet owners? We all know what it’s like to get into a hot car, but if we’re driving (maybe with the A/C on) we don’t realize just how fast the temperature rises. Try sitting in the car (doors closed, windows cracked) for 10 minutes or so, and see what it’s like. I did, and I was sweating after just a couple of minutes! And that was in the shade. It was sure an eye opener for me. L. Walker A On a 75-degree day, temperatures inside a vehicle can reach 94 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 in 30 minutes. On an 85-degree day, it’s 104 and 119 degrees, respectively. On a 95-degree day, it can reach — egads — 114 degrees in 10 minutes and 129 degrees in half an hour. Q Please stop referring to traffic collisions as accidents and call them what they are: collisions. The CHP Collision Investigation Report and Property Damage forms call out primary and contributing factors in a traffic collision; not one of the check boxes is “accidental.” Maybe you did not intend to collide with anyone while you were distracted or speeding, but you were not “accidentally” speeding or driving distracted. Dave Rowsey Pinole A I should be chastised for this. For nearly two decades, safety officials have voiced concerns that “accidents” imply no fault, when in fact someone is almost always responsible. They say that “collision” is a more appropriate term. Q I wonder why the gas tax is going to pay for roads that I will never drive on. Why can’t the tax stay within the county where the gas was purchased? If I go to Tahoe and use their roads, when I buy gas in Placer County, then Placer County gets the gas tax. When I drive to Los Angeles and buy gas, then Los Angeles gets the gas tax. Since I am using their roads it only seems logical. Tim Morgan Los Gatos A Gas tax funds are mostly allocated based on population. Q I recently purchased a new vehicle that is eligible for the green carpool stickers. I sent in the application to the DMV a month ago but haven’t yet received the stickers. Do you have any idea how much longer I have to wait? My commute time has increased by at least 15 minutes as a result of not being able to use the commuter lane. Kathi Ligia A About a month.