Question: Understandably, they are cracking down on drivers for pedestrian safety. The law, as my friends and I understand it, is that we have to stop when a pedestrian enters a crosswalk on our side of the street. But several of us have gotten tickets for not stopping when the pedestrian was on the opposite side. One friend was ticketed on Kamehameha Highway — three lanes going in each direction — when a pedestrian entered the crosswalk from the makai side. That pedestrian had to cross three lanes, hit the median, then cross three more lanes. Another friend was Waianae-bound on the other half of the street when the pedestrian entered the crosswalk. In my case I was in the right lane of King Street, headed downtown. To my left was a pickup truck, which did not slow down, so I did not see the sidewalk or the pedestrian who had entered the crosswalk. If the pickup driver had slowed down, I would’ve slowed. He didn’t get a ticket but I did. Can you clarify what the law is on pedestrians crossing the street? It appears enforcement can be very subjective.
Answer: Maj. Kurt Kendro of the Honolulu Police Department’s Traffic Division pointed to Section 291C-72 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which deals with "Pedestrians’ right-of-way in crosswalks."
That section (1.usa.gov/1rkxvgh) says that a driver has to stop if a pedestrian is either on "the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling" or is "approaching the vehicle so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger."
The driver cannot proceed until the pedestrian has passed the vehicle "and the driver can safely proceed."
It also goes on to say: "Whenever any vehicle is stopped at a marked crosswalk or at any unmarked crosswalk at an intersection to permit a pedestrian to cross the roadway, the driver of any other vehicle approaching from the rear shall not overtake and pass the stopped vehicle."
"The assertion that there is some subjectivity" in determining whether a driver is in violation "is true because there is no exact location in the roadway that defines exactly where the pedestrian is approaching the other half of the roadway to be in danger," Kendro said.
It could be one step or two steps from the center of the roadway, he said, noting that "this definition is to provide some reasonableness so that traffic doesn’t have to stop in both directions similar to a school bus."
Meanwhile, Kendro said if a roadway is divided by a median, the law would apply "when the pedestrian approached from the median to the roadway and not when the pedestrian left the curb on the opposite side of the roadway."
Question: Who can I contact about a broken cover for a utility fixture in the cement sidewalk?
Answer: If you believe the fixture belongs to Hawaiian Telcom, you are advised to call the 24-hour service center at 611 or 643-6111 from a non-Hawaiian Telcom line.
If you think it belongs to Hawaiian Electric Co., call customer service at 548-7311.
That’s also the number to call for broken equipment, tagged transformers, balloons/shoes on lines, etc., said spokesman Peter Rosegg.
For trees growing close to utility lines, call HECO’s vegetation management at 543-7836 or customer service.
For power outages, Rosegg said calls should be made to the 24/7 trouble line at 855-304-1212.
Mahalo
To the young man and his two friends in the silver Toyota Tacoma who guided me to Mililani Memorial Park last month, after I missed a cutoff and was far along Farrington Highway in Waipahu. We were at a gas station when I asked the young man for directions, and he said it was easier to just show me the way.
I followed his truck back to the freeway and all the way to the park entry. Because of their help, I was able to attend the funeral services. They went out of their way to help a total stranger and even delayed their trip to the gym. That’s real aloha. — N. Matsukawa
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
