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School bus lights
alert motorists

Question: Can you clarify the laws regarding flashing lights on a school bus when it is at a stop? On May 19, I observed a school bus on Hui Ulili Street in Kaneohe that did not have any lights on -- flashing or otherwise -- while unloading passengers at about 3 p.m. Another time, I observed a bus at a stop with yellow lights flashing. I thought school buses are supposed to have red lights flashing to alert drivers to stop and not pass them when loading or unloading passengers. When there are no red lights flashing, how are other drivers supposed to know what to do? Luckily, I noticed the students coming off the bus and stopped. Perhaps you can look into this and remind school bus drivers to please use lights for the safety of their passengers and other drivers. I did not get the bus number.

Answer: Next time you see something like this happening, you should call the appropriate state Department of Education's district transportation office.

Or, simpler, call the DOE's communications office at 586-3230, and it will pass on the information to the district office to look into, a spokesman said.

However, he said it would help if you could at least provide the number of the bus and the name of the bus company. Any other details, such as time, date, location, etc., would also help.

The spokesman said you are correct that the bus driver should have activated the bus' red lights to indicate the discharge of passengers.

According to 291C-95 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, the driver of a school bus is required to activate the lights when the bus is stopped to pick up or drop off schoolchildren. School buses also must be clearly marked with the words "school bus" in letters not less than 8 inches high and not less than three-fourths of an inch wide in the front and rear.

If a school bus is being used for purposes other than transporting children, the law requires the words "school bus" to be "covered or concealed."

Under 291C-95(g), a school bus is required to be equipped with four red signal lamps -- two facing forward and two facing the rear. The two forward lamps are supposed to be flashed alternately, and the two rear lamps are to flash alternately. Each of the lamps is required to be "plainly visible at a distance of 500 feet in normal sunlight" and capable of being turned on from the driver's seat.

Mahalo

To Patrick and the gang at Dixie Grill on Ward Avenue. I had phoned in a lunch order for a colleague and me because we had a very busy afternoon planned. But my car wouldn't start so I couldn't pick up our lunch. When I told the folks at Dixie Grill my dilemma, they were so very understanding. In fact, Patrick insisted on driving to our Nuuanu office to deliver our meal! They don't normally deliver. Talk about service. We got a great lunch brought right to our door by people who really care. Mahalo to Dixie Grill for combining Southern hospitality and aloha spirit. -- Holly Huber

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