Q. What can we do about the panhandlers who approach traffic on freeway on- and off-ramps? They create a distraction to drivers, especially when cars suddenly stop to give them a handout when the light turns green on a ramp meter. Further, the panhandlers put themselves in harm’s way if they step into a lane with moving traffic right there, or sit on a curb and stick a leg out into a lane as vehicles pass by.
– Kate Yust, Orange
A. On nearly all freeway ramps in urban areas, it is illegal to be on them or the shoulder while on foot.
“It happens frequently,” said Duane Graham, an officer and spokesman for the California Highway Patrol in Orange County. “They are out there, and we receive calls – a lot.”
If someone is endangering themselves or others, Graham said, call 911:
“Definitely, if they are in the lanes – the law says they can’t do that, and it’s dangerous.”
If someone is loitering on a ramp, which is state property, but not in a dangerous fashion, call the CHP. If away from a ramp, say along a street, the public can call the local agency that patrols that community.
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Q. When did spare tires become an option? We attended a recent Santa Margarita Catholic High School football game. A friend of the family’s electric vehicle had a flat tire in a parking lot and the vehicle did not have a spare and had to get a tow back to Corona hours later. That is certainly bad enough, but what if the family had the flat tire in the middle of a bad section of town, or in a rural area with no lighting, no cellphone service or any other help? We are considering a car for a 16-year-old granddaughter, and I can assure you it will not be electric and it will come with a spare!
– Charles May, Ladera Ranch
A. Nearly half of the cars Consumer Reports has tested since 2020 have come with a temporary, small spare, with the rest offering a sealant, perhaps coupled with a compressor, run-flat tires or … nothing.
Some background: Run-flats can still be driven on after some punctures, but the recommended distance and speed are limited. Temporary spares – often called “doughnuts” – have those same two issues. Run-flats should only be run in vehicles with a tire-pressure monitoring system, Bridgestone advises, so the driver is alerted when a tire is too underinflated.
The manufacturers’ motive is to save cash, of course, and/or to reduce weight to get a smidgen more mileage from the gas tank or the battery.
Every driver should know what is – or isn’t – in the trunk and have a game plan.
Honk is not a paid shill – if he were, he wouldn’t wobble while walking because of aging flip-flops – but he recommends having AAA or some other rescue service.
In a dicey situation, call 911. On freeways, for example, California Highway Patrol officers have told Honk that if they don’t have a higher priority call, they will try to swing by and wait it out with the stranded motorist until the tow truck, vehicle-maintenance worker or a friend or a family member arrives.
You can also dial up 511 to get a Freeway Service Patrol truck to come out and – for free – fix a flat (or get a gallon of gas or a jump-start) during its operating hours. In Los Angeles County alone, the service works with Caltrans, the CHP and LA Metro to make 25,000 assists a month.
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. To see him on the social media platform X: @OCRegisterHonk