Hilo Town Traffic Blues

[2liveque]

Thank you for not being the irritated mainland transplant who gives me stink eye for backing into a parking stall. Thank you for touching on real traffic practices that matter.

[lquade]

many many times, the police sit at the corner of the keaau back entrance giving tickets to those who make a right hand turn using the breakdown lane. seen it over and over.. so your frustrations of not giving yourself enough time on the road could cost you....

[Mimosa]

If a person driving leaves 15 minutes early - less chance for the grumbling .
Merrie Monarch festival time is only time we notice traffic is worse than the usual mellow hilo drivers.
If some one happens to tailgate you,just turn on turn signal,pull over on shoulder and allow them to tail gate the next car in front of you,merge back into traffic with signal indicating what your intent is.
Backing into a parking space is common here .
It's Hilo - not Oahu or over on Continent.
If Hilo traffic is bothering you - a vacation to L.A. or San Francisco may cure you of your grumbling.
Hilo has charm and we find that most drivers are friendly and courteous.
The police know where to set up and ticket those who constantly create infractions for those of us that abide by the laws .

[glinda]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mimosa

Hilo has charm and we find that most drivers are friendly and courteous..

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I agree. Hilo is mellow, laid back and the folks are kind. Except maybe around the big boxes. Coming in and out of the mart that shall not be named, the corner of Makaala and highway 11, OMG there is way too many mainland transplants gathered together in one place, all courtesy is thrown out the door. Unhappy people, rough. But otherwise, Hilo at any time of the day is way better than Kona, 130 and any other place where traffic is notoriously bad. In fact, Hilo, for all the folks that live and congregate there amazingly still has a wonderful small town vibe. Folks smile, shaka brah kine pleasant place to be. Thankfully!

[Mimosa]

When a gallon of self serve regular gasoline hits $6.00 or $7.00 a gallon again - and it will soon enough - lots less drivers will be on the road .
MarkD - some of the things you suggest are not legal here .Passing on the right a definite NO NO.
This is not Oahu - it is sleepy quiet Hilo town .
Get a dash cam and record all the annoyances you see and take it to chief of police and see what he has to say about Hilo drivers.
Glinda is correct about the marts big box stores.Mainland drivers and attitudes .
Only go on Sundays after church when the ads in Sunday paper come out .
Hilo town is mellow and us old timers are related to half of them and know the other half via the kids and grand kids and their friends .

[MarkD]

This is not Oahu - it is sleepy quiet Hilo town

Let's hope it stays this way. Maybe our heavy rains will return and help make us not such a destination (or less of one than we seem to be becoming).

Our traffic is probably like Oahu's was in the 1950s. They had to evolve. Maybe we'll avoid that.

At least for several more decades.....

[Kapoho Joe]

quote:

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Originally posted by Mimosa

MarkD - some of the things you suggest are not legal here .Passing on the right a definite NO NO.

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Not exactly.

Hawaii Revised Statutes
TITLE 17. MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES
291C. Statewide Traffic Code
291C-44 When overtaking on the right is permitted.

Universal Citation: HI Rev Stat § 291C-44 (2013)
§291C-44 When overtaking on the right is permitted. (a) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass upon the right of another vehicle only under the following conditions:

(1) When the vehicle overtaken is making or about to make a left turn;

(2) Upon a street or highway with unobstructed pavement not occupied by parked vehicles of sufficient width for and with lanes marked for two or more lines of moving vehicles in each direction;

(3) Upon a one-way street, or upon any roadway on which traffic is restricted to one direction of movement, where the roadway is free from obstructions and of sufficient width for two or more lines of moving vehicles.

(b) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement in safety. In no event shall such movement be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway. [L 1971, c 150, pt of §1]

[MarkD]

Yes. And I think that b) refers to the white lines I was talking about. I am pretty sure those lines demarcate the "main-traveled portion of the roadway."

And I think the cross-hatched parking spots are also not part of the travelled roadway.

That means, I think, that all those white lines and cross hatching placed around Hilo the past year have created many new areas where one can no longer pass on the right.

(Perhaps the traffic folks put out a press release with the Trib. and I missed it)

Correction above: cross-hatched no parking spots

[kalakoa]

Like all other "rules and laws/for everyone", the traffic codes will be enforced seemingly at whim.

At least the cops get raises and a nice pension. Oh, and your taxes just went up.

[Kapoho Joe]

All the traffic laws are like the rest of the laws in Hawaii - only applicable if you get caught. Given the woefully inadequate staffing levels at our various police stations, that possibility is quite slim. Over the years I have seen people get away with everything from drag racing, hit and run, dui and even murder (plenty of unsolved missing persons cases).

Driving in Puna is more akin to Mad Max than Manhattan Beach.