Shedding light on flashing brights

When Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Merrill responded to a reader question about how to signal another driver about a broken headlight or taillight, his answer was simple: Do nothing.

"Worry about your own car," Merrill said. In fact, he added, flashing one's high beams at another driver is illegal.

Merrill's answer prompted a flurry of e-mails from readers, many of whom seem to use their high beams for purposes other than illumination.

One reader felt use of high beams should be tit-for-tat: When other drivers are blinding you, send it right back at them.

Another wondered how else to signal when passing. And a third wanted to know if he might alert other drivers to nonworking equipment by honking the horn instead.

Here's a heads-up on headlights: They're for illumination, not communication, said State Patrol Trooper Cliff Pratt.

"That's it," he said.

It's illegal to flash your high beams or activate them within 500 feet of an approaching vehicle, and 300 feet if you're coming up behind another vehicle.

In Washington state, headlights are not to be used to indicate the intent to pass.

"This is not Europe," Pratt said.

Moreover, it's the responsibility of law-enforcement officers, not other drivers, to deal with people who have a headlight or taillight out, he said.

Don't even think about using your horn. Per state law, the horn is used only in emergencies. A missing headlight or taillight doesn't qualify, Pratt added.

One thing has changed since Merrill first answered the question. The state recently increased the fine for inappropriate flashing of high beams; excessive, nonemergency horn-honking; and other infractions to $112, up from $101, Pratt said.

Early warning

Bellevue: Drivers should expect increased congestion on the offramps from I-90 to northbound Bellevue Way Southeast from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except Sunday, through May 24. Most of the work will take place on Bellevue Way Southeast, 113th Avenue Southeast and 112th Avenue Southeast.

Kirkland: Crews may close up to three lanes in both directions of I-405 from Northeast 85th Street to Northeast 116th Street Monday through Thursday nights for barrier removal and lighting installation.

Redmond: The northbound lane of Red-Wood Road between Northeast 98th Street and Northeast 101st Street will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays through August for construction related to a new sidewalk.

Snoqualmie: The $21.5 million project to replace the Mount Si Bridge, which crosses the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River, begins this month. During the two-year construction period, the old bridge may be closed periodically to accommodate moving of equipment.

Amy Roe: 206-464-3347 or aroe@seattletimes.com