http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2012/12/03/respect-the-five-feet Comments On: Respect the Five Feet! by Charles Mudede en-us Copyright 2013 The Stranger. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, The Stranger readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact The Stranger. webmaster@thestranger.com (The Stranger Webmaster) Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:01 -0700 Fri, 24 May 2013 14:45:00 -0700 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Posted by tal]]> Tue, 04 Dec 2012 21:38:38 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Matt from Denver]]> Tue, 04 Dec 2012 07:25:46 -0800 The Stranger Posted by watchout5]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:49:37 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Free Lunch]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 20:13:03 -0800 The Stranger
Both of my kids are smaller than a fire hydrant. They don't always wear red. Please keep a sharp eye out and don't run them over. Thanks.

Also, maybe it's time for an Orca card?
Posted by Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 18:24:54 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Eastpike]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:05:39 -0800 The Stranger
Another seemingly petty annoyance that endangers people - parking your car within 30 feet of the stop sign. Creates a totally blind intersection, especially if it's a truck, and increases risk of someone getting t-boned.
Posted by seandr]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 16:06:36 -0800 The Stranger
@30, I think culture plays more into cyclist danger than any test could accommodate for. Where I lived before and here there was a somewhat vibrant cycling community (that I am happy to be a part of). A test cannot correct for what Douglas Adams correctly identified as the "Someone else's problem" field of invisibility.
Posted by Tawnos]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:53:06 -0800 The Stranger
Also, Seattleites frequently park too close to intersections in residential areas, making it difficult to navigate all the traffic circles and further hampering visibility.
Posted by tiktok]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:30:44 -0800 The Stranger They really should be painting the curbs like the rest of the civilized world does, but for some reason they just don't do that around here.
Posted by SPG]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:58:05 -0800 The Stranger
I imagine if you can figure out who posts parking signs you can make a case for placing one that says "no parking within 15 feet."

Good luck.
Posted by six shooter]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:27:00 -0800 The Stranger Posted by camlux]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:09:56 -0800 The Stranger
Why arent they painted red?

Can i paint the one in front of my house red? as a favor to the +\- 5 people a month who get tickets?


Posted by Cassette tape fan]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:08:37 -0800 The Stranger
Hooray if the firefighters on the end of that hose put out the fire before running out of water. Boo if they're in a hazardous environment and suddenly run out of water.

Every SFD firefighter is trained to attach their engine to a hydrant within 3 1/2 minutes -- to "secure a supply" from a hydrant. Any firefighter who doesn't believe his driver can "make a plug" before he runs out of water should not enter a dangerous environment until he knows for sure someone else on scene can.

Illegally parked cars can and have killed people.

I'm not saying the driver at the Fremont fire f*cked up -- I wasn't there -- but I'm also not not saying it.

(I believe most fire apparatus drivers would prefer to park someplace convenient for everyone if given a choice.)
Posted by six shooter]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:31:26 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Matt from Denver]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:21:36 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Matt from Denver]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:20:19 -0800 The Stranger
BTW, this loophole transforms drivers from several other states into elevated hazards to cyclists, pedestrians and other living things.

I've hopped from state to state a number of times, and IIRC I've usually had to pass at least a cursory written test ... but not in Our Fair State (which I think also automatically permits me to operate as a global terrorist).
Posted by RonK, Seattle]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:15:39 -0800 The Stranger
If that's what the fire hydrant space is actually for these days, then I humbly suggest that the city paint the curb red wherever appropriate and put up a sign indicating that it's an allotted space for emergency vehicles in general. As it is, since parked cars regularly take up space within five feet of the hydrant with no penalty, there's no way a fire truck could fit there, and even an ambulance would probably have to parallel park to fit in that space.

And, in my experience, emergency vehicles stop wherever they need to, even in the middle of the street, and I don't begrudge them that one bit.

@25,

That's news to me. It was my understanding that firefighters don't bother with them in most cases because hydrants don't have as much water pressure as the machinery on the trucks. That was the explanation for why the faulty fire engine responding to the Fremont house fire several years ago didn't switch to using a hydrant.
Posted by keshmeshi]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:13:14 -0800 The Stranger
The fire lane at your grocery store? Where else is a huge truck supposed to park? How else can you insure the truck won't be blocked if it needs to leave suddenly?

The space created by the fire hydrant zone? Where should the fire engine park when the EMTs aboard are busy saving your grandmother's life? What if they need help? In an emergency, should the people coming to help park a block or two away and walk?

Jesus. I know the SLOG doesn't want to see the policing sausage being made, but please believe me when I assure you the fire department isn't out creating bullshit rules just to inconvenience you.

Pull the fuck over when you hear sirens.

Don't lolly-gag in front of an emergency vehicle in the crosswalk because "pedestrians always have the right of way".

Don't throw a little baby-fit when forced to follow a few basic rules of common fucking decency.

(sorry K. I'm not implying you're guilty of any of these. You sound like a reasonable person most of the time. You just poked at a sore spot this morning.)
Posted by six shooter]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:57:35 -0800 The Stranger
Could you define "properly"? I moved here from elsewhere. WA DOL punched a hole in my old license and printed me a new one.
Posted by Tawnos]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:52:29 -0800 The Stranger
Three feet vs. 6 feet from the edge of the driveway or alley really doesn't make a huge fucking difference in the distance you can see down the street when it's an opaque fucking Chevy Tahoe (or Volvo 870) blocking the view.
Posted by ScrawnyKayaker]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:47:29 -0800 The Stranger
Did you just make shit that up? Modern fire trucks (and by trucks you mean fire engines) most certainly need hydrants and you're a complete motherfucker if you park in front of them.
Posted by six shooter]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:37:42 -0800 The Stranger
Knowing the five foot rule IS required IF you properly obtained a WA drivers license. See RCW 46.61.570(i).
Posted by RonK, Seattle]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:35:35 -0800 The Stranger
When you live in a crowded area like a city, you need to act politely. Don't crowd your neighbor's driveway. Don't park one car badly on the street in a space where two cars could park. If your elderly or disabled neighbor has regularly parked her car in front of her house for twenty years, think two or three times before taking her spot.

Also, don't post sign when someone encroaches upon your space. The correct response is to write a passive-aggressive note and leave it under the offensive car's wipers (or to let all the air out the car's tires and then call a tow-truck).

We're not Republicans, people.
Posted by six shooter]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:34:51 -0800 The Stranger Posted by Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn]]> Mon, 03 Dec 2012 11:31:17 -0800 The Stranger