Question: I am driving on Beretania Street and want to turn right at Piikoi Street to be in the far left lane for the Makiki Post Office. The new Safeway Store changed the traffic pattern, so now there is a dedicated right-turn lane. But it is difficult to merge and cross to the leftmost lane using that lane. Is it legal to stop at the Beretania Street crosswalk, then turn onto Piikoi to be in the far left lane right away?
Answer: It is illegal for motorists heading Ewa on Beretania to turn right onto Piikoi from any lane other than the far right lane, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
The law cited is Section 291C-81 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, which says that when a driver intends to turn right at an intersection, “Both the approach for a right turn and a right turn shall be made as close as practicable to the righthand curb or edge of the roadway.”
HPD also pointed out that a sign clearly indicates the second-most right lane is clearly marked for through traffic only.
Another reader voiced concern about pedestrians crossing the new dedicated right-turn lane from Beretania onto Piikoi, saying this already dangerous intersection “has become even more so.”
He suggested the city Department of Transportation Services evaluate that corner, possibly making the right-turn lane from Beretania into “Right After Complete Stop” only, and removing the traffic signal that is specific to that lane.
We passed both concerns on to DTS.
ID Card Scanning
The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii says that a bill that passed the state Legislature this year to restrict the scanning of ID cards and driver’s licenses would prohibit 7-Eleven from continuing its practice of scanning the IDs of everyone who purchases age-restricted goods.
The bill is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Neil Abercrombie, according to ACLU staff attorney Laurie Temple. The governor has until July 10 to veto any bill.
In the May 31 Kokua Line — is.gd/buLZgr — we explained that there currently is no federal or state law that restricts businesses from scanning a customer’s ID card or driver’s license.
7-Eleven said it has a new and consistent policy requiring employees to verify the age of anyone purchasing liquor or tobacco, no matter how old, by scanning IDs.
However, Temple pointed out that Senate Bill 2419, “Relating to Personal Information,” has a key provision dealing with scanning to verify age, which says that it is allowable “if there is a reasonable doubt of the individual having reached 18 years of age or older … ”
Someone obviously of age would have a legitimate complaint, she said. “We want to make sure that the store (has) a good reason for asking for that information.”
However, if you do not pay in cash — using a credit or debit card, for example — then the business could ask for and scan your ID. It just can’t say it’s doing it to verify age unless there’s “reasonable doubt” that you are of legal age to make the purchase.
“Essentially, the purpose of this bill was to really limit the situations in which a business could scan your driver’s license,” Temple said. “We want to trust businesses that they won’t use the information unlawfully. But at the same time, we can’t assume that that’s how it’s going to be. So we want to make sure that government is protecting our privacy as much as they can.”
7-Eleven spokesman Blake Yokotake said the company takes its responsibility in selling age-restricted items “very seriously” and is reviewing Senate Bill 2419. “We have no further comments at this time,” he said.
Temple said the ACLU is planning to launch a public education campaign about this issue.
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