Q: Does Caltrans have any plans to rebuild Highway 101 southbound, starting about 1/3 mile before the Lawrence Expressway exit and about 1.5 miles long? The asphalt on this stretch is failing on all lanes. I ride a bus here seven times a day, as well as my personal cars for commuting.
My bus has large chips in the windshield, as do both my cars. I recently paid a $250 deductible to have my windshield replaced but I think it’s just going to crack again as I see and hear rocks flying here.
Replacing bus windows is very expensive. Cars are damaged here every day. The problem is ridiculous.
Scott Freeman
A: Similar issues exist on Highway 101 in the Mountain View area and El Camino Real on the Peninsula. Until the Caltrans crews can recover after the rainy season and make many other repairs, I’m afraid you’ll still have to watch out for flying rocks.
Question: I was on Highway 237 the other day and I thought there was a UFO coming from the opposite direction, flying above the traffic. It turned out to be a fire engine with a yacht-like bar of LED lights on top of the cab. Talk about being dazzled by oncoming traffic. Do they have to drive with those lights on?
Ed King
A: These lights are legal.
Q: (Tongue in Cheek): Mr. R, I assume most of the video companies that shoot TV commercials are based in the LA area because of the movie industry. So as I watch new cars buzz by in ads, I ask myself, “What state do the film crews travel to get a mile of smooth pavement?”
Gene Paschal, Danville
A good one.
Q: I just received my driver’s license renewal notice and was surprised that I have to take the knowledge test again. Five years ago I renewed my driver’s license and then took the knowledge test. Before that, my driver’s license was automatically renewed at least three times without a test (each time five years). I’ve never had an accident in 60 years of driving. Does the RDW require the knowledge test of all drivers above a certain age? If so, I think that’s age discrimination. A person’s driving record should be the basis for taking the knowledge test, not a person’s age, in my opinion.
Susan Arnaud
A: Drivers age 70 or older must appear in person to renew their driver’s license as required by state law. They must take a vision test and may need to take the knowledge exam. The RDW offers two online options for the knowledge exam.
More information about senior drivers can be found on the DMV website: dmv.ca.gov/portal/driver-education-and-safety/special-interest-driver-guides/senior-drivers/.
Look up Gary Richards facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at [email protected]
